The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-21
DEAD ON THE STEAMBOAT.

Sad Fate of We'll Known West Ha-
 ven Young Man-Committed Suicide
 on the Richard Peck-The Cause of
 the Sad Act,
 Frederick L. Penfeld, nineteen years of age, of West Haven, committed sui eide on board the sound steamboat Richard Peck yesterday morning while she was on her way from New Haven to New York Penfield shot himself in the right breast with a revolver. He was found in his stateroom dead, with the revolver beside him,
 | He left two notes, one reading: "l suppose some people will call me cow ard, but cannot help it;'' and the oth- CT, q am not crazy or drunk. Take my body to New Haven.''
 | Frederick L. Penfield was the son of Smith Penfield, formerly a well known hack driver in this city, but latterly employed as coachman by r. E. Mor- | gan, who resides in the Stevens man. sion at Savin Rock
 | Penfield left his home in West Haven | Monday, telling his wife that he was l going to meet a man by appointment l in T. H. Sullivan's saloon on Church | street and get some money from him. 1 Mrs. Penfield says that she knows of no business trouble and that his home relations were pleasant. Latterly he 1 had worked for the New Haven Clock company.
 Mrs. Penfeld was Miss Waldo be- fore her marriage and resided at South Royalton, Vt. She was spending the summer at Savin Rock when Penfeld met her, and they were married in Bridgeport on August last. She is native of Vermont and is said to have relatives there who are in the lumber business and are wealthy.
 Residents of West Haven say that young Penfield was not a drinking man and they can ascribe no cause for the suicide.
 Penfield and his wife resided with MT. Penfield's parents, whose home is near the baseball grounds at Savin Rock and who have many friends. The deceased young man was employed at the Sea View house last summer.
 Penfield walked into Solomon Fry's loan office on Church street after his arrival in this city about o'clock Mon- day afternoon and pawned filled gold watch for few dollars. Then he pur- chased a 32-calibre revolver, paying for it SIPS. He gave his name as Frank s. Penfield and his address as 15 Oak street, but said nothing as to his occu- patton or in regard to his need for the revolver. The pawnbroker noticed that he was slightly under the influence of some intoxicating beverage
 During the night, until the departure of the Peck after 12 o'clock, young Pen- field was about the streets, meeting I friends and talking good naturedly. His sad death causes much sorrow among the many friends of the leceas- ed young man.
 Attorney Allen B. Wilmot, who was a close friend of young Penfeld, in speaking of his tragic death, said that the cause was undoubtedly melanchol- ia, caused by breeding over love af- fair. Penfield was engaged about a year ago to young lady, who boards on York Square, and is employed at the New Haven Clock company's factory, where Penfield was also employed at the time Of his suicide
 In July last Penfield told the young lady above mentioned that he could not marry her, as he was too young, and promised to give her other reasons the next day, but on the next day he was secretly married in Bridgeport to Miss Waldo. Immediately after the mar riage the couple went to South Royal ton, Vt, Miss Waldo's home, and re- mained there several weeks. After his return to this city the young mans friends noticed that he appeared mo- rose and melancholy. He had always been of a romantic disposition, but had never before seemed melancholy but on the contrary, of a jovial turn Penfield called on MT Wilmot last week, and said that he could not work as something was pressing on his mind He said that he still loved the girl that he tilted, and had been married in a moment of minimizing folly. He also said that he wished he was dead, or al least out of New Haven. He then spoke of suicide, and asked his friend il he considered it cowardly for man te ,, take his own life. MT. Wimot replied that he thought such step required , great courage, not thinking that Pen field contemplated suicide. r The young lady to whom he was for merly engaged is well known and high ly respected by her friends. She wa: prostrated at the news of Penfield's ter rible deed.
 , Mrs. Penfeld formerly Miss Waldo worked for some time in dry goods store in Hartford and her home, a! D above stated, was originally in Soutl a Royalton, Vt.