The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-30
HALFMAN ENDED LIFE
FORMER MoNTaoMERIAN DIES
 IN vICKsBURG MISS.
Despondent Old Man Took Over lose of Morphine in Confederate Hospital-His Son Here
 Was Shocked.

 terday morning of the suicide of l.. w. Halfman, formerly of this city, in Vicks- burg. Miss, Monday, there being pe- culiar pathos about the tragedy. Since the death of his wife here In NSo MT. Halfman had led a somewhat mo- madic life, his son, E. w. Kaufman, was the only relative he had in Montgomery or in fact in the South with the excep- ton of a grandniece living in Montgom- erv. His daughter lived in Montgomery until some years ago when she married |J, E. Blanchard and removed to Barn stead, Mass. His sister, Miss Mary Halr- man. married Dr. J. R. Hawk, naVaI surgeon and for a number of years lived at Mare Island Navy Yard near San Francisco, Cal. She is now living Tn Pnil- adelphia, where several other relatives live, that city being his birthplace.
 Some years ago his son, E. w. HaiI- man. was the victim of a terrible acci- dent in the South and North yards and both of His arms were amputated Since then he has been employed at the union railway station.
 If was A great shock when the terrible news was conveyed to him yesterday as he had not heard Of 1t.
 ''The last I heard of my father, ne said. "was a letter he wrote me rom yicksburg where he was in a Confederate hospital. In the letter he said that 1t was his birthday and asked me to come over and see him. I wrote him would like to do so but that had my family here to take care of and besides the loss of my time I could not spare the expense or the railroad fare. He was physically unable to do anything from an old wound that he received in the war and having suf- fered a paralytic stroke about twenty-six years ago. A year or so ago he came to Montgomery from Selma, following the trade of a piano tuner, and that is the last have heard of him until the letter from Vicksburg few months ago" E, E. Halfman, father of l.. W. Half man, was we'll known to the older gen. eration of Montgomerians. having oper- ated an extensive floral establishment at the corner of Dexter Avenue, then Mar ket Street, and Decatur Street. The Vicksburg American of Monday af- | ternoon says:
 "There was a tragic death at the Con- federate annex today.
 'It was the death of l.. w. Haifman, a veteran who came to the annex from Meridian year ago, who died by his own hand. and ended his life by swallowing down the contents of glass filled with morphine.
 ''The poison was taken yesterday morn | ing at 10 o'clock. and the unfortunate man died at an early hour today.
 "The body was buried from Fishers 8 parlors this afternoon at o'clock. "The simple and tragic story of Half- mans death is perhaps fully told in the following letter addressed to Hon. H. H. Foster of Geneva. Ala:
 'Vicksburg, Miss, Dec. 2. "Hon. H. H. Foster, Geneva, Ala: "'Dear Friend-When you receive this letter I think that I will be in the other world. am totally cripple, and life to me is burden, so I give it up. I have written directions to have sent you my pipe, stick and trunk, and they will send these articles by express. Give my love to all of my friends.
 "L. w. Halfman.'
 ''The above letter was found among the possessions of the dead man, and the let ter directing that his earthly possessions be forwarded will be treated with the re- spect solicited as the last acts before the veterans death.
 '"rhe story of the suicide is most pa- thetic one, and as far as possible to learn all the facts Dr. c. Y. Hicks tells the following story:
 ''T was apprised of the dangerous con- dition of MT. Halfman yesterday even- l ing, after one of the internes in the hos pital had visited the annex, and found out | that he had taken poison. Several doctors worked with him for hours and the poison was taken from him as Tar as pOSSl Die, and we operated the static machine on the spine in the hopes of restoring vital | ity. but the patient was too far gone, and died this morning.
 | Miss Hetherington, in charge of the trunk and other belongings shipped as directed.
 1 Deceased leaves a wife and daugh- | ter residing in Meridian, and sister. Mrs. M. W. Hawke in New York city. He Is said to have been a Federal soIuler. who afterwards joined the Southern army. and | fuential friends In Meridian, who had him sent here. There had evidently been domestic unhappiness between him and his immediate family. as such a state is known to his associates here. 1 "The address of the son of MT. Halfman was found in his belongings by a repre- sentative of The American today, and it reads as fellows:
 Tn case of my death please notify my son. E. W. Halfman, gate keeper of the l.. and N. Railroad at Montgomery, Ala
 Besides this picture of the deceased was found and upon the back of 1t a statement that he was an inventor and patentee of the gentlemens adjustable shirtwaist, by Halfman &, Riss, of Pen sacola. Fla, Dec. 8. 1900
 During his stay in the annex Mir. Half man told Dr. Hicks that during hls early life he was on the stage and acted in some of the leading attractions in the country"