Evening star., 1901-05-20
PASTOR A SUICIDE
Rev. Maltbie Davenport Babcook
Kills Himself in Naples.
INSANE FROM his SUFFERING
He Cut an Artery and Took Cor
rosve Subllmate.
WAS Y NOTED OWN E

NAPLES May 20-The Rev. Maltbie Da-
venpOrt Babcock, pastor of the Brick Pres
byterian Church. New York. who commit
ted suicide in the International Hospital
here last Saturday by severing artery
in his wrist and swallowing corrosive sub
Innate. entered the hospital suffering from
gastric fever. complicated with extreme
melanchoIia and home sickness. He spent
I..ost of his time on the balcony of his
room overlooking the sea, but frequently
suffered paroxysms of acute mental dis
tress. y nurse saw MIR. Babcock at $40
O'Clock Saturday morning, at which time
the patient said he wanted nothing. AT
about 8 o'clock a nurse, who was passing
the door of his room heard means and
tried TO enter, but found the door barred.
The nurse Immediately went to summon
the superintendent and. returning, found
the door open. Mr.. Babcock lay on the
bed, the clothes of which We're blood
stained. and nearby was an empty vial,
while on the bed were two small knives.
The blood still flowed from the severed ar
terry in the wrist. Mr.. Babcock was just
able to whisper. Il have swallowed corro-
sive sublimate." and then died
His wife, who was staying at a hotel
nearby, notified the judicial authorities.
United States Consul Byington subsequent
ly took the necessary legal steps, Whlie q
number of Americans called at the hoSpltal
and offered their services to the widow.
His Congregation Informed.
\ dispatch from New York last night
SAYS: There were no services in the Brick
church tonight, and the report that DR..
Babcock committed suicide did not gain
general circulation by reason of this fact
The Brick Church was well filed this
morning. when the sudden death of the
pastor was formally published from the
pulpit. Prior to the service there was an
informal joint meeting of three boards of
the Congregation-the trustees the session
and the deaconS-and at this the formal
announcement of the death was prepared
10 be read 10 the congregation.
At the service DIR. l.. Ledeux, an elder
and the clerk OF, the session. after referring
feeliUgly TO the sadness which had fallen
upon the congregation in the unexpected
tidings of the death of their pastor, read a
message Of sympathy from the Rev. DR..
Stone. pastor of the Brown Memorial
Church of Baltimore. who succeeded DR..
Babcock in that charge when the latter
came TO New York.
y message was also read from Moderator
Ninton. Clerk Roberts and eleven promi-
n"nt members of the general assembly. and
then came the reading of the formal an
noUncement by the joint meeting of church
boards.
DR. Iedeux also announced that at a
meeting of the church trustees the treas
Urer had been instructed 10 cable to Mrs.
BabcOck that 1t was the wish of the con-
sr~gatlun that the body of her husband be
brought home at the expense of the Brick
Presbyterian Church. that the congre-
cation might pay proper honor to their
dead pastor Before proceeding with the
services for the day the Rev. Dr. T. T.
Munger of New Haven, who had charge of
the service read q letter of sympathy from
Bishop Potter.
Formerly Paster of baltimore Church.
DIR. Babcock had been pastor of the
Brick Church since November g. 1899, the
churchs former pastor, the Rev. Dr. Henry
Van Dyke. having. when he went to Prince
ton, recommended that DR.. Babcock be
called from Brown Memorial Church, in
Baltimore, Of which ne was then pastor.
just at that time Morris X Jesup offered
a resolution in the meeting of the trustees
making the salary of the new pastor S12,-
''N year.
Though a young man DR.. Babcock at
theologian He had the reputation of being
a scholar and a worker. full of energy and
fearless in his methods of thought.
Dr. Babcock was graduate of the Syra-
cuSe University. In the class of 1879.
After course in the Auburn Theological
Seminary he was ordained in 1882 His
first charge was the First Presbyterian
Church OF Lockport, n. Y, and five years
later he went to Baltimore.
y dispatch from Baltimore, Nd, last
night says: The news of the death at
Naples OF the Rev. DR.. Maltbie D. Bab-
cock, who was formerly pastor of Brown
Memorial Presbyterian Church in this city
called forth expressions of heartfelt sorrow
on every hand today. DR.. Babcock was
popular with people of all classes and
creeds in this city. Prayers ascended from
many pulpits for divine comfort for those
who mourn his loss.
NEW YORK, May 2O.-The following
cable dispatch was received today by VIM.
ID Barbour treasurer of the Brick Church.
from the Rev. George b. Webster. pastor
Of the Church of the Covenant, and one of
DIR. BabCock's fellow travellers:
Gastric fever developed acute melan-
chola, resulting in death. Riggs and the
United States consul arranged all details
perfectly. Mrs. Babcock, Mr.. Curtis and
Miss Robbins left here yesterday and will
sail on the Furst Bismarck on May "a. 1
sail with the body on the Trave from
Naples on the Both"
Mr.. Barbour said this was the only an
swer which had been received to the dozen
cables sent by him within the last thirty
six hours.