The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-06
A STRANGE SUICIDE.
Melancholy Boy Takes His Life
by Mysterious Means.
THE MORBID LETTER he. LEFT.
His Relatives Know Of No Reason for
the Act-An Autopy Necessary 70
Find Cause Of Death.

The dead body Of Robert +. Hickman, boy
In his 18th year, was found by Thomas B. Cor
bett yesterday morning about q fourth OF . mile
TO the west of Boulevard station. in the Gilman
addition. He had committed suicide, accord.
ing to the following letter found on his person.
though there was no external evidence ~ to the
method chosen. and the motive II equally
mystery:
Dear SIR: When you find this will be ont OF
the reach of all earthly troubles, of which l
nave suffered more than enough.
This Is not the freak OF an idle and foolish
MIND, but the result OF years OF suffering, pain
and misery; the conclusion Of q life that had no
pleasure in 1t: the result of q wild, wilful and
hayward disposition, kept in close confinement
am free from the torturing thought and con-
temptuous looks that are cast on me by those
who know of my dlssipated and morbid career.
ChiY has designated. and meet the fate it SO
richly deserves. have always been unfortu-
nate and l always was in the wrong. can
never remember day that there wasn't some
dark cloud hanging over me ready to burst and
pour forth q volume OF disgrace anu abuse. !
have committed many crimes against the laws
o. God, man ami nature have turned away
from them in di>gu>t, only To reiu again at
Inc Mex temptation aud insia. myself in the
opinion OF my friends and competitions as a
base, heartless wretch, capable neither of love
or honesty. and therefore was Stunned by all
But There was one who dld not desert me aud
who Understood me well ~ did myself,
W WHOM coulO go IOr 8uvlce ana comfort, 10
whom l had confessed all my misdeeds and
shortcomings But now he, too, has passed
over the dark moat into the future, whence no
one comes again. can only follow in his wake,
A. there Is no hope, no prospect OF anything but
misery, sin aud disgrace for me: % forward go
to meet the judgment that long ago has been
confirmed aud earned.
And now when poor devil comes into your
life help and comfort him.
He may not NEED food or money 90 much a.
advice comfort and friendship that will drive
- tho nf IA Ia and HA i'm,
and that there is something to live for.
This poor devil may be your own son, maybe
your emplOye, or he may be Q schoolmate or
shipmate. Help him, and think Of the fate
that befel one of them that had lost his friend
Thank God he had led perfect life and now
he is in heaven.
Amen. ROBERT +. HICKMAN.
George N. ellison, of 2l3 Wall street, whose
wife is sister of the dead boy, said last night:
I am utterly unable to fathom Roberts mo-
tive for this act We treated him exactly as our
own child and he seemed happy. He had
worked At the Vulcan Iron Works a. . machinist
and apprentice for about two years. On Tues
day morning he left home saying be was z ing
owei 1t to him, II any one, do not know, as we
never asked him about his money affairs This
WAS the last we ever saw OF him. The next we
heard was of his death. The reference in his
who was dead. 10 also lost on us: we don't know
who is meant In fact. we are completely at sea
IL the matter.
DR.. George NJ. Horton, the coroner, 10 now at
work on the case He took the stomach to
search for evidences of poison. but will not de.
eide until today, when chemical tests will be
made.