Huntsville gazette., 1893-06-03
MILBuRN's MISERY.

The Blind Preachers Terrible AnfictIon
IN the Loss of His Only Surviving Son
treaty Augmented by the Unjust As
Persion Cast Upon Him In the Pub
hshed Accounts of the Suicide-A State
ment.
JACKSONVILLE, ILL.,, May 30.-Rev.
w. ii. Milhurn earnestly desires the
puoIlcatlon of the following:
1t is hard that the silence which befts the
presence of death should be broken and that
the veil should be lifted which belongs to the
sacredness OF the family and its relations But
IN thls awful extremity no other course seems
open That the only earthly possession left me
good name-should be preserved Nv son
Fletcher Harris Milburn. who would have
Deen 1f9 years OF age on nv SEVENTEEN
birthday. in September. was for long
time victim OF alcohol disease, but
Iast summer ne spent some time at retreat in
DenVer, ana was pronounced by its authorities
perfectly cured. and himself assured me that
ne had lost all taste for liquor, and gave me the
pledge of his honor that he would never use it
again. The assurances gave me mmeasura BILE
happiness. Against my earnest and repeated
advice he started on journey; was two weeks
on the way, and seems to have fallen into
temptation and yielded.
had given him letter of strong recon-
mendation addressed to number of friends in
Chicago, and when there at the opening of the
worlds fair had interested others In his be-
half When his telegram came on Wednesday
last, asking to come home, my heart failed me-
having no home of my own in which to care for
him. and as saw what must have happened 1
wired and also wrote Immediately. stating
the condition Of the house and the family
mere My only brothers widow and children
were In their home and also my circumstances
narrow ard hard, informing him at the same
time that number of letters awaited him in
the care Of my friend Mr. Quincy He said
nothing about being penniless but on the CON
trary wrote just before leaving Denver that he
had saveda considerable sum OF money which
supposed was still in his hands Then came
| the terrible news an hour or two after mid
night.
have with reverent submission bowed to
the will Of Him whose ways are past finding
out. Not seldom was the last cent then pos
sessed remitted to my son or for his use But
now that he was restored to sound mind and
body he promised to support himself. From
that day. believing in his thorough cure and
the steadlastness of his will. have used every
means in my power. confident that was justi-
fed in doing so by truth and honor to regain
the position in the world he had lost and to
which his energy, business talents and accom-
pliShments entitled him. and my heart glowed
with the hope of seeing my only surviving son
filling an honored place among men. My ef-
forts have been ulsparing to secure him po-
sition under the government, with the hope of
success, and meanwhile tried to find him a
situation in Chicago to tide over the period Of
waiting for a better place, at the same
time urging him to remain In Denver
until my friends and myself could secure
a place for him. With lifted hand /
declare before God and the world that I have
used my best intelligence and unwavering loye
| N Sc and redeem my son, and in the IN
speakable anguish OF this af1liction / appeal to
the kind Judgment and sympathy OF all sorts
and conditions of men throughout the land.
w. II. MILBURN.
P. S.-May 1 ask that all the newspapers
which have published the account of my son 8
death will kindly give equal prominence to this
statement. w. II. M