Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-08-24

Alter the Q6RUu u mr. L. ~. Iectu,
which occurred at 2;15 o'clock yester-
day afternoon, DR.. Purvis, the Coroner,
summoned Messrs. Charles ]. Wise,
A. A. Warfeld, w. D. Stewart, Rob-
ert Arnold, Frank War6eld and
G. G.. Lennon as a jury of inquest,
and last night they viewed the body,
heard all the facts in connection
with the sad suicide and through
their foreman, Mr.. Wise, returned a
verdict to the effect that the deceased
came to his death from a pistol shot
wound inflicted while under temporary
alteration, caused by prolonged sick
ness. The deceased had remained in
an unconscious state from the time he
shot himself. His head and face were
terribly dis6gured by the shot, so much
| so that his most intimate friends would
have experienced difficulty in recog-
| nizing him. The bullet, as stated yes
terday, ha6 lodged in the left temple,
| and that side of his head and face had
swollen beyond all proportion. The
particulars of the suicide, as given in
yesterdays GAZETTE, are about all
there is to the sad story, which is but a
repetition of what is going on in the
| world continually-lives of usefulness
and industry terminating in mental
| wrecks and suicides. And the age in
| which we live, with its manifold re-
quirements, is productive of just such
cases--a complete wearing out of body
| and soul. For forty years Mr.. Reed
| had devoted all his energies to the C
| tive business life into which he was
born, and during all that time he had
labored early and late until nature
would no longer bear the tension. His
| movement yesterday morning showed
he:had arrived at his neplus ultra. After
breakfast he walked down King street,
where he met and spoke to several &C
! quaintances. While his manner was
seemingly unchanged then he appeared
to have nothing objective in his move
ments. he went to his Office and
looked over his mail, but the letter he
read apparently lacked interest, and he
walked out to the end of the pier and
stood for some moments looking up
and down the river. Several persons
who were on the wharf at the time, and
who spoke to him, remember that he
replied in an distracted way, but moth
ing was thought of it. he returned to
his Office but only stayed there a few
minutes when he left hnrriedly for
home. Upon entering the house his
wife noticed he was not in his normal
condition, and that he was irresponsi-
BILE. 1t seemed impossible for him to
remain in one spot, and he moved from
room to room with his hand to his
head in mental or physical agony, or
probably both. Mrs. Reed and her
niece we're much alarmed, and the lat
ter was dispatched for DR.. Klipstein,
but before he arrived Mr.. Reed had
fred the fatal shot. The deceased will
be buried at 5 o'clock tomorrow after
uoon with full Masonic rites, and
in order to attend the funeral Old
Dominion Commandery will postpone
their trip to Boston until 1852 Sunday
night. They had intended to start in a
special train at s o'clock Sunday morn
ing. Andrew jackson Lodge will also
follow the remains to the grave. Past
Grand Master William 81. Lambert
will conduct the ceremonies, ac-
| cording to an agreement made between
| him and the deceased that the longest
liver would oficiate at the others
| funeral. A meeting Of the Grand Lodge
of Virginia has been called for to-mol-
morrow, and it is believed it is their
intention to attend the funeral. Mr..
Reed was q member of Belle Haven
Council, Knights of Honor. A meet
ing of the Board of Trade will be held
tonight for the purpose of taking
suitable action in regard to the death
| of Mr.. Reed. The flags on the Potomac
| river steamers we're at half.mast to-day
| in respect to the deceased.