Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-11
SUICIDE OF WILLIAM MILLER.
He Deliberately Cut His Throat
With a Razor,

Win q MAJOR.
Found Dead In His Bedroom with a
Horrible Cash in His Throat--Iying
Face Downward the Floor In n
Peol of Blood.
William Miller, harness maker BY
trade, committed suicide bv gushing his
throat with razor, at the residence of
his nephew, Samuel j. Miller, No. 1l2
King street, early Inst Tuesday morn
ing. The deed YVES not discovered until
several hours afterward when SamuelJ!
Miller's 12-years-nld daughter Mabel,
went upstairs to summon her uncle to
breakfast. She opened the door Of the
bedroom and called to the man, who
was apparently lying asleep on the
floor. He did not answer. Again the
child repeated the call without obtain
Ing reply from the PROSTATE form on
the floor. She glanced quickly about
the room and then the awful truth
dawned upon her.
LYING IN PooL OF BLOOD.
The man was lying face downward on
the floor, while pool of blood covered
the carpet at his head and completely
saturated it. A short distance from the
''Ns sew bdSti lllltil MlLl
human blood and ut its side lay the
razor, covered with gore, which told the
tale of the terrible deed. A small
mirror was leaning against the side of a
trunk, near the bed, showing that the
suicide had used the glass in mis-, efforts
at self-destruction. He had apparently
held the glass before his very eyes while
he deity applied the razor to his throat,
seyering the arteries in twain. His
throat was gashed on either si1e.
DRAINING HIS BLOOD IN A BASIN.
The blood oozed out from the gaping
wounds in the throat, and for time It
seems the suicide endeavored to drain
into the basin his own life's blood. As
he grew weaker and his agony became
greater he abandoned this effort and
sank helpless on the floor, where life
speedily ebbed away.
AS soon rs the child realized that the
man was dead she turned and fled down
stairs and informed the household of her
CHASTITY discovery. She was ashy pale
and overcome by the sight which she
had beheld. She recovered her com
posure, however, and was able to detail
an account OF her finding of the body to
the coroner when that official arrived.
Samuel ]. Miller was absent from the
house when the discovery was made.
On his return Coroner Sparks was mott
fled, and together with Deputy Coroner
Giles went to the house and viewed the
remains. The body was found 10 the
position described above.
HE AROSE EARLY.
According to the statement of Samuel
]. Miller, who conducts plumbing
establishment at No. 112 King street, in
whose house the suicide boarded, the de-
ceased arose carly Tuesday morning and
after dressing himself went to the bath
room as is customary. His room is in
the third story of the house while the
bath room is on the second floor Samuel
j. Miller heard his uncle in the bath
room and heard him ascend the stairway
leading to his own room where the deed
was perpetrated. This was about 5
O'Clock. After that not sound was
heard in the room overhead. 1t is sup
posed that the deceased took his life
just about the time that day was break
ing. A lamp found on the floor would
indicate that 1t was not light enough for
him to commit the deed without its aid,
as he evidently had placed the lamp and
mirror near at hand in order to more
easily take his life.
HAD SUFFERED FOR YEARS.
The deceased was son of the late
Samuel Miller, who at one time kept the
old Washington Hotel, now occupied by
John Mealey, No. 205 Market street.
Since his fathers death the suicide, al
though a harness-maker by trade, has
lived retired life and was man of
considerable wealth. For a number of
years he has complained of repeated ILL
ness and had long been q sufferer from
consumption, which it is thought had
eventually deprived him of his reason
and led him to commit the rash act. OF
late he had complained of being pur-
sued by secret enemies and seemed in
mortal dread of every stranger whom
he saw. His eyes also had wild look.
But still no one apprehended any
danger from these visible signs of mad
ness, and the announcement Of his death
was shock to his relatives. Deceased
was about so years of age and bach
elor. He had of late years become
much addicted to drink TO relieve him
of great physical suffering. His half
brother, Samuel Miller, is retired and
lives at No. 904 jackson street. Three
sisters also survive him.
Coroner Sparks does not deem an
inquest necessary, and will issue GER
titicate of death.