New-York tribune., 1910-06-09
BOY, NINE YEARS OLD,
SUICIDE BY HANGING.
InCorrigibIe Newark Lad Takes
His Life After Gliding by
Teacher and Mother.
FATHER FOUND HIS BODY
Had Threatened to Kill Himself
When His Mother Told Him
That He Must Return
to School.

Charles Chadwick, the nine-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Chadwick,
or No. 81 Seventh avenue, Newark. who
had been considered incorrigible and
had given his parents and teachers no
end Of trouble. committed suicide yes
terday by hanging himself in the cellar
of his home His body was found by
his father last night after a search that
had lasted several hours and had COW
cred the greater part of Newark.
The boy had been a pupil at the Web
ster street public school, but his
progress there had been slow, because
his teachers could do nothing with
him. All sorts of punishments had been
inflicted upon him, but he refused to
mend his ways. and finally his teacher
took the matter up with his parents
and asked them to deprive him of his
play out of school hours unless he would
promise to behave himself in school and
keep his promise
AS a result Charles came out fiat
footed yesterday morning and told his
mother he wasn't going to school. To
her reply that he must go he threatened
to shoot or drown himself His mother,
frightened a little by his attitude, al
though not believing that he was serl-
Gus, shifted her policy and tried to jest
him out Of his mood. Her efforts were
unayailing. however, until she told him
that he might have 80 cents on Satur-
day if he would go TO school.
ha bp aTDI1O1pnr that
was needed. and Charles departed for
school He came home at noon for his
luncheon and went back for the after
noon session. Shortly after o'clock his
mother was surprised to see him return.
To her request for reason for his con-
duct he would say only that he couldn't
stav in school. Mrs. Chadwick told him
he was not carrying out his part of the
agreement made in the morning. and he
started off again. apparently to return to
school
AS the time came when he was accus-
toned to return home in the afternoon
and there was no sign of him, MIS-
Chadwick became worried, and tie
threats he had made in the morning re-
CURED to her. She went out to Branch
Brook Park, where the boys and girls
of the neighborhood play a great deal.
There she found several OF his play
mates. whom she asked for news of her
hoy. All said that he had not returned
to school for the afternoon session. nor
had they seen him anywhere since school
was over for the day.
IN despair Mrs. Chadwick began a
systematic search of the places where
Charles had been in the habit of going.
Several of his playmates joined her and
neighbors turned out and assisted In the
search The boys father came home
from his work and took charge, but no
trace was found of Charles.
EiraUv some of the neighbors asked
if +bev had looked through their house.
and when the Chadwicks replied they
had not ii was suggested that their son
might have hidden himself there in fear
~ the consequences of his refusal 10 go
to school and carry out the agreement
with his mother.
IIpstairs and downstairs they hunted.
Then Mr.. Chadwick opened the door
leading down to the cellar and started
down the stairs. II was not until he
reached the floor of the cellar that he
looked around and saw beside him the
body OF his son hanging at the end OF a
rope with his feet dangling about foot
from the cellar floor. In an instant Mr.
Chadwick had cut the body down. but
the boy had beoI dead for several hours.
Charles had taken a length OF clothes
line he found in the cellar and had
thrown it over swinging shelf near the
stairs Then making moose fast about
his neck he had Jumped from the stairs