San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-02-03
ANOTHER SUICIDE.
COL. WITHERS ENDS HIS
LIFE.
THE CITY ASTOUNDED AT THE
DEATH OF A PROMI-
NENT CITIZEN.
Dependency on Account of Illness
the Cause-PartIculars and
History OF Deceased.

Yesterday the LIGHT recorded the
suicide Of poor fellow, who, tired Of
life and without any money, took his
own life.
Today the LIGHT records the sui.
eide of wealthy, respected citizen,
full of years and honors, almost at
the same hour.
The city was startled and borrified
this morning when it was announced
that Col. John Withers, cashier of the
First National bank, had ended his
lite.
The news proved but too true on
investigation and large crowd of
anxious friends mingled with the Gu.
rious in front of the bank, on Com
merce street, directly after the trag-
coy.
To the reporter. who gained admis-
sion to the bank, Mr.. Ferd. Herff
stated that Col. Withers came down
to the bank this morning at the usual
hour and began his work. About
1890 o'clock he left his desk and went
up stairs where there is large va.
cant room, with on ~ q worn lounge and
an old table. Shortly after he heard q
pistol shot and ran up there only to
find the dead body of Col. Withers
stretched on the lounge, with blood
cozing out Of a wound in the right
8 de of his head just above and back
of the right ear. Death was instan--
taneous. A Smith & Wesson 3S-cal-
ibre pistol was still grasped In his
hand. On the window ledge was the
box in which he had purchased the
pistol. In 1t were some cartridges
and directions how to use the pistol.
The entire force Of clerks of the
bank came up and viewed the body
and the coroner and undertaken were
at onfe notified. Justice Heron and
Undertaken Sheern came.
The family of deceased was
notified by messenger and Mr.
John Withers, his son, soon
arrived. A squad Of police officers
stationed themselves in front of the
bank to keep the curious crowd back.
Mr.. John Withers, his son, was
handed large envelope that was
found sealed, on his fathers desk.
The address was that of Mrs. With
er's, wife of deceased, and the ink
was fresh. The superscription was
written in Col. Withers' we'll
known, steady and legible hand
and evidently was his last
| message t. his dear ones, written
few moments previous to the deed
which ended his life.
Mr.. John Withers stated that lately
his father has been suffering with
illness, had bad cough and was run
down entirely. Yesterday he gave
up completely and was despond
emit, expressing the utmost mel.
ancholy. He had thought it
best to watch his father and was
coming down to the bank this morn
ing to tell the employees to keep GER
tain espionage over him. He acted
quite Irrationally yesterday and al
though Mr.. Wishers, Jr., had visited
the bank-'.stwice during the day, his
father did not remember his first
visit when he spoke about it.
Mr.. Herff states that Col. Withers
had been i'll for some months and was
troubled with bad cough. He was
q nervous man, not physically strong
anu WOih Ou NOiJ All bAS
strength seemed to depend upon
intervals on the advice of aphysician.
His stomach troubled him greatly
and of this he frequently complain ed.
AS was his custom, when he first
arrived at the bank, he took the
then began his duties.
60 tn hov hn hod
long conversation with Gen. w. H.
Young and also conversed with Mr..
Robinson and others. He called at
Pratt's saloon on Soledad street, and
purchased bottle of liquor but did
not take any.
Yesterday he stopped in at Hum
pistol, saying ne had to go home
frequently at night and it
was a dangerous route to his
house. Tramps had frightened his
family and he thought he had better
be armed. He got some cartridges
and told Mr.. Hummell to send the
bill to the bank.
Col. Breckenridge, president of the
bank, is not in the city, and of course,
during his absence, Col. Withers was
at the head OF this institution.
The bank has been closed and
crepe put on the door, in
respect to his memory. The
attorney of the bank was early
on the scene. To inquiries of the
bank officials 1t was answered that
Col. Withers' financial affairs were
all right He was rated as very
wealthy and owned several valuable
pieces of property and business
blocks. His wife also was quite