Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-10
SOUGHT PEACE IN DEATH.
Great Physical Pain Causes Harry
E. Peace to Commit Suicide.


Found Hanging in the Cellar of His Home
Thursday Morning--Iiis Mind Impaired
by Reason of injuries Received in AN
Accident.
In the cellar of his comfortable home
at No. 1921 b street, in South Whining
ton, Thursday morning, ii. Il. Peace, a
young iron worker and married, DELHI
erately took his own life by hanging
himself with piece of clothes line. The
suicide had tied the bit of rope to the
side of large shelf which projected
from the ceiling. He then swung into
eternity.
The tragedy was revealed by the de-
ceasod's wife, who, missing him ON aris-
ing in the morning, at once instituted
search for him. Her husband, contrary
to his custom, had arisen earlier than
usual, and taking care not to awaken
his wife, dressed himself and went down
stairs about $50 o'clock. His wife arose
an hour later Knowing the great dis
tress her husband had been suffering
from injuries received in an accident
last July, Mrs. Peace at once began u
search for him.
Her search soon took her to the cellar
and there, hanging from the shelf, was
the lifeless body Of her husband. The
woman's screams soon brought the
neighhors to the house, and among those
who responded to her frantic cries was
John Haden, O carpenter. The latter
whipped out knife from his pocket
and cut the suicide down. Life was
already extinct. The rope was drawn
close ebout the neck of the dead man,
with large knot at the back. DIR. j. Il v.
Blocksom, who happened to be passing
at the time, was hastily summoned and
made superficial examination. lie
found death due to strangulation and q
broken neck The neck was slightly
discolored by strangulation. The body
was still warm. Death had ensued
| speedily and without apparent torture.
The remains were carried upstairs into
! the front room of the house and Coroner
| Sparks was notified. He arrived shortly
after being summoned by Police Officer
Gainor, and accompanied by Deputy
Coroner Giles took charge of the body.
The deceased was native of Coates
| vile, Pa, and was 90 years old. For
many months he had suffered much
torture and physical pain from, it is
| said, injuries received in an accident at
| the works of the johnson Forge
Company last July, when he was badly
| injured by being caught in the ma
| chinery of crane. lie sustained per
manent injuries which apparently i'm
paired his health and affected his brain
so much as to cause him to repeatedly
assert that he preferred death to the
| great suffering he was forced TO
| undergo.
Those who knew the man best declare
| that his mind has been affected for
months by reason of the injuries he re-
ceived. Some time ago, through his
counsel, he entered suit for damages in
the superior court against the john
son Forge Company, and the case was
| to be tried at this term. His sudden
| demise will not terminate the suit, how.
ever, and his counsel have shown no
inclination TO discontinue legal proceed
| ings against the firm for the support of
| his wife and child. Deceased was
| member in good standing of Friendship
Conclaye, No. I, Delaware Heptasophs,
who had been paying him benefits
during his entire illness.
An inquest was begun Thursday night
by Coroner Sparks in the case of Harry
Il. Peace, who committed suicide by
hanging himself in the cellar of his
house, No. 1921 b street, in South Will
mington, Thursday morning, during
fit of insanity caused, it is supposed, by
the great physical torture he was forced
to undergo for many months by reason
of injuries received in an accident at the
works of the johnson Forge Company,
last July. Rebecca Peace, wife of the
deceased, related the finding of the body.
She also stated that her husband had
been of unsound mind for several
months. He was hurt on July 21st at
the works of the johnson Forge Com
pany and was brought home uncon-
scious at o'clock in the afternoon
and did not regain consciousness until
p. m. He was confined to his bed for
several weeks and was unable to move.
and his brain gradually became i'm
paired. For time DIR. J. p. Pyle at
tended him until suit was entered
against the johnson Forge Company.
Then DIR. Ogle was called in. Mrs. Peace
stated that the latter told her deceased
was of unsound mind by reason of the
injuries he had received and for her to
keep any firearms and weapons beyond
HIS IcuCu. Az tillleS ut WIS NlOlGHt.
He often complained of his back and
head and at times he would sit and
worry and frequently shed tears. He
had been using crutches until few
weeks ago, Mrs. Peace said, when he
exchanged them for a cane which he
used when out walking. Witness said
she had frequently remained awake at
night to watch her husband, fearing he
would do some rash act.
Thursday morning Mrs. Peace said,
when she awakened and went in search
Of her husband she found his coat and
crutches down stairs, and then the awful
truth seemed TO dawn upon her. She
saw the cellar door standing aiar, and
she started down. She retreated, and
then finally gathering together all the
courage which she possessed, again
entered the dark and dingy cellar. A
stream of light shone dimly in through
| the cellar windows and furnished barely
enough light for her to see the body of
her husband hanging from a rope
attached to shelf. She uttered a
| piercing scream and rushed toward the
suspended figure. She called in vain
| for her husband TO answer her.
Then the woman threw her arms about
her husbands neck and embraced him.
lie was then corpse. She felt his cold,
icy cheeks, she says, and then for the
| first time knew he was dead. Her
screams had by this time aroused the
neighbors and the body was then cut
down.
DIR. j. Il. V. Blocksom testified to ex-
aiming the body and finding life extinct
and the neck broken. He knew deceased
and had visited him at his house. He
| cnt,naAlninnl Of mint l,hreinnl ,,nit, and