The morning call., 1891-01-23
A SINGULAR STORY.
The Visits of a Relative Bring Death t,
Baltimore Family.

The Visits of Relative Bring Death to
Baltimore Family.
A singular circumstance not published is
related in connection with the suicide here,
at his home, of young John McYickar
Wyatt, on New Years night. MAC" as
he was known, was one of the handsomest
young men in the city, club man and an
athlete, says n Baltimore telegram to the
Pittsburg Dispatch. He was OF fiery, i'm
petuous temperament, and in some of his
practices so eccentric that there is good rea-
son for doubling his sanity. Some years
ago an aunt residing in another city was in
vted TO visit the family, and did so, and
during her stay one OF the members died.
Later she paid another visit, and again
there was a death. The circumstance was
noted as rather singular; but year later
she came for the third time, and either
while she WAS staying or Immediately after
her departure, there was II third death.
So strange n coincidence was very
distressing to all concerned, as she
Is lady OF great amiability of char
acter and held in highest esteem
and regard by her relatives. Upon fourth
visit death again attended her, and when
she returned to her home she announced
she had determined never to come back to
Baltimore again. She kept her resolution
for some time, bat her brother, the father
of young Wyatt, i'll the early part of Deem
Der, wrote TO her urging her to spend the
CHRISTMAS holidays with the family. He
spoke lightly of the superstitious associa-
tons attending her former visits. and re-
marked, humorOusly, that it was now impos-
sible for any one 10 die, as they We're ali in
the best OF health and could defy the CHASTITY
intruder as on former occasions OF appear
auce As she had so often shared their grief
IN bereavement, II was now proper that she
should enjoy with chem the pleasures they
bad planned for the Christmas holidays.
With some misgivings, aud yet inclined now
to consider the singular chain of circum-
stances in the past as merely a coincidence
the aunt broke her resolution and came to
Baltimore. Christmas went merrily by and
az went well until New Years night. A
little before midnight the aunt retired
from the company in the parlor, intend
ing to go to her room, which joined that of
her nephew. young McFickar, who had
been ont all the evening. Seeing his door
partly open and the light burning dimly she
concluded that he had come in unobserved,
aud had probably fallen asleep without un-
dressing. She entered his apartment and in
an instant was frozen with horror, for
there, ON tho bed, he lay dead, a pistol in his
hand and blood all about him. He had
slipped into the house and gone upstairs and
shot himself, the report uf the revolver be-
ing unheard below. Thus for the fifth time
was death in the family associated imme-
dately with his aunt'S visit. Why young
Wyatt took his Ii e is a mystery. There is
report that he was secretly married and
stood in fear Of trouble in connection with
the alliance. Some of his strange freaks, as
already stated, seem to indicate insanity.
Among other queer practices he was in the
habit OF crucifying stray cats against the
wall of his garden, impaling the animals
against the fence by driving nails through
their feet. lie would also extract the fangS
of snakes and force tobacco down the throats
of the reptiles. He had hot, uneven tenn
per, and was dUmineering and fiery. His
family Is among the most fashionable in the