Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-06-15

lie anu was dOOiCtCa ~ thO AnOit
of drinking, and but recently had
taken the gold cure at Denver.
For sometime he had been engaged
as a hotel clerk in Denver, Tut,
becoming dissatisfied, he app ed
to his father for his influence
toward securing a position. The
father had been trying to get him
a Government position, and to
that end had written many letters
while at Jacksonville.
Dependency or anger at refusal
of financial help by the father was
the u of the tragedy the sonwas
thirty years old. The reason given
by the father for declining to send
money was poverty.
JACKSONVILLE, ILL, May 30
Rev. W. H. Milburn earnestly de-
sires the publication of the follows
ing letter: 49,,
at is hard that the silence which
BELTS the presence of death should
be broken and thai the veil should
be lifted which belongs to the sa-
credness of the family and its rcla-
tions, but in this awful extremity
no other course seems open that the
only earthly possession left me a
good name, should be preserved.
NV son, Fletcher Harper Milburn,
who would have been forty years
of age on in my seventeen birthday
September, was for a long time a
victim of alcohol disease, but last
summer spent some time at a re-
treat at Denver, and was pro-
nouDced by its authorities per
fectly cured, and himself assured
me that he had lost all taste for
LIQUOR, and gave me the pledge OF
his honor that he would never use
it again.
"This assurance gave me I'M
measurable happiness. Against my
earnest and repeated advice, be
started on a journey, was two
weeks on the way and seems to
have fallen into temptation and
yielded. l had given him a letter
of strong recommendation ad
dressed to a number Of friends in
Chicago, and when there at the
opening of the Worlds Fair had
interested others in his behalf,
When the telegram came on Weds
| nesday morning last, asking me t.
come here, my heart tailed me
hayiDg no home of my own in
which to care fer him, and as
saw what must have happened. ]
wired and also wrote Immediately
stating the condition of the house
and the family here. My only
brothers widow and children were
IN their home, and also Of my cir
cumstances narrow and hard, In
forming him at the same time thai
a number of my letters awaited
him in the care OF my friend, MI
Quincy. He said nothing about
being penniless, but on the cons
trary, wrote Just before leaving
Denver that be had saved q con.
siderable sum of money, which !
supposed was still in his hands
Then came the terrible news an
hour or two after midnight.
81 have with reverent submits
sion bowed to the will OF Him
whose ways are past finding ont
| Not seldom was the last cent that ]
possessed RENTED to my son fol-
bis use. But now that he was re-
stored to a sound mind and body,
he promised to support himself.
From that day, believing in his
thorough cure and the steadtast,
ness OF This will, | have used every
means in my power, confident
that I was justified in doing so oy
truth and honor to regain the posi-
ton in the world he had lost, and
to which his energy, business tai
ents and accomplishments entitled
him, and my heart glowed with the
hope of seeing my only surviving
son. filling an honored place among
men. My nave Deeh uh'
sparing to secure him a position
under the Government with the
hope of success, and meanwhile l
tried to find him a situation in
Chicago to tide owe the period of
waiting for a better place, at the
same time urging him to remain in
Denver until my friends and my
self could secure a place for him.
With lifted hand [ declare before
God and the world that | have used
my best intelligence and unwaverr
ing love to rescue and redeem my
son, and in the unspeakable an
guish of this affection | appeal to
the kind Judgment and sympathy
of all sorts and conditions OF men
throughout the land.
"W. FL. MILBURN.
"P. SHAY l ask that all the
newspapers which have published
the account of my sons death will
kindly give equal prominence OF
this statement?
W. H. VIM"