The San Francisco call., 1895-10-12
SUICIDE OF A PRINTER,
Thomas J. Foard'S SeIf-In-
flicted Death From Suf-
location.
Letters to the Coroner and His
Friends Tell the Reasons for
the Deed.

Thomas ]. Foard, veteran printer who
had worked on nearly all the local papers
for the past ten years, was found dead in
bed at his lodgings, 425 Kearny street, yes
terday morning.
The landlord Of the place detected the
odor of gas coming from the room, and
calling Policeman Love they broke open
the door. Foard was found lying on his
back in bed, with a small rubber tube con-
nected with the gas Jet clenched between
his teeth.
The following letter was lying on table {:
Mr. Coroner: Sick weary and worn out give
up the battle of life and seek rest. Mine is a
plain case. There is only one way TO come into
this world, but there are many ways by which
TO leave it.
Inhalation of gas is the cause of my "taking
off, So let the verdict of your jury be. 1t Is
said that it is better 10 bear the ills we have
than fly to others we know not OF. But beyond
the grave there are no ills, we are taught to
believe.
Oh. moon-crowned night. pallid and sad!
Is there no hing balm,
No soft, delicious calm
To make the weary glad?
Oh, sovereign sleep!
Press thy mild kisses now
Upon my feVered brow;
Seal with thy lip these eyes:
Drown in their joys these sighB-
Must thus greVe and weep?
Twin sisters Night and Sleep
Enfold me your arms.
There, safe from all that harms
My tired soul would Joys full harvest reap
Must still longer grieve still longer weep?
Members OF the Typographical Union of San
Francisco will attend to my burial. The ''boys''
Will see that | am WeH ''bestowed'' in the
printers plat, where lie many OF my old rio
neer associates who long since gave up the
lease" and measured" their last "striug."
There seems TO be no room for old people
anywhere except in the grave, and even there
the new man and the new woman may crowd
them out and bid them move on" We are
told TO "eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow
We die" Most mortals willing to eat and
drink and be merry, but very few are willing
to die.
In youthful days and in old age
'Iis food and drink our thoughts engage;
And when the race of life is run,
What more than food and drink is
With all our toll?
And thus doth end as was begun
Our mortal coil. THOMAS J. FoARD.
The deceased also left the following
note, addressed to Secretary Benoist OF
Typographical Union No. 21:
VIII you see to it that one more old veteran
is put away in proper order and with good
Justification. l owe 80 cents per capita dues
Please pay it, and you win find in my room a
nice cane and umbrella, which l give you in
payment. FoARD.
Foard was a brother of J. McDonough
Foard, editor and proprietor of the old
Golden Era magazine, which has place
in the literary history of California.
Though printer by profession he was q
clever and, indeed, accomplished writer,
his verses and articles finding their way
into magazines. He was a contributor
to the Golden Era in its palmiest DAYS,
when Bret Harte, Joe Goodman, Charles
Henry Webb, Laurence and others of the
well-remembered literary band made that
publication famous. AT one time he would
SET type side by side with Bret Harte and
in turn would occupy himself with writ
ing. And so old Tom Foard was one oi
that early intellectual coterie about whom
literary folk like to chat nowadays.
Foard was SO years of age and a native
of Maryland. This was not his first at
tempt at suicide, as he was found asphyx-
lated in the same room several months ago
The body was taken to the Morgue.