The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-21
.CORTON WAS VERY Sad
Life Had No Charms for Him and lie En-
plOyed Rope
The END Then Came QUICKLY
Found Suspended from a Beam in
His Barn by His Housekeeper, Miss
Potter-The Health of the Unfor-
tunate Had Been Breaking Down
and He Was Much Depressed-Was
Worth About $4,000.

Life had no charms for Henry G..
Gorton, of Edella, and yesterday morn
ing he hanged himself in his barn with
the assistance of piece of rope and a
beam.
Gorton was one of the quietest of
men and led one Of the quietest of lives.
He was bachelor and for over four
teen years had titled his farm at
Edells, his household affairs being
looked after by Miss Harriet Potter,
his housekeeper.
The variety of Gorton's life was un-
broken save by occasional visits to
Clark's Summit, four miles south, and
expeditions to this city at rare inter-
walls. Then he would return to his
farm and day by day 60 through the
same monotonous grind of farm life.
He was a silent man and rarely in.
dulged in conversation with any one.
lie had no companions.
Miss Potter AYERS that while Gorton
was kind and considerate, yet at times
days would elapse during which he
would scarcely exchange 10 word with
her save such as were absol utely neces-
sary.
In conversation with friends Gorton
at times expressed views which indi-
Gated that he had somewhat liberal
opinions concerning life and the future
state.
WHAT GoRToN THOUGHT.
When existence became burdensome
to man Gorton held that one had the
right to determine for himself whether
to continue fighting his battle or
quietly lay down his burdens and bid
adieu to the world which no longer for
him wore an inviting face.
For a year past Gorton has com.
planned of i'll health. He was melan-
choly. gave evidence of general
breaking down of the constitution, and
became more engrossed in meditation
than ever. To one of his neighbors, q
Mr.. Chaplin, he once hinted at suicide.
Yesterday morning he arose at 8. 30
and went out to the barn to milk the
cows and do the chores. Two hours
later Miss Potter called him to break
fast. and receiving no answer, went to
the barn to look for him. She found
the chores undone. the cows unmilked.
and Gorton suspended from beam on
a rope close to hay NOW.
She called for assistance aud the body
was cut down and word sent to
Coroner Kelley. Gorton had COM
mitted suicide by standing on q hay
NOW, fastening one end of q rope to a
beam and improvising moose on the
other end into which he slipped his
head.
JUMPED TO DEATH.
Then he jumped off the the hay NOW
and died.
Coroner Kelly arrived at the pictur.
esque Gorton form about noon time
and impannelled jury consisting OF
Will F. Clifford. Horace Emerson, NJ.
c. Miller, Merritt Potter. James Tripp,
and G.. B. Carpenter. After listening;
to the testimony Of eight witnesses the
jury returned verdict to the effect
that Gorton's death was due to stran
gulation.
He has brother residing in Idaho
who has been telegraphed for. Cor
tons only other relatives reside in
Rhode Island. He was so years Of age
and served as private in the late war.
The estate which he leaves is said tc
be worth from $S 900 to $40, 900.
No cause can be assigned for the sui
eide other than his melancholia and
the hopeless view it induced him to take
of his uneventful and apparently joy
less life. He saw no future and ap-
parently had no fear for the past.