The Portland daily press., 1899-04-03
SUICIDE OF An ADMIRAL.
Rear Admiral Carpenter Kills Him.
self.
DEATH OCCURRED IN SANITARIIM
NEAR BOSTON.

Dispatches DO Not State How Il Was
Done-Dead Omcer Was Born in
msssaehusctts and Served I'm the Ma
Wy Throughout the War.
Boston, April 2 -Rear Admiral Charles
Carpenter, U. S. NJ, retired, committed
suicide at q sanitarium in one of the
suburban districts of this city, yester-
day. The Admiral had beeu In Ill health
for some weeks
Admiral Carpenter for the past six
weeks has been an inmate of the Adams
Nervine asylum in the Jamaica Plain
district and 1t was ut that place that
the unfortunate affair occurred. The de-
tails OF his death at the earnest request Of
his faTuily were withheld from the pub.
lic and while the suicide took place Sat-
urday morning the medical examiner re-
viewing the remains has not yet made
his report.
. For number of years previous to his
retirement, Admiral Carpenter suffered
severely from nervousness and soon after
being released from services sought medic
cal treatment. He had apparently recov-
lred, but six weeks ago thsre came re-
eapse and he was again placed In the asys
lum. Again no seemed to improve and
the family hadsconsiderahle hope that he
would be himself again. A.
The release OF the body by the medical
examiner will probably be given tomor.
row, but as yet no arrangements for tha
funeral have been made.
Rear Admiral Carpenter was born In
Greenfield, Mass, February q, 1884 Ha
was appointed a midshipman from this
state, October /, 1850. and was attached
to tho oloop ports,,outh of tho DacyNn.
squadron from 1851 to 1856. He was In
the naval academy from 1855 to 1854, AMI
was promoted to passed nidshipman On
June goth of the latter year.
After leaving the naval academy he
served on the steam frigates Merrimao
Roanoke, Colorado and Dolphin, Of the
home squadron for two years. Carpenter
was transferred in 1869 to the steamer
Flag Of the South Atlantic squadron
and ON July l6 of that year was promot-
ed to lieutenant commander.
He next saw service on the monitor
Catskill of the South Atlantic blockading
fleet and was on board during the opera
tions and attacks upon the defepses of
Charleston. AT the close of the war he
went to the Asiatio station with the slnop
Hartford, the flagship. His first command
was the steamer Wycning of the same
sQuRdron. For TWO years uo vas stationed
at the Portsmouth navy ynrG, during
which time he was commissioned as com
mander From 1871 to 1873 be had COM
n,and of the Nantasket (third TIA Cd. but
returned to Portsmouth on equipment
duty for three years His next sea duty
was in the ill-fated Huron of the North
Atlantic squadron from 1875 to 1876. leav-
ing her year before she was wrecked OIL
the North Carolina coast. Again he re-
turned to Portsmouth and while there
was advanced TO captain, March 25, 1880.
He completed his three years shore 6uiy
at the Boston navy yard and in 1883 was
commander of the Hartford, which oar
ried the English and American eclipse
expedition of 1888 to Caroline Atoll. For
three years-lSsS-1890-h commanded
the receiving ship Wabash at the Boston
yard and in June 3 the latter year was
transferred to Portsmouth as captain of
the yard and later as commandant.
He received his commission as commo-
dore in 1898 and as rear admira. a year
later AS commander of the Asiatio
squadron in 1894 he saw many of the
naval movements of the Chino Japanese
war.
During the Spanish war Admiral Car
pointer was recalled from retirement to
act as commandant of the Portsmouth
navy..yard in place of Commodore Remey
who had hoisted his flag ON the receiving
ship Lancaster ut Key West.
Admiral Carpenter leaves a wife, three
sons and two DAUGHTERS.