New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-05
HE WAITED IN VAIN.
DISAPPOINTMENT DRIVES AN OLD
FRENCHMAN TO SUICIDE.
HD IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN A CAPTAIN IN THE
FRENCH ARMY AND TO HAVE HAD

HE IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN CAPTAIN IN THE
FRENCH ARMY AND TO HAVE HAD
WEALTHY RELATIVES IN FRANCE.
Alexander Charpeigne, an old Frenchman' WHO
was once WELL to-do committed suicide by sAoo'ins
himself yesterday in a clearinghouse al NO Nv
Christopher-st. The clearinghouse Keeper iou"0
him dead at Don lying the floor OF his room.
IT 10 supposed that he shot himself about GOV
O'clock Yesterday morning. The old man had
boarded at the house since last Christmas
About two wears previous to last Christmas nc
made his home at the Hotel Sterling, al e'eriiNe'
Morris County. n. ]. During the time ne was
there he received siOd every month from raii.e
This money, he explained TO J. H. Allen proprietor
~ tho hotel was a part of a small fortune TO which
ne had fallen heir 7. was at the Hotel Stern"s
that Bernard, the keeper OF the Christopher ~
house. met Charpeigne just before Chr's'iiia',
expressed a desire 10 spend the winter III Nv"
York as It was too cold IN the country anu ne
feeble and suffered from asthma. Bernard proue"'
him to this city and gave him rooi'' VII -"
Ond floor Of his boarding -house
For some reason or other the monthly remittance
which the old Frenchnan had received ceaseu M
mediately after he came TO New-forK ne GUN
not account for II himself and wrote ie''er di'e'
letter to France for explanation Dut nome '"N'e'
and no money either 49,. ca
Bernard did not to put the ola man ou' ~
ma continued to live there board free Occasiohahy
ne spoke of his past life. He told Berharo INA. 10
came OF a rich family. He said he was oap'''''
in the French Army and fought IN the f'""0o
Prussian War. After the war ne ssiu nc W"
into the wine business and lost fortune ne caiio
~ this country thirteen years ago IN reduced CIR
cumstances and worked for severai "i'e "'
chants IN this CITY Three years ago ne got woiu
,hot considerable money had been left nm. Iheh
he quit work and went to live at S'erhls' ~ 81,
lie received regularly the monthly ren'i''a"eo -
the first of this year. when the money :""o W
longer sent The old worried greatly, apou'
the money He was penniless ana "as i0'0eN ~
depend on the charity Of Bernard ,..
Thraa 1ecks ago he dispatched another letter
,At,ar ma had sent it he told Bernard that no was
sure 10 get money now. For the ias' 'niee "
DAYS he had been expecting 10 receive ','o~e' -.
most daily Last night before ne fe''reu ny So
to Bernard: Tomorrow morning TIC '
here by the first mail .,o,
IN. ia man was I'D bright and early YESTERDAY
AZ ? o'clock he was sitting by the window OF HIS
little hall ROOM on the second floor OF the ooarunS
house He watching for the ietter ca III
s sSa ge1 SsW his his whste old with Joy
depleted his ioo Ssd come Cu1 at last
Int he was disappointed The carrier had ie.tea
for some one m neope in the boarding called
the old Frenchman He sank BACK III HIS '"'''
The next instant he pulled the window window, s n IT,
locked the door and showed his bed up aga nSe o
hat M could enter. linen ne SOt
oS his bureau drawer and sent bullet INTO ms ms
right temple He fell dead on the floor between e b s
vas heard by woman who occupies the next room
and she spoke to Mrs. Bernard about H. me ,aoe e
Said however that the noise was MADE d! nel
husband chopping wood. more attention Was
given the matter. At noon Bernard coh nS o
he appeared He kn nsSssn At bnt
door repeatedly ealing ca fben forced open the
door and found the Old man dead; -,.... o. Tho
A letter which Charpegne mad "ri''e" u '"o
Coroner was found. A.. o,aross
Among the suicides papers was found the , aaares
Of his sister Nine Jules Dejaux VINO nVes d.
Saint Ioup. France. Bernard said that Charpeigne
had told him that his sister was very rcn anu sa'
CSarpeigne also told him that he had another sister
living in Paris. He afterward SAID tnat II MS
amount Of property she had children Char ar
French Consul takes charge of the body, it will go
to the morgue-