Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-04-06
ANOTHER SUICIDE CASE
Francis A. Raymond, 26, Ended
Life by Use Of ChIoroform
Death Took Place Several Hours Before
the Body Was Dlscovered-Had Threat
ened to End His Life.

Death Took Place Several Hours Before
the Body Was Dseovered-tiad Threat
ened to End His Life.
The fourth tragedy in Brattleboro with
in four months in which death was
brought about by suicide was enacted
Wednesday, when Francis A. Raymond,
wno has been a clerk i'm o. j. Pratts
dry-goods store more than year past,
ended his life by the administration of
chloroform. The act was committed at
the home of Charles II. Converse at 80
Green street, and doubtless II is attribut-
able to unrequited love.
Raymond boarded and roomed at Mr..
Converses. He left the store where he
was employed about noon Saturday, say
ing that he was not feeling well, and had
not returned to work. On Tuesday even
ing he called at the home of F. e. Young
at the corner of Central and Washing
ton streets, and when he left there 1t was
with statement that he intended to
take his life. Mr.. Young did not believe
the young man would carry out his
threat, but he had lingering suspicion
that 1t might have been made in good
faith, and after thinking about the mat
ter some time he went to the Converse
house and told Mr.. and Mrs Converse
what Raymond had said. Raymond had
gone to bed, so little more was thought
about the matter and Mr.. Young returned
home
Raymond arose about 615 o'clock We'd
nesday morning told Mrs. Converse that
he had been i'll in the night and said he
was going down to the drug store after
some medicine. He went to a drug store
and procured bottle of cnloroform. Re-
turning about o'clock he told Mrs Con-
verse that he intended to resume work
In the store in the afternoon, but would
go to bed to rest until 11.45 o'clock. and
he requested Mrs Converse to call him
at that hour for dinner.
Mrs. Converse raped on the door Of
Raymond's room at 11.45 o'clock as re-
quested, but there was no response She
opened the door, and on looking in saw
that Raymond was entirely under the
bed clothing. Being satisfied that some
thing was wrong, she summoned H. l.
Bangs and E. II. Putnam, neighbors Mr..
Putnam drew down the bed clothing and
found that 1t was a clear case of suicide
Raymond lay with his right arm above
his head and in his left hand he grasped
handkerchief. The empty chIoroform
bottle lay between the left arm and the
body In Mr. Putnams Judgment Raw
mond died about O'clock AS a member
of the board of selectmen Mr. Putnam
gave permission to have the body removed
An examination of the room showed
what may have been an attempt at
asphyxiation during the night The arm
of the gas jet had been bent downward
and the gas shade had been broken It
Is known that Raymond was i'll during the
night His illness may have been caused
by gas. 1t is possible that, being i'll. he
bent the gas fixture and broke the shade
in an attempt to light the gas quickly in
the darkness. Mr.. and Mrs. Converse
think they heard Raymond open a window
about 4 o'clock.
The rob oIeo
letters. One was addressed to Miss Hattie
Young of Brattleboro. The other was ad-
dressed to George Pratt bookkeeper in
the Pratt store, and contained Raymond's
bank book and some directions about
business matters. Mr.. Putnam searched
Raymond's trunk but found nothing to
show the name or address of Raymond's
father. The address was secured later.
however, and a telegraphic notification
of the tragedy was sent
The telegram was returned late in the
afternoon, the telegraph company being
unable to locate the man to whom It was
addressed Selectman Putnam learned
that Antoine Nicholas. who is employed
by Henry G. Clark, was an uncle to Raw
mond. Mr. Nicholas gave the address of
another uncle in Malone, and Mr. Put
nam reached him by telephone Yesterday
morning. The latter uncle said he would
notify Raymond's parents. and he made
arrangements to have the body sent to
Malone. He said Raymond was survived
by his father and mother and six broth
ers and sisters. The body was sent to Ma
lone on the 5S5 train last evening.
Raymond formerly worked in Hinsdale
as painter. He came to Brattleboro two
and half years ago and began work for
{. A. Borden as painter. He was employ
ed short time by the Estev Organ com
pany but since a year ago last fall he
had been in the Pratt dry-goods store
He was 26 years old and a son of f. E.
Raymond of Belmont.