The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-02-02
SUIOIDE OF A FORMER RESIDENT.

SUICIDE OF A FORMER RESIDENT.
Out of Work at Springfield, Out of Money,
Without nome or Family s. A. Brown
Bews the Top OF His Head ON.
Samuel A. Brown, aged 63, blacksmith
and toolmaker by trade. for several years .
resident here and before that for number OF
| years at Graft on committed suicide at Sprino-
| field. Mass, Wednesday by shooting hImself
through the head with Winchester riffs.
| blowing off the top of bis head. He took this
method of ending his life after making fu-
ttlesattemDt to do so by hanging. The cause
| Of the act was evidently despondency due to
lack OF work and of money. he had had Only
one week Of work since the first Of September
and was badly behind In his bill for board az
well as for other things. He was boarding
with Mrs. E E. Hicks at 1859 Worthington
street, where he mad before made his home
and where be went again Aug. % last. He
had paid only 50 since that time but Mrs.
Hicks had not turned him away on account
of the pity he felt for the old man, who cor
stantly told her that she would some day he
remembered for her kindness. Brown told
them last saturday that he would have some
money for Them by Wednesday of this week
and 1t was because he could not
rai.e 1t doubtless that he resolv to get
out of this world of struggle. Wednesday
mOr' ing he arose at his usual hour and hal
his breakfast. Mrs. Hicks and her mother who
we're pIe-eDt, noticed notbing unusual In bis
manner or conversation. He spoke of the
snow and went out In the yard, as II to clear
the walk. hut returning, stopped at the dining
room stove to warm his hands. There hn
made thp first remark ind d'cative OF anything
wrong. Putting bis hands to his head he en-
claimed, My God, what shall l do" St'it
nothing particularly was thought of that anu
he went to bis room while the women went
o tn basement. About an hour and haif
after, or 8 40 O'Clock Mrs. Hicks went up stairs
TO do the chamber work. Supposing. her
boardar was out she opened the door or bis
room and was greatly surprised to md II full
Of smoke. Without going Ia she eouia see
Browns BODY living fp one corner OF the room
and Instantly divined that be had shot himself
though neither the report OF the gun nor the
noise of fall had been heard. She summoned
the police and Brown was found lying dad
on the floor, md beside him bis repeating rife,
which he himself msde years ago while at
work in the armofy and of which he was az
ways fond and proud, with which he had shot
himself thr0ug h,the head. Around bis neck was
a loosely tied silk handkerchief from which
the Medical Examiner Bfeck decided from
the marks on the body that he had tried to
commit suicide by banging. He had Placed
the muzze of the rife at the back OF his hea,i
aud tue bullet had so torn away his skull and
brain that death must have been instantaneous
Later TWO letters were found which th few
l'ghI on the motives for the deed. The ftfst
reads:
This is to certify that should be taken
away .uddenIy and without any examination
of the disposal of nv remains. It would be
nv wish to be buried at BrattIeboro, VT, bs-
side my wife, where own lot In the ceme
terry s. A. BROWN.
1863 Worthtngton street, Spring field, Msss.7
The second which tells the whole pathetic
s Ory, fs as follows:
Il am discouraged, no home, no work, no
money. have seen better days. Ihsve had
= great deal Of sickness, not been able to
work but little for the past year. and now my
money Is gone and no prospect of job q
present to earn aBy more. 1 am of that age,
y. that shall not be able to work much
onger, therefore 1t would be best that wHe
me would see that am buried l belong to
be +. aHd A. M, and would refer you to
jbapmau Beach,"
Documents were were also found showing
hat be belonged to Keystone lodge of Masons
t Grafton. and among them receipt for. his
ues TO May l. 1894, and the secretary, SID
ey Holmes, Was notified By telegram. Mr..
holmes replied, statiSg that the lodge would
ear the expenses of burial and authorizing
rswing $25 from Frank Rogers of Springfield
n the mau's trunk, clothing, silverWars,
ONE photographs and other articles were
ound.
Brown was a native Of Chsrton, Mass,
nd first moved to Springfield about 80 years
90. being employ ed AZ the srmory. Then he
anne to Grafton, In this state. and lived there
number OF years de moved TO 6rattleb0ro
D years or more ago, was blacksmith at tha
.eirest, running the shop this side of the Re-
eat farm house, until his wife died. Then
e came TO the American Hnuse to board,
Iorked for Geo. Clark two or three seasons
nd then for Fenten Bros. three yesrs ago
,i- winter aud then returned 10 Sp:ingfe "a
He returned TO Springfield about three
pars ago and since that me had been es-
Dyed 81 several places the e and st Bright
God. He was married twice, first at Chsr.-
n aud again at Grafton. He WAS seps-
tied from III. first wife, aud bis second wife
ed n ne yeas ago. So far ss Is known, hn
al no relstives or friends. aaj bi, lone illness
ouaby did much 10 make nis mird unsei-
I'll. Brown bad borne good character, ahd
is q hard sorsing and fairly frugal man.
The Congo stste las declded to construct n
egrsph line, 1870 miles up the Congo river
h asopgo, aud then go miles east 10 Lake
,bgsnyIks. Ii l. an evidencs OF progrrssin
e ''d-rk contlnsnt' that Is striking. Now
barc-hesded cspitsli,t ike Cccil Rhodes
De- his faith TO the practicsbility of so III
Id telegraph line ITom South Africs 10
iro. The wire alread, siretcls s from Cape
w foUI-ti this or ihe way - tht tmbess