Evening journal., 1913-09-25
CRITICISM
DRIVES MAN
TO SUICIDE
Louis Il. Perkins Who Made
Financial Mistakes Makes
Sure Of Death
SWALLOWS CARBOLIC ACID
THEN JUMPS OVERHEARD

of his financial mistakes while treas
urer of Queen Annes county, Louis
H. Perkins, SO years old, superinten-
dent of the local Methodist Episcopal
Church Sunday school, yesterday end
ed his life with carbolic acid Seek
ing a secluded spot at Centreville
Landing, Mr. Perkins swallowed an
ounce of the poison and leaped into
Corsica Creek.
Letters explaining his motive for
suicide we're left to his wife, former
States Attorney Thomas j. Heating,
William E. Rolph, his accountant, and
the public. In all of these Mr.. Per-
kins betrayed his fear of censure for
the small shortage existing in his ac-
counts as county treasurer. He had
meditated suicide for several days,
and last Friday, Madison B. Brown,
attorney for the County Commission
ers found a letter Mr.. Perkins had
written to his wife, in which he spoke
of his intention to end his life.
This letter was handed to Edward
Perkins, his son. L. H. Perkins
bought the acid on Tuesday at local
drug store, saying he desired 1t for
q throat douche. Yesterday he walk
ed to the landing a mile away. Re
rncving his coat, hat and eyeglasses,
and placing them on guano sack
beside his purse and a number OF
letters. Mr.. Perkins poured the acid
into a glass he bad brought with him,
and then set it beside the empty bottle
Oh a plank.
= cry preceded his leap into the
water. and this attracted the atten-
tiop of Richard Handy, a negro youth,
who rushed around the warehouses
and caught Nj Perkins body with a
sr;ke. Capt. Medford barrymore and
William ]. Ellers assisted him in lift
ing the body to the wharf. Mr..
Perkins lived about FIVE minutes, but
did not speak an Ineligible word.
DR.. II. F. Mcpherson, husband of Mrs.
Perkins niece. found Mr.. Perkins be-
yond medical aid, and was recalled
TO the beside of the widow, who Is
now in a critical condition from
shock.
States Attorney Edwin H. Brown
conducted an inquiry, and Justice oil
the Peace Ray Turner decided an IN
ouest unnecessary. The body was
then removed TO Mr.. Perkins home.
Arrangements for the funeral have
NOT been completed, but It will be in
charge of the Rev. J. r. Bicking, pas
tor of the Methodist Episcopal Church
70 whom Mr.. Perkins spoke two weeks
ago. and asked him to look for an
another superintendent.
On the back of an envelope Mr.. Per
kins had soribbled yesterday Ny
money. watch and glasses are In m,
coat pocket Give them to my wife
/ hope when you find this II VIII be
all over with me. Open this
In a letter to the public, he said
want the people to know that
brought all this on myself. There Il
no one else to blame but myself. The
first two years that my son ran the
office and | worked on the road. ev
erything was all right The following
two years. when / took hold of 1t, IL
where all the trouble is, and if hat
kept on and let him run it,, / would
not have come to this II is all M
fault. and / cannot explain how.
would if / could, but it is my negi
gence and loose business methods
without any system, which has causei
the failure OF many men.
In a general letter Mr.. Perkin
wrote:
The money in my pocket-book be
longs to the Merchants Rubber Com
pany of New York City. I take m,
life, knowing the consequence. an
not insane. | cannot pay my debts
and cannot bear the remorse an
shame. / have tried to live right. Tn
church | represent and the Sunda
school / have conducted / hope vii
not blame me. and may God forbi
that / should bring shame upon Hi
cause. I am not hypocrite. ! hav
tried to do right and have believed i
the Holy word. But for some reaso
/ have failed, as | have failed IN ev
erything all my life You will fin
me back of the granary. where yo
found young Redsecker. You will fin
in my coat a letter to Thomas ]. Keat
ing with notes to different friends
want for my pall-bearers R. M. HAP
kins J. f. Walters. Thomas J. Keai
ing F. G. Benton. c. F. Rich an
George A. Whiteley.
Mr. Perkins allusion to young Red
seeker. was due to the accidents
drowning last summer of Charles
Redsecker. of Baltimore, who me
death about 80 feet from where NJ
Perkins leaped into the water.
To Pay of Debt.
Arrangements had been made by NJ
4 Perkins to pay of all his Indebtedness
and on Monday he borrowed money o
his home to make up the difference. II
had held hope that one of his sor
would win a position in a local post
office. but this was disappointed O
Monday. II is supposed that he figure
the $1,000 insurance on his life woul
cancel all his obligations TO the count
and would provide for his family.
his letter TO Mr. keating, dated SatU
day. Mr. Perkins asked him to look aft
the interests OF his estate, and in not
he thanked Mr. Rolph for the interel
he had taken in his behalf as his cert
y fed accountant His letter to Mr.. Kea
ing read as follows:
81 cannot explain how l got in tn
III financial difficulty God knows | wou
III if ! could Il was done through negl
gence and Ignorance on my part in nj
conducting the office on business pril
ciples and in a business manner. III
& fault is all mine, and there is no ol
else 10 blame, anl 90 to meet my Go
depending entirely upon His mercy, al
may He have mercy on me. pray tn
my family will not be censured
blamed for my action, as they are n
to blame for any of this trouble.
Il want you to take my wifes affai
in hand and do the best for her you ca
You can assist her and do what is bes
She will be guided by you because s.
has confidence in you, and so have
NV affairs are so mixed up that cam
exnIain any more would If / cOul