The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-22
Medal
And Diploma
At Worlds Fair.
SUICIDE OF a. u. WAITE.


4 story That Has Some Sad and Hare
Ieaturesl-Fin Troubles Undue
Insanity to which There Was n Pre-
disposition.
Alfred F. Waite, IS. committed suicid
Saturday morning about 30 O'Clock
at the home of his sister, Miss Lucre
tia Waite on North Main street tc
which he and his wife had moved only
a few days before from the auction
sale of their farm. Shortly after eat
ing breakfast he went to the barn loft,
hitched piece OF sheep twine over q
beam, fixed the moose about his neck
and stepped off a small box. Within II
minutes after he left the house his
wife and Miss Waite, feeling uneasy
about him, went ont to look for him
and finding what he had done, quick
! ~ and bravely cut him down ana cent
| for help. His knees were resting on
the box when discovered, so that in the
short time he had hung there, it was
hoped that stranguIation was not com
plete, and there was evidently some
life left. DIR. Hamilton quickly ar
rived and did everything known to
science for resuscitation, but in Mr..
Yates low state of vitality it was
found to be impossible.
The act was one undoubtedly of in
sanity. He had once before been
out number of years ago and was
placed in the asylum for time. For
several months now since the financial
troubles that had swept from him the
accommodations OF lifetime. he had
been in a state OF profound melanchn-
liza. Last fall he was committed to
the Retreat second time, but had
been there but short time when he
showed such improvement as to be fit
to be let out, and after the auction of
his personal property be returned to
his farm where he lived all winter,
and until the removal to his sister g.
But lately. and as the time for the
sale of his farm approached il was
noticed that he was beginning to get
worse Regularly about the middle of
the afternoon, he would begin to worry
about the chores. \ day or two
before the end, he got greatly excited
over the idea that he was to be arrest
ed for something in connection with
his financial troubles but long talk
with his counsel and guardian dis
suaded him from this notion and il
was not imagined until the last night /
that his trouble had developed to the /
point of danger it proved to have done. |
During Friday night his wife was
awakened by hearing him up and fun. I
bling for his pantaloons. She asked .
him what he wanted and he said his I
knife. What for" And he re-
piled that he thought he might as
4 H..
suaded him out of this and the result
in all likelihood would have been his
to the Retreat the next day,
Jut he was too early for them.
Alfred Waite was thoroughly hon
st, conscientious, hard working man.
me that the community united in des-
gnating as nice man. He had
lad his share of trouble and disap.
continent in life which he had brave
y borne as he would to the end. but
or the mental disease, or twist that
must have been an inner
lance. In two of his brothers, Skip" {
nd Silas. it took the foim of extraur
mary intellectual brilliance that I
'as perverted TO great rascaities. +
he pther brother, &C Waite of the i,
irevoort mouse, New York, was also
man of large ability. seemingly bet K
,r balanced. and filed a career of high i
lccess aud rcpute; but the twist of {
allure, or whatever it was, and so
osely allied to genius. showed itself n
J Charles Waltc's son, who speedily
ent to wreck after dazzling career. -
nj turned up as one of the Doodle n
Dard of aldermen in New York city -,
I'd one of those that turned states u
'idence. 81
Alfred Waite had little of the ey- "
aordinary abilities of these brothers,
1t was plain, practical man of
und every day common sense. He
rs a native of Newfaue, one of the oi
e children of Thomas +. and EVELYN ii
)rcuttl Waite, his father Keeping old I'll
unity house years ago, came TO Brat ~
'boro in young manhood and was for "
any years tcamstcr in the village.
len he purchased the farm where
lived until recently and later added
other to il. 1t was encountered with
mortgage. but by industry and fru. >.
lily he accumulated the money to III
y this off, passing it through the Is
nds of his brother Slas AMI resting nj
~ for several wears under the belief sn
~ II ldN btti iplt. uulil dittl iHt
ancial collapse and flight of his sr
other. he got a notice from the saw ih
IS bank demanding payment of the le.
crest. Then it developed that Silas No
q misapproprated the money en- 90
rited to him and had in the mean We
ne kept it covered up 10y paying ~
: interest himself. Alfred went to IN
rli again couragcously and cleared wv
ay this incumberancc and also in 20
sted some Sll, ZOO few years ago =
| seemed in the way of passing his
lining years in ease, when it was 4
swept away by the endorsement of
es. He was member Of the Con A
gational church.