The San Francisco call., 1897-01-01
While Sick and Despondent
the Editor Jumps From
a Window.
Suffered From Nervous Depres-
sion as a Result of Arduous
Labors in the Election.
From a Humble Position the Talented
Man Worked His Way to the
Head of the Profession.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Dec. 31.-Joseph B.
McCullagh, editor of the Globe Democrat,
was found dead in the rear of his resi-
dence, 1878 West Pine boulevard, at $3.50
O'Clock is morning. He had evidently
jumped from the window of his room on
the third floor some time between mid
night and day break and dashed his brains
out on the stone tagging of the yard. At
$50 O'Clock this morning one OF the
stable boys employed by Mrs. Manion,
sIster.in-law, with whom Mr.. McCullagh
lived. found the body. The skull was
crushed in and the brains were scattered
about on the tagging. Mr.. McCullagh
was attired in his nightclothes. Mr.. Nc
Cullagh had been confined to his room
since November 10 with acute asthma,
com plicated with nervous depression as a
result of his arduous labors in the recent
election.
DR.. G. II. Hughes, his physician, said
this morning:
"Mr. McCullagh was tired of living and
killed himself He gave no premonition
of suicide during his illness. saw him
for little while last evening. He said he
could not sleep, and gave me to under
stand he wanted me to leave him alone.
His brain was affected, but his intellect
was all right. He suffered from profound
nervousness and exhaustion, complicated
with recurring kidney trouble. The
late campaign undermined his health"
No writings we're found in Mr.. McCul-
| Iagh's room explaining his act or leaving
| instructions for the arrangement of his
| effects after death.
| Joseph B. McCnIlagh was born in Dub
| lin, Ireland, in Novem Der, 1872. and when
about IL years OF age came 10 this country
on a seiling-ship. working his passage be-
l fore the mast. Arriving in New York in
1853 he was apprenticed to learn the
printing business in the Office of the Free
mans Journal.
Five years later, in 1858, be came to st.
Louis and entered the Office of the Chris
tian Advocate as a printer. When the
war broke ont he. acted as correspondent
for the Cincinnati Commercial and this
work gained him great reputation. Later
he aced as Washington correspondent for
that paper.
In 1868 he became editor of the Cincin-
natl Enqnirer, and subsequently, in 1870,
went to Chicago and took charge OF the
Republican of that city. The great
fire of the following year swept the r.
publican out of existence and Mr.. McCul-
lagh assumed editorisl management of
the Missouri Democrat of st. Louis. The
paper was later on consolidated with the
Globe, and Mr.. McCullagh continued in
charge of the Globe Democrat from that
time to the present. He never married.
Every minute detail surrounding the
tragic death of Mr.. McCullagh has been
developed and all confirm the theory of
death by suicide. One of the mental tend.
encies of the deceased, known only to a
few who were his intlmates, was the stoi.
cal belief that when life was burden it
4 could in good conscience be laid down..
1t is now admitted by his attendants
that ne committed suicide. At 10 o'clock
last night he was found in bed almost
asphy xiated and unlighted gas jets turned
on. He was with difficulty revived. When
mis- room was examined today the gas
Jets were again found turned on. The
attempt at gas suffocation proved too slow
for the determined man, and in despera-
ton he leaped from a window. The death
? of no citizen of st. Louis within decade
has caused such sensation. All classes
grieve at his tragic end, and none more
than the political opponents who he has