Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-31
Love Leo HIM 70 DEATH.
The Reason for the Startling Sui
eide of James Cameron.

James Cameron, who was formerly
lieutenant in the Salvation Army and
stationed at Buffalo Shelter, N. y, COM
mitted suicide at Ninth and Orange streets
in this city, shortly after midnight last
Friday by putting a bullet in his brain.
He was identified by a Salvation Army
commission which was found in his
pocket. There was every evidence that
the suicide was premeditated.
Cameron was painter by trade and
came to Wilmington about two weeks ago.
He secured board OF restaurant on French
street above Front, and since his arrival
here he had made many Intellectual efforts
| to get work. This. coupled with the fact
that his love for Miss Sallingway. an at.
tendant at the Delaware State Hospital
for the Insane. at Farnhurst, was net re:
ciprocated, rs believed to have induced
Cameron to take his own life.
Cameron chose a dark. unfrequented
part of Orange street in which TO commit
the fatal act, The body was found lying
diagenally across the pavement on Orange
street, just above Ninth. There was ?
bullet hole back OF the left temple and
blood was oozing frem the hole IN the
head. The man was dead when the body
Mrs. ralley,. living, at No. OIL Orange
street, was among the first to hear the
| pistol shot. She went to the window
and, looking out, saw the body of
man lying on the pavement. A celored
man also heard the shot and run
notified Lewis Fell, Lewis Hance and
Joseph Simms who were converting on
the corner. Fell went to the scene Of the
tragedy and Simms telephoned message
to the police station. Sergeants Massey
and Bailey responded. They notified
Deputy Coroner Chandler and Coronerss
Physician James Walker, who examined
1 10 hndv
lnorgus.
There were found on the suicide small
sum of money, document informing
him that he had been promoted from
cadet to the rank OF lieutenant and sta
toned at the Salvation Army shelter In
to proceed TO Buffalo shelter and report to
Brigadier Holz. The commission was
signed by darlington Booth.
Deputy Coroner Chandler found among
the effects of the dead man Friday
a letter and from the contents Of the letter
it would seem that Cameron was madly in
love with the writer and she with him.
She spoke of the time when she was in
the army and asked Cameron to get work
i'll Wilmington and not to go back to Ohio,
where he was talking OF going. The letter
did not bear a signature. 1t was written
on the letter head of the State Hospital for
the Insane.
Miss sallingway gays she knew Cameron
and that he was at the hospital to see
her Thursday night. She says he left there
shortly after $ O'clock. He seemed de-
spondent and depressed in spirits. She
was unable to advance my reason for his
suicide.
Harry FARRELL. who is waiter at the
restaurant where Cameron boarded said
: his supper Thursday, and brooded over
his failure to get work. He also said that
love affected people differently and men
J with fine sensibility and feelings were
, more susceptible to it," FARRELL says he
} thought the fellow was crossed in love
J and tried to cheer him up. saying: 81
) wish l had a million dollars tonight"
) We'll. there is no use anybody wish
. ing" replied Cameron, Il have quit thai
; long ago. The man who has to work for 9
living ought to knock his head off"
farrell says these are the last word:
Cameron uttered. He left as soon as ht
J had eaten his supper. Previous to thai
time he seemed agitated because lettei
. did not come and the waiter said ho started
to the postotfice after ii. 1t is supposed
. that not getting the letter he went over tc
3 Farnhurst, where Miss Sallingway says
she saw him Thursday evening.
The jury empaneled by Deputy Corone
/. Chandler to inquire into the death dis
covered Saturday the most plausible caus
|
( way, who is an attendant at the Delawar
: State Hospital for the Insane at Farnhurst
/: was d witness, and the jury CLEANED from
. her the intelligence that she and Cameron
/ had known each other for about yea
e and that Cameron paid her visit Suuda,
s night at the hospital the sequel of which
! was his suicide Friday morning.
l. Miss Sollingway was very reluctant I,
!, appear before the jury, and did not fee
J. disposed to throw any additional light OF
!, the case until put through a systemad
5 ordeal of questions by several members o
d the jury.
5 Miss Sollingway said she had know
Cameron about year. They first met Il
the Salvation Army Shelter in Buffalo
An attachment sprung up between tn
\ couple and Cameron finally fell head owe
u heels in love with her. She came to the Stat
I Hospital three weeks ago on furlOugt
% and when asked what led Cameron t
n come to Wilmington, she modestly n
a piled that she supposed he came here I
&C see her. She stated that he had tried Ut
* successfully to get work.
Miss Sollingway said that Camera
~ called at the hospital to see her Sunda
:" night and remained for quite awhil
- When he was about ready TO go away SD
y, \. told him he need not come to see her an
ID moro and that she had ceased to care f.
il him any longer. She admitted that tn
- was said in spirit of ccquetry. Camera
left with dropping spirits, but not until /
had exacted promise from her to write
him. The promise was not fulfille
pc Cameron looked in vain for the lette
NJ Thursday he said to the waiter at the re
ne taurant where he boarded that he VI
le expecting the missive and was wo
le ried because it did not arrive. 1
" ate his supper early Thursday evening al
ne took the train over to Farnhurst to 81
as Miss Sollingway, presumably to plead vii
10 her for a renewal of her affection. Mi
he Sollingway says she refused to give in al
~, led her lover to believe that she did u
III care for him longer. He told her that Il
three days which interviewed since his vi:
Sunday night had bean days Of torture I
him. When he was going away Nj
las Soll.ngway says she told him he won
b have to buy new shoes II he walked
eer Wilmington overthe hard roads. Cameron
ur. reply was II won't have any need
ill shoes after tonight"
po- The woman says she also got a lett
wo from Cameron on Friday morning
les which he expressed his affection for he
'ay and concluded his missive of endearme
1at with this passage: Goodbye; am goi
again. You will! find full account of
i'll the morning paper" Miss Sollingw
says the last OF the passage proved trr
nal She got q copy of the paper and found
,ri. account of Cameron's suicide in IL. s
i'll, identified the body as that of the liz
nd tenant.
ew The jury listened to the evidence of t
by, following witnesses: Louis s. FC
m, Police Sergeant Eugene Massey. Patr
til; man SHERRY LK,house sergeant Char
on. Whann, Mrs. Ialley, and Coroner's PLY
am clan James Walker. The latter testiti
that the wound was evidently self-intiIct
and the weapon used was a self acti