Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-16
CLOSED THE ROOM
AND TURNED ON THE GAS.
THE SUICIDE OF JOHN L. RAY,
THE OLD LIVERYMAN.

HHS VIZ IhN w ~
Found Dead tn Bei O or Hours Later
What Led Up to the Tragic End
The Career Of One OF Our Most Iwtsres,-
ing Local Charactsrs-His Success In
Business.
John L Ray, 81. the long time livery.
man. committed suicide Saturday night
by gas asphyxiatiop. He had for long
time, ever since his retirement from bus.
iness. in fact, 10 years ago, been in a
morbid, melabcholic state, and for a
while WAS at the Retreat and in sani-
tarium 10 Massachusetts also. Seven
different times razors, which he had evil
deutly bought with sn idea of making
way with himself. as he did shave
himself, had been taken away
from him. the last time his son was here
the Fourth, finding it il. his bed. Late
ly he had seemed more depressed than
usual and for the last 3 or days before
the end had kept to his room.
He had two rooms connecting up the
third floor Of the hotel, and it was his
custom to leave the door OF one unlocked
for the chambermsid to get 10. Sa,nr-
day night he locked both. then closed the
the transom. which was so tight that it
WAS hard work TO open it when trouble
was found No particular smell of gas
was noticed by people passing along the
hall. until Mrs NJ NJ Miller, another
boarder. sent word TO the office Sunday
morning. that the gas was leaking some
where. ThosJ Heaphy, the porter, vent to
investigate and also smelled gas. though
not very strong, and seeming tocome from
Mr. Rays room. Getting no answer to
summons. and seeing the transom
closed, MrHeaphv beat ii open. when the
gas came out in overpowering volume.
Suicide was evident. The room vas
very nearly air tight and the unfortu.
nate man had turned on the gas full
head. He was found lying on his bed
10 his underclothes without a sligo OF
struggle. DR. Anderson was called and
said he had been dead or hours. On
stand in his room was found gold
watch and the words written on a strip
torn from newspaper. "a present for
Charles meaning his brother in Lin.
coin. Mass. The room was Immediately
placed in charge Of Lawyer Barber and
G A Royden.
Thus passes out a man who has been
one OF our most interesting local char
acters, who 10 his day kept What was
admittedly. as regards its completer ess
and the quality Of its appointments
right through, the best livery stable in
New England, a keen and efficient bus
mess man, full of euterprise and pluck in
his line, knowing his business thorough
ly and enjoying its Iuh ard variety.
he was also man of a great deal OF
native ability and originality. with
fund of shrewd and rolicking bumor
that had flavor all its own and could
not fail TO attract attention. But unfor-
tunate in lack ing early advantages-he
had had practically to make his
own way in the world since he
was G-vears-old and beirg so absorbed
in bus siness. in his later life, he had not
provided himself with the:resources, in
the love Of books or art or social
that make leisure tolersble.
and being out of the things that had
employed his activities all his days and
out of the business contact with other
people that had given life Its Hest. his
days have been wretched and hll the
worse because Of his active mind. He
sat broodiug most Of his time with little
recreation except when driving about
with the inevitable result of coDiuring
no misfortunes 10 the future and mis-
treatment in the past, until there was a
well developed disease, meloncbalica,
and the end was not at unexpected to
those who knew bin best.
Mr. Raw was born at Concord, Mass,
Oct %. 1920, the son of Hsmon and Mary
Lawrence Ray. the oldest of nine child
rep ln his infancy his parents moved
to Lincoln. He attended Newton Acade
my at one time and came to Brattle-
boro in the railroad construction
days. as sub contractor for
a section of the Vermont and Massa-
chusetts roa3, ard it was while at this
work and boarding at Isaac Eddy's, that
be met and in 1851 married his sister in
law, Addie N.Pra' t,who died here about
two years ago. After the completion of
The road he was associated with Keith |
White in the management OF the Amer |
can House, and ever since has been a |
lslf owner of the property, buying it in |
company with Mr.. Stearns of the Tate |
5oodhue estate, and StearDs being sue |
,eeded by &. A. Bovden. the present |
,wrer With Mr.. Ray. In the early fif- |
les he became proprietor of the livery |
stable now owned by Henry R. !
Brown in what WIS then the Guodhue
but for more than a genera
ion has been the Ray block. Ii was
o the height of the water cure busl-
less. and he rose TO the opportunity OF
urnishiug livery fit for the most fas-
idious patrons. In 1891 be sold out to
Adams. Bowen & Minor.
Mr. Raw is survived by his trother,
JharlesJ..a "a sister. Annie A of Lii coin,
Mass, and one so1. John j. Rsy. Bos.
on merchant, who arrived yesterday.
The funeral is to he held from the
Brooks House q. 1 o'clock this after
loon. Rev E Q S Osgood, off ciating.