Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-13
VAUDEVILLE.
FRANCIS SKINNER.
Something Of the Strange Career That
Ended in Suicide.

"a sad end to an equally sad life
seemed to be the general opinion when
the news of the suicide Of Francis
Skinner was read. yesterday. He was
perhaps better known here in his ma
tive city than anywhere else and I'M
derstood as well as anywhere.
He was the son of Rev. J. o. Skinner,
who for time was pastor Of the Uni
versalist church on Silver street in this
city. The elder Skinner was a man of
much ability and was prominent in the
State in his day. He was intimately
connected with Masonic affairs and
very active in church circles. He was
eccentric but not to a marked degree.
Mrs. Skinner, the mother of Francis,
was an unusually brilliant woman and
her son inherited much of her ability.
But she too was considered rather ac-
centric. But the eccentricity of Mr..
and Mrs. Skinner was not particularly
noticeable. They were simply what
Maine calls odd" Mrs. Skinner was
survived by her son only about two
years, she having survived her husband
much longer time.
The son seemed to have inherited
much of the peculiarities of both his
parents. According to the commonly
accepted reports in the city Frank did
not enjoy the freedom given as a mat
ter of course to the ordinary New Eng
land boy. This strongly influenced his
naturally peculiar disposition and the
result was a marked eccentricity.
Those who knew the family when it
resided in the city declare that Frank
was not allowed to play with other
boys of his age but was kept off by
himself. They also say that most of
the usual amusements of childhood
were denied him. He did not attend
the public schools of the city but was
tutored at home by his parents, both
of whom were fully capable of conduct
ing his education.
Those who are in position to know
claim that this peculiar treatment
soured the boys disposition early in life
and made him morose and reticent. He
had scarcely any friends of his own age
and no chums. He grew up by him
self, carefully guarded and trained by
his parents. This sort of treatment
was not suited to his disposition and
the result was disastrous.
Some of the older citizens remember
how some 90 years ago he attempted
suicide in the Universalist church
steeple. The cause was trivial or at
any rate it has now been forgotten. He
succeeded in inflicting some flesh
wounds in his neck and breast with
rather a dull jack-knife, but was dis
covered in time to prevent the success
of his purpose.
After reaching manhood he began
what has been appropriately called "a
meteoric career" He possessed much
natural ability as a newspaper writer
and drifted about from one office to
another for several years, never stay
ing long in place. The peculiar mix
ture of ability and eccentricity was
doubtless accountable for this.
His ability won him a fair measure of
success. But all through his life the re-
ticence developed in childhood was appar-
ent, and he had very few intimates. But
although reticent, he was not timid and
was fully capable of defending himself, as
many people learned to their sorrow when
they matched wits with him. He was the
wielder of peculiarly sarcastic pen and
was not backward in using his ability
when occasion offered.
His career in the newspaper world Is
marked by many stories some of which
are doubtless true and some false. One
of these that has been told many times
is about special Thanksgiving story