New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-27
Tells of Dread That He
Would Be Placed in
Insane Asylum.
NOTES RECORD HIS
DYING THOUGHTS
Il Loved the World and Its
Beauty-but the Agony of
the Cell" He Says.

].
thew, wealthy retired merchant, Of
Wilkes Barre, was found, a suicide by
gas, in an uptown boarding house to-
day. Several notes scattered about the
room indicated that he had struggled
to record his dying sensations to the
last minute of consciousness. The mes
sages hint that he was about to be sep
arated from his wife and sent to an
insane asylum.
The last note. written in a scrawlng
and laborcd hand, contrasting sharply
with the fine penmanship Of the earlier
ones, describes the mans sorrow at
having to leave the world, gives his
Impressions as the end approaches and
leaves a word of advice for one LYLE"
who, the police believe, is his son. 1t
reads:
Remember, Lyle, am not drunk"-
an empty whiskey bottle was found w.
ing near him-"but have just taken
whiskey to make me sleep" Then fol-
low several lines Of illegible writing.
and this: "My muscles are growing
numb" Then comes another line not
decipherable, and this observation,
written apparently with great effort:
"The light is growing dim" Another
blank space, and the writer, his
strength apparently almost gon., adds:
"My last message is | love you"
Arranged Death Carefully.
The man had made careful prepare
tons for death. lie had placed pillows
at the bottom of the door to prevent
the escape Of gas, and had moved
large bureau against the door. He
wrote the notes, seated on a chair in
front Of this bureau. When his body
was found the chair was overturned, a
pencil was on the floor and several
sheets Of paper scattered over the
room, indicating that he had used his
last strength to get from the chair TO
the bed
The first note, believed to have been
written before he returned TO the
boarding house, and which was found
in Bible in his room, reads:
Dearest Jennie: ! had not planned
this when | pleaded with you to let me
stay with the Rev Laning last night.
But / saw my life was TO be spent in
great agony, and before l knew it |
was on the 90 to end all. | did not
dare to return, because | knew that
awful asylum would be my destiny. |
do hope you can put up the fight and
90 back with Lyle. | have not this
whiskey because like it, but TO put me
TO sleep. could not shoot myself
Awful viii be my hell"
On the other side is written: "Oh,
Jennie, do not blame yourself, for you
are not to blame. Death is better than
life separation. | could not help it. /
could not be kept at Br. Lyons. ! re-
alize that" Written across the middle
Of the note is "3 o'clock"
A second note, evidently written
after he had made his preparations to
die, reads:
"My God, Jennie, l did not realize
what | had done until | got into this
room. Have ! driven YOU wild? God
forbid. | wound gladly return II |
could be of help to you, but | cannot.
| will only be worse. | have not drunk
this whiskey to get drunk, but to put
me dead TO the world so that the gas
will do its work. | bought the gun to
blow my brains out, but / was afraid
would not do it and only leave me more
of a burden. do not care what people
may say. | love you, Jennie, the best
of any one on earth. But the asylum
was the only place for me, and could
not stand it."
Loved World and Its Beauty"
The revolver was found under the
bed.
Another note. the third, was written
after the gas had been flowing from
the jet for some time.
81 now begin 10 leave this world.
Oh, how / hate to 30! | loved this
world and its beauty. How beautiful
is everything! But the agony of the
cell love my dear Helen and oh,
Lyle, be true TO her. Could | have
lived to see you both in q home! But
not so. | must go. Oh, why could |
not have kept my business? No one
knows how hate TO leave this world
and my loved ones"
On the opposite page is additional
advice to lyle"
Take good care of your mother. |
did not intend to come 70 this. Oh,
how | would like to stay TO see you,
but nothing but asylum before me-"
After a blank space this follows:
"Never retire from business, Lyle.
That is what ruined the man you call
father"
Merrithew had dealt until recently
in real estate speculation in Long
Beach. Cal Two months ago he re-
turned from California after an abb
sence of eight years.
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