Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-04-06

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Tried to Inhale Gas.
The fourth suicide in Brattleboro
within four months occurred Wednes
day morning when Francis A. Ray
mond, 20, Il clerk in the dry goods
store of o. j. Pratt, ended his life by
/ inhaling chlorofOrm in his room AT the
I home of G. II. Converse ON Green
street. disappointment in love affair
was the principal reason for the young
man : act. He threatened TO commit
suicide Tuesday evening after making
II call upon Miss Hattie Young az the
home of her father ON Washington
street, aud Mr.. Young notified Mrs.
Converse of the young mans state
ment. Ii was not supposed, however
| that be was serious in his intention.
Raymond arose about 6.l5 Wednes'
day morning and told Mrs. Converse
that he had been i'll in the night and
was going down street TO get some
medicine. He returned 10 the house
/ in about two hours and said he was
going to bed. He asked Mrs, Converse
to call him at ll.lj and stated that he
fADtfltu 10 ut NuAf W ~ W WIN III
the afternoon. At the appointed time
Mrs Converse went TO mis- room and
raped on the door but received no re-
sponse Upon opening the door she
saw Raymond lying in bed with the
clothes drawn over his head. She
spoke to him again and received no
answer She then went TO the home
of H. l. Bangs across the street and
notified him. aud he in turn notified
IL. II. Putnam. Mr.. Bangs and Mr..
Putnam went to Raymond S room and
found him dead, his head covered with
| the bed-clothes, and his left hand
grasping a handkerchief saturated with
chloroform. He was dressed in his un-
dercIothes and a hathrobe. a two
onnce vial partially filed with ehloro-
form lay between his arm and his
body. The gas-jet in the room was
bent as il the young man had attempt
ed to end his life by inhaling gas, and
| il is thought that he did this early in
the morning before he went down
street. Two letters were found in the
room, one addressed to Miss Young
and the other to George Pratt. The
latter contained Raymond s bank book
and brief note to Mr.. Pratt asking
him to take what money was due him
and apply the remainder upon the flu
neral expenses.
Raymond was seen by several peo
pie early Wednesday morning and his
appearance at that time indicated that
he was not in normal state Of mind.
The chloroform which he used TO end
his life was bought at c. f. Thomas S
drug store. He also bought an ounce
of ehloroform at the Brooks House
pharmacy Tuesday afternoon, stating
al the time that he wanted it to clean
an overcoat. He had not been at
work since Saturday, giving as an ex-
euse that he was i'll.
Raymond came to Brattleboro be-
tween three and four years ago, and
was for time employed as painter
by G. A. Borden He afterward worked
at the Estey Organ factory, and about
wear ago last fall entered the store
of O. J. Pratt as clerk. His home was
| in Belmont. n. Y, a short distance
| from Malone, and he is survived by a
father and mother and seven brothers
and sisters. Antoine Nichols, who
lives on Maple street, is his uncle. An
other uncle, who lives in Malone, was
notified of the young man S death yes
terday morning and he communicated
with the family. Yesterday afternoon
request to have the body forwarded
to Belmont was received by Under
taker Moran, and it was shipped on
the $50 train. Raymond was a mem,
Der of Protective grange and had been
actively interested in the dramatic
club of that organization. He was con
sidered young man of good habits,
although of peculiar disposition.