The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-24

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THE DEAD NEEDS No HELP
Not q great while ago in this State a
man was found dead with his throa,
cut from ear to ear III small room
In a cheap hotel The coroner came
aud made out his official statement
that the man had committed suicide
Upon looking about Inc room for some
communication left by the man lei.
ter was found en- the floor, reading:
aT'o whom It may concern, especially
to my alleged friends: When you
shall have read this iwiii be dead. l
know It is a cowardly act. for one TO
destroy himself but | am facing star.
Walton and there is no prospect OF my
getting Work.; the wolf Is gnawing at
my door and sorrow Is .actually Eating
my heart away. Sympathy does not
FIJI an empty stomach, sympathy does
not put a man In position where he
might earn his living. That is all I
have got during the past ten days and
when have .shuffled of this mortal
coll y shall then be nc longer a worry
TO those who were friends Of mine in
my palmy days Of prosperity and had
money. i have this day gone to a
number OF men and asked them for as.
slstance to tide me over until l could
obtain employment; lei who were
my friends when l did not need their
measly dollars. Did they assist me?
They did not, not one Of them gave
me the price of q cup Of coffee. They
aid that they would help me II they
could but they had. not the money. l
believe in my heart that.eyery one Of
these men lied. Instead Of giving me
financial assistance that I might eat,
they gave me a lot Of advice. about
like this: John, a bright a man as you
should be in a good position and max.
ing plenty of money and not be ask
ing your friends for assistance. That
Is inspiring on IN empty stomach and
walking the streets night after night
to keep from being arrested for loiter.
ing because l had nc money with
which to pay for lodging. This is the
way my alleged friends treated me
when down and out.
There is no use to discuss these
things-it will soon be over and then.
l shall hunger no ore'neither shall
l thirst any more and theSun Of God
shall not shine upon me-
~ have no relatives and I find that
] have no friends, and you may bury
me in the potter's field. am as sane
as | ever was and | am 10 going to
end It ALL" The letter was unsigned
but the man was well known and was
given a decent Christian burial by his
friends" and former business asso-
ciates. The funeral was largely at
tended, and as the %concourse passed
by looking into the cold. silent face OF
this man, not knowing that he had left
a letter telling how his friends had
turned him down-they remarked:
.'Poor John, why did he take his HE?
If lie had come to me | would have
assisted him. Some OF these very.
men refused to help him. Other
Friends" said: u would have gladly
helped him had known he would
have taken his life"
John did not need their help then
and he will never again bother these
alleged friend. They may keep their
dollars, jingle them in their pockets
to their hearts content and when an
other poor distressed soul comes
along can turn him down in just the
same way.
There is a little history connected
with this Suicide: This man never
d~isipated,h he never squandered his mon
ey. He worked hard and faithfully In
his younger days, saved his earnings
and after making q number Of invest.
ments he became quite wealthy.
When It was known that he had a
rating in mercantile agencies he had
friends-or more properly speaking,
alleged friends-wolves in sleeps