Year: 1873

New Orleans has a singular suicide to
relate aud think about. John Beer, a
swiss about thirty-fiye years of age, left
his lffeless body hanging TO a bed post
in his boarding house, where il was
found in good order for the coroner and
recurring little preparation for the un-
dertaker. J. Beer mad made elaborate
preparations for his demise and funeral
and the payment OF his debts, and left
several documents to explain his line OF
conduct. His principal object in leaV-
ing this miserable, heartiess world was
10 be revenged on a rich brother and 8
rich uncle. The former, Henry Beer,
made a fortune as a merchant in Cal
cutta, and retired to enjoy his wealth i'm
Bordeaux; and the latter, Henry Nae
gely. rolls in wealth and luxury in Mar
seilles, France. J. Beer had been a clerk
in his brothers house in Calcutta, and
left his situatiOnltO do bette rfOr himself,
and did worse. Having left Asia to i'm
prove bis fortunes, he tried 10 accom-
Dlish this purpose all over Europe, but
failed. Then he crossed the ocean to
New York TO get sGmethingtO do where
by he might keep soul and body tOgeth-
er. He was finally reduced 10 the last
extremity Of poverty, but managed
somehow to get back again to Europe.
He called on his uncle IN Marseilles, but
having nothing TO deposit he
was treated cOldly He called on his
brother in Bordeaux, but that CrOesus
from India politely told him TO 90 home
70 his mother, who lived in a small
corner of Switzerland on a very small
remnant Of a fortune. His health was
shattered and he stayed some time with
TIE old lady 20 recuperate. He loved
her dearly. hut did not like her temper.
AS sOOn as he was sufficiently restored
he left his mothers hOspitable roof, and
again called upon the world for what
il owed him-a living. Just about that
time the last FrancO-Germauic war broke
out, and this gave him employment for
some months, but the war left him still
above ground aud no better in fortune.
lie then crossed over to America again
and this time landed in New Orleans.
That city had no situation open for him,
and what was the poor man to do?
What, but sit down and make his will,
write few letters, explain himself and
leave the world which refused to give
him friends, food and shelter? He had
been playing a friendly game of cards
with a fellOW-boardeT ia the evening and
seemed ia good spirits. In the morning
the felIow-boardeT found him in the
next room suspended by rope from a
bed post, dead. His last writings were
scattered around in sight. In one doc
ument he gave some particulars of his
misfortunes, the substance Of whicf is
stated above. He also stated one of the
causes which brought him 10 his self
inflicted end, explicitly, thus:


81 wish 20 bring the shame of my ig-
noble death home to two Of my nearest
relations, both very rich and influential,
who through their heaTtless and mean
treatment have brought me to this des-
perate act and / accuse them before
God and man as the cause Of my un-
happy end Let them have q quiet
conscience if they can" He then names
his brother and uncle aforesaid as his
two heaFtless relations, and requests
that the rope with which he hangs him
self may be cut ia two and a piece sent
TO each relation. He also left letter of
thanks to y Wessenbach, ESD, the
Swiss Consul in New Orleans, who had
aided him with means and made fruit
less efforts TO get him employment. He
had sealed up his trunk, containing
nothing but clothing, and ordered il to
be sold to pay his board. He RECON-
mends that the bill for his funeral eX-
Venses be divided, and sent to his BROTH
er and unCle along with the rope, and
thinks they will pay to Obviate scandal.
And so John Beer squared up his tenn
poral affairs, took last revenge upon
his relations, and got even with the
world,