The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-11-04
Edgar Allan n Suicide.

I
marked delibercation and he was evil
IDENTIFY tired Of life.
He left the hotel Richmond after
breakfast, went down to his Office,
talked over some business matters,
saluted few friends, bought the fatal
pistol from pawn broker, bad it care
fully loaded, was instructed in IFS use,
boarded the street car went to a spot
well nigh in sight Of Union Theological
Seminary, folded his overcoat carefully,
placed his silk hat near by, and fired
into his brain the death dealing shot.
The body was taken to Wash ngton,
and now rests in GlenwOOd cemetery,
where he had purchased square and
designed his own memorial stone. And
thus ends In many respects the most
remarkable life ever lived i'm Virginia.
He came TO Prince Edward a private
In Grants army in the spring OF 1863
and was left as guard at the home II
Mrs. Heary Venable, known as HEX
DRY HILL" some four miles west Of
Hampden Sidney, on the road leading
to Five Forks. To this duty he was
unswervingly faithful, and not only
protected that household but cOnui-
buted to the peace Of the neighborhOod.
He exercised remarkable influence over
the freedmen Of that community and
where persuasion failed, he resrO ed to
punishment. A favorte mode Of in
tllcting this punishment was to swing
the offenders by their thumbs, end It
never failed ofgoOd results. This Union
soldier conceived the highest aCmira-
ton for Mrs. Venable, who was typl- !
cal Virginia matron, and the first init
nation the people # Prince Edward had |
his genius was on reading from his
pen a splendid aud discriminating |
character sketch Of the noble woman
From this quiet, useful and honor
able life he launched out on the sea Of
politics, and though successful, as the
world reckoDs success, from the start
his career eyer after was a stormy one.
With such gifts Of tongue and pen a.
he had, he easily went to the front as
leader il not absolute dictator For the
asking he became member Of the I'm
derwood Convention, aud then OF the
Senate and for 10 years was Common
wealth's Attorney Of the county. In
this last capacity our people knew him
best, and they will unite in saying that
the duties Of the Office were discharged
by him with fidelity and ability never
exceeded in the history Of the county,
and this is written with full know edge
Of those who went before him and those
who have come after him in that honor
able and responsible position.
Partizsn that he was, he never recog-
nized friend or foe as prosecuting at
tOrney, aud no attorney ever cross
ed lances with him as such who did
not feel that he was "foeman worthy
Of any steel"
Such was his growing reputation at
the bar and in the field Of politics that
he was tempted to a larger and more
lucrative field, and about 20 years ago
left Farmville for Richmond. Here he
soon secured extensive practice and was
engaged in many cases involving intri-
cate questions OF law and from which
he received immense fees. His prac-
tice so grew that he opened a law Of
flee in Washington aud was employed
by the Government in a land case in
Texas, in the conduct Of which he was ,
antagonized by the leading lawyers Of
Df that state, but out Of which he
victory and came, having won signal .
fee Of many thousands.
This sketch could be indefinitely ,
and every line drawn from ,
the life Of this marvellous man would
thrill with interest, but we leave to
others the fullness Of that task. In
bis last moments he asked that Judge
Witt should defend his memory, and to
40 more competent or charitable keep ,
ng could he have committed the trust.
We have already stated that the rash
vet Of taking his own life was done ,
With mature deliberation, aud we are
yoing to take the liberty Of men ion.
ng recent incident which confirms
10 In our opinion. +
Between the writer and the deceased ,
here had been no semblance Of recOg- n
lition for many years, though they 4
lad known each other since 1865 but ,
ust ten days prior to his death, while
tandIng in the, lobby Of Hotel Rich
mond, where he was boarding, he
walked quietly across the room, ex-
ended his hand, saying as he did so:
1T has been a long time since we met
md l am glad to see you" The greet
ng was received in the spirit in which
{ was thought to be given, and after
tanding for few moments he said,
Let's sit down." Chairs were drawn,
We did sitldown and for more than
me hour / listened to a history Of his
life after he left Prince Edward.
The account was Of interest too, and
when he excused himself to meet some
riends in his room the strangeness Of :
he interview was significantly Im-
Dressive.
Was he not even then thinking of
he nearness Of death? and was he not .
nxious TO blot out all bitterness from
,ygone? We can never know the mo-
i've for that meeting, but we do re-
member that the author Of ii once
wrote these lines and handed them to
Judge Witt, who, from the bench had