The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-11
COMMITS SUICIDE
ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Mi. W. P. Gosden Succumbs to
Pangs Of Jealousy.
THOUGHT WIFE UNFAlTHFUl
.-----------
She Was Out With Her Sister and Sisters
Eseort-iie Had Been Drinking aud
Was Eseited-Took Doss
OF Morphine.
THOUGHT WIFE UNFAlTHFUl

The suicide Sunday OF Mr.. William 3.
Gosden, No. si4 South Third Street, causes
tho deepest sorrow and sympathy among
the friends of this well-known and es.
timable family.
Mr.. Gosden took a. dose OF morphine
soon after o'clock Sunday morning.
He died at 1880 Sunday afternoon. Inc
most vigorous efforts were made to re-
vive him, but in vain. Dr.. ]. G. !Ireylll'an
and a City Hospital surgeon were VIII
him for several hours.
The causes which led to the seif-Inlir-
der of the young man are almost sensa-
tional and certainly peculiar. Sunday
was the nineteenth birthday of tho sui
eide The story of the antecedents OF
tho sad affair are>these briefly told:
Saturday night he was taking
late supper at Murphy's. lie mad
been drinking some. and was moro
excitable than ordinarily. 1t was
probably II o'clock. The rustic Of dresses
caught his ear. Ladies and their escorts
were coming in for supper after the thea
tire. He saw to his Horror that his wife,
her sister and escort were among the
company. The idea flashed over his
mind that his wife, whom he loved dear
~, as will DO shown presently, was with
tho gentleman, while as a matter OF tact
the escort was with the unmarried sister.
His own mind made "of itself>a hell.
LEAVES TILE HOTEL.
lie left tho table at once. He had not
spoken to his wife for months He made
no attempt to break this long silence. He
went quietly out. and no one in the hotel
guessed what a. dreary place this young
man had just found the world to be. He
wandered around until about o'clock
Sunday morning. That hour found him
at homo. Els mother got UP and let
him in. She saw that he had been drink
ing some and was worried more. She
helped him to his room, and then aided
him in undressing. She asked him what
was troubling him SO much. and he told
her of his experience at the hotel and his
construction of it. She left the room For
a moment, and returning found him writ
ing a. letter to her and his father, saying
that it was his last night on earth.
END CAME SLOWLY.
Mr. Gosden took morphine llabltually.
He had in his possession two caSes-one
OF tablets, the other capsules.
His mother found him on the floor
about s o'clock Sunday morning. The
box which had contained the ca psuleS
was wel-nigh empty.
servant was sent to DR.. -Trevil-
lian's office, a few doors down the street.
at once. They physician came; also had
q. message SSIlL TO tlbc CITY uoSDlldt LoI
one of his assistant surgeons. They
worked their patient from that time un-
til 1890 That was the hour of his death.
It is likely that he regained conscious
ness. Oxygen was given him and the doc
tors slapped him; his father shook him
and called him by name. They got a. re.
sronse and possibly recognition, but no
ineligible word. The moment the flow
of oxygen ceased, he fell back. into a
senseless condition And ins this stupor
the soul left his body zlt
AGAINST PARENTS WISHES.
Mr. Gosden was married. :! about a
year ago. There Was parental objeC
ton, and the two wena away and were
married. They lived together for a short
time and She returned to her parents and
he to his. They have not met often since:
But he loved her still. His fathers fam
lily recently moved from Marshall Street
to the new flats on South Third. a few
days ago they We're seated around the
table. All were happy and the new home
was cosey as any one could desire. Some
one commented on the happiness of the
home. Yes he said, but for tho alb
sence of one person." His mother agreed
with him, and his reply was that his wife
should never come to him again, as she
had treated him SO badly
Once before, soon after his marriage,
he attempted suicide by trying to jump
from q third-story window. Another time
in a crazed condition he did q perilous
thing.
The funeral will take place this
afternoon at O'clock from the residence.
Rsrton Heiqhts Mites