The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-06-21
FATuEn's PATHETIC LETTER.

Rev. W. Fl. Milburn, the blind chaplain Of
the House Of Representatives, is deeply pros
trated over the sad suicide of his son at Chi
cago and hos furnished the following state
ment for the public:
1T is hard that the silence which BELTS the
presence OF death should be broken and that
the veil should be lifted which belongs to the
RaS Sss e SE 1 y " sfs &y e s5s dtS5f M SsSRs saSPs
seems open that the only earthly possession
left me, good name, should be preserved.
My son, Fletcher Harper Milburn, who would
have been forty years OF age in September,
was for long time the victim of the alcohol
disease. But last summer spent some time
at retreat in Denver and was pronounced
by its authorities perfectly cured and himself
assured that he had lost all taste for liquor
and gave me the pledge Of his honor that he
would never use it again.
''These assurances gave mo immeasurable
happiness. His frequent draughts upon my
narrow income Of later years had always
been promptly and kindly met not seldom
was the last cent then possessed remitted
to him or for his use, but now that he was re-
stored to sound mind and body he promised
to support himself. From that day, beiev-
ing in his thorough cure and the steadfast-
ness OF his will, have used every means in
my power, confident that l was justlDe1 In
doing 30 by truth md honor, to enable him
to regain the position In the world he had
lost and to which his energy, business talents
and accomplishments entitled him. And my
heart glowed with the hope OF seeing my sole
surviving son filling an honorable place
among men.
my efforts have been unsparing to secure
him position under the Government with
the hope of success, and meanwhile tried to
find O situation in Chicago to tide over the
period of waiting for better place, at the
same time urging him to remain In Denver
until my friends and myself could secure for
him such O position. Against my earnest
and repeated advice he started, was two
weeks on the way and. seems to have fallen
into temptation and yielded. had given
him letter Of strong recommendation, ad-
dressed to number OF friends in Chicago,
md when there ct the opening Of the Worlds
Fair had interested others in his behalf.
when his telegram camc on Friday even
ing last, asking to come here my heart failed
me, having no money Of my own with which
to care for him, and ] saw what must have
happened. ! wired and also wrote immedi-
ately, stating the condition Of the house and
family here-my only brothers widow and
chilGren-and telling him OF my own circum-
stances-narrow and hard, informing him ut
the same time that q number Of my letters
awaited him in care OF my friend. w.
Quincey.
He said nothing about being penniless,
but on the contrary wrote Just before leaving
Denver that he saved considerable sum OF
money, which l supposed was still in his
hands.
"Then came the terrible news an hour or
two after midnight. / have bowed with
rcverent submission to the will OF Him whose
ways are past finding out, and from the four
fold darkness in which ] stand-age. power
ty, blindness and sorrow-with lifted hand
declare before God and the world that have
used my best intelligence to rescue and re-
deem my son, and in the unmistakable
anguish Of this affliction / appeal to the
kind judgment and sympathy Of all sorts
and conditions OF men throughout the land.
TSignedl wv. Ii. MILBURN.