The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-23
DIED TO AVOID INSANITY.
j. H.. BUT EN-, FORMERLY 4 british
SOLDIER, POISoNS HIMSELF.

rhourbt tc Was Going Rand-Left Letters
Giving This Reason for suicide-snid Ho
wa. yxIth chinese Gordon ut khartounn ana
uns Becn Employed by Queen Victoria.
From the letters he wrote before his death IL
In evident that james i. Butler, who poisoned
himself Yesterday in tho Putnam House, took
his own life because he feared that he was not
only becoming insane, but that he would kill his
wife and child while out OF his mind. Butler,
who was a tall. soldlcrly- looking man, worked
40 an agent for tho Excelsior Gas Regulating
| Company at 10 East Fourteenth street. lie had
worked there only about two weeks when he
committed suicide, and his average earnings
amounted to S25 q week. He lost his left hand
in n railroad accident some years ago.
From what he told his associates 1t was gath
ored that he had been in the insurance business
in various cities OF the United States, including
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York,
where he was successfully employed by the
Equitable, the New York Life, and the Mutual
Life insurance companies.
lie often said that he was once in tho English
Army and that he had been with Chinese Cor
don at Khartoum. He also averred that he had
once been employed in q confidential capacity
by the Queen of England. Butler was 55 years
old, and lie lived with his wife, an attractive
woman OF "a, and his 9-year-old daughter in the
boarding house at 220 West Fifteenth street.
He was n man of unusual mental attachments.
speaking four languages quite fuently, and to
his associates he never betrayed the most re-
mote sign OF insanity. He worked until a o'clock
following letter to stephen Merritt. the under
taker. OF 241 West Tw enty-third street:
- ask you to take charge of my remains and
spare my wife as much trouble as possible. For
this lady and our child, who have suffered
m mSss a sSyeMsi nj! 'c ! "ia If y ySs f snf m ySsS good %
your generosity and sympathy; 1t is important
. .ans ! s shSStS i Ss ssIs5y i, 1sf Ioree. ,M as Marks iafEs il i
7Ol Broadway. who made my artificial arm. has
its registration. My preference is for cremation
the wonderful love OF God and my Redeemer is
infinite; IT, REQUIRES no public function, ...,
ton; Recently my mental force has become
times l am fully myself, normal. Then comes
enthusiasm and exaltation, followed by a NOR
bid depression: with danger to Others This
must not continue. l must save those / love.
II it is a virtue. to die for the honor of the
flag and country, is II otherwise IA crimel 10 die
my condition. Is it not well that l. the pro.
love shall reach the shore in safetyi
81! leave with good will TO all. and ask only
the rare charity OF silence
Butler also wrote a note to his wife telling her
to call on Mr.. Merritt for tho story Of what was
fTG anse to sh hdSpBfi raa Then 7 eoo he went Tss, ,9 'as p pn1nnm
he was found dead on the floor. He was fully
dressed, and on the table nearby was II glass
containing traces of n whitish powder and n
letter, which was marked official" 1t read as
follows:
TO urhom u may concern:
This requests You to permit Mr.. stephen
Merritt of 24l West Twenty-third street to take
charge of my body for its final disposition.
Tho cause OF my ending is to avoid n worse
ending-inssnity.. Recently. for IA few months.
my mental condition has been intermittent with
dangerous tendencies. lido this, If evil, TO avoid
n worse and greater evil.
with good will to all men l ask for tho
charity OF silence for the sake OF the gentle ones
who love my very intirmitics, and believing
that the chi airy OF my follows will grant this
charity. | am JAMES L. BUTLER, aged 55."
Then came this postscript. written with a
pencil:
Putnam House. $3.50 p. NJ. A few moments
only will end me: The emulsion is strychnine
water N 10 I. NJ"
When Mrs. Butler received the letter which
her husband wrote to her sho hastCned TO Mr..
Merritt's Office to ask for news OF her husband.
She would not believe that Butler was dead,
and. at her request. Mr.. Merritt had the police
send out II general alarm for the missing man.
The alarm had just been telegraphed to the va.
rlous precincts when the fact that Butler had
House. Butler will he buried or cremate in
Philadelphia, which is the home of his wife.