The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-30
SUICIDE OF A VETERAN.
May the Lord Have Mercy on Texas
Politicians That Make Possible
Such Suicides.

Marshall, Tex, Dec. 2S.-(Special.)-
Capt" J. w. Freeman, confederate
veteran, aged 65, committed suicide at
the National hotel in this city today.
From roommates it is ascertained the
deceased took a large lose of something
at 10 o'clock last night, just prior TO
retiring and in few hours his heavy
and laborer breathing attracted the at
tention Of tbs other inmates of the room.
Failing to arouse he sleeper a physi-
clan was hurriedly called and at once
pronounced it a case of morphine poison
ing. The services of The doctor, aided
by powerful battery, failed to arouse
the sleeper, and at II o'clock this morn
ing Freeman died. He was n native of
Mississippi and served throughout the
last war, belonging to Company l, Fourth
regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers,
afterwards Tom Green and Hardeman's
brigades. He bore an honorable dis
charge, dated June, 1865. capt" Free
man, as he was fanliliarly called, was
very nOn-cOmmunicative and never spoke
of his relatives. The following letter
was received by him Monday and is
supposed TO have caused him to take
his life
"Boyce. La, Dec. 1.-Mr. J. w. Free
man, Marshall, Tex.-Dear Sir and
Friend: Yours to hand. had cSDect-
ed to be able to send you some money.
had paper iE the bank against ME to
the amount of $50. / borrowed $500
to pay it and expected to send you some,
and here comes notices from the bank
that amounted to $4SJ more, and that
has knocked me completely out. have
been going night and day to get enough
to pay it and have not cleared it up yet.
- owes me large amount since
September and wrote me he would be
here Monday with some and has failed
to show up so far, and, as you know.
the railroad customers are broke after
being knocked out by quarantine. have
not collected $500 from them since quar-
antine started. AS soon as / can clear
myself | will send you what | can, or
if - comes up it will be o. X. |
certainly would have sent it il there |
had been any way for me to do it. / |
am in n close place at present. Yours" |
etc.
This letter was mailed to Freeman
care of Capitol hotel and was kept at |
the hotel awaiting his call up to De-
cember "A, when it was returned to the
postoflice. The deceased gave no init
nation to any one that he contemplated
taking his own life. The following was
found in his room, written in n,pencil on
the back Of letter from Vice President
Thorne of the Texas and Pacific Rail
way:
II am despondent and depressed; no
money, out of employment and no hope
Tor the present or future and nothing
% do but end my miserable existence
Everybody seemed to spend merry
Christmas but |, poor ]. have been
some money from Louisiana,
ont il failed to come and / see no other
recourse. 1 regret that | die owing a
,ood woman for board, and she has been
80 kind and good to me, but l see no
,ther way open to me. May the Lord
have mercy on my SOUL"
The above note was unsigned.
"Capt" Freeman was n fine looking.
,ourtly gentleman and favorably i'm
PRESSED all who met him.
Justice Perry held an inquest today
md rendered verdict Of death from
Morphine taken with suicidal intent.
The party at Boyce. La. who wrote
the deceased the letter quoted above
was wired, but up to O'Clock TINS
, fternoon no reply was received. Should
no one defray the burial expenses Capt.
Freeman will be inferred in the Potter
old tomorrow morning.