The times., 1898-08-12
He WAS TIRED OF LIFE
James N. Sudduth Suicides by
Shooting Near Glen Echo.
THE CAUSE is A MYSTERY
He May Have Been i'm Financial
Trouble. While There Are Slight
Indications That Ii Might Have
Been Because He Had Suffered n
Disappointment in Love.

James Newman Sudduth. twenty-five
years of age, a clerk employed by the
Goodyear Rubber Company. ended his
life yesterday morning by shooting him
self in the head
His lifeless body was found on the tow
path of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,
near the bridge leading to Sycamore ISL
and, and not far from the Glen Echo
junction of the Great Falls Electric Rail-
way.
No motive is assigned for the deed,
and his friends say they are at a loss to
explain his action. There are indications,
however, that there is a young ladg in
the case. The only information left by
the dead man in explanation of his rea-
so for wanting TO die was a newspaper,
on which there had been scribbled with
a pencil several sentences, many of
which were unintellgible. This paper
was found lying on the chest Of the dead
man.
On the margin, in one corner, was writ
ten Dear Aue," while in the opposite
corner was scrawled the following: Dear
Ones at Home: For over a week past /
have been laboring under a great mental
strain, which ] can stand no longer l
therefore end my existence. God will
forgive me Tender love TO all my ac
quaintances."
Underneath this was written, Lonely
] die, thinking of whom ] was TO wed"
The word funds family scribbled over
some printing, when connected with the
reference to an intended marriage, is be-
lieved to suggest that it was a lack of
funds that caused the mental strain re-
ferred to- Somewhere else was written
the name Joe W. Hoover" and in an
other place il was stated that his insur-
ance policy was in the safe at the store.
II was about seven o'clock in the morn
ing that Conductor Blincoe noticed
young man who boarded the Great Falls
electric car al Georgetown He seemed
much amused or was laboring under
forced cheerfulness. His actions attract
ed the conductors attention and he OBJ
served as the car moved along toward
Glen Echo that his passenger held a
newspaper up in front of his face in an
unusual way Subsequent developments
showed that it was at this time that
Sudduth was writing his last farewell TO
his friends.
AT the junction the young man sudden
ly jumped from his seat and, while the
car was still in motion leaped 10 the
ground. He Immediately plunged into
the woods south of the Conduit road At
this point a path leads toward the canal
and in the direction of Sycamore ISL
and. A bridge spans the canal and On
the south SIDE of the towpath. Il was
here tha. Samuel Deeble, a colored "a
mailman, found the body of a man with
bullet wound in his head. This was about
one hour after the stranger had left the
electric car. Only a short time before,
Edward Jones. colored. employed at the
clubhouse on the island, heard two pistol
shots, when he started TO investigate the
cause. He reached the body soon after
Decide and noticed the revolver lying in
the mud and the nwspaper spread over
the mans chest. The alarm was given
and several county officials responded
The man was dressed in blue serge
suit Of clothes, wore a dark derby hat
and tan shoes. A pocketbook was found
but there was no money in IL He had
a fine gold watch, attached 10 which was
q Masonic charm. A number Of cards
with the name of James Newman Sud
DUH were also discovered and this led
10 the suicides identity.
Deputy Sheriff Peyton summoned JUS
tice of the Peace Claud and after an ey
animation the information was sent to
the Georgetown Police Station. Then
George Suddath. his brother was located
and Informed OF the tragic death The
body was moved from the towDath and
viewed by Conductor Blincoe and Motor
man Hell, who both Unidentified il as that
Of their early morning passenger.
After an investigation an inquest was
held and a verdict of suicidal death rem
dered- George Sudduth went to the junc-
tion and arranged for the removal of the
remains 10 Undertaken Birch's establish
ment on NJ Street, in Georgetown.
Among the effects of the deceased was
found small catalogue of F. P Nav
& Co Inquiry of the firm elic-
ited the information that Sudduth had
called there and stated that he was about
10 go In the grocery business and wanted
TO arrange for the purchase of some seed
He was communicated with and the cata-
logue sent him
At the Goodyear Rubber Companv the
employees spoke in the highest terms of
young Sudduth- He boarded at No q2S
n street northwest, and was not known
10 elher drink or use tobacco He was
al the store until after closing time
"wednesday evening and when he left he
baoe one OF his fellow clerks goodbve
IN me usual manner and his actions indi-
Gated nothing unusual
E0P TuE cTnD Avn