The Ouachita Telegraph - S. B. Blackburn Suicide

Date: Jul. 2000
Submitted by: Lora Peppers <lpeppers@ouachita.lib.la.us>

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The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, December 22, 1876
Page 2, Column 3

A SUNDAY EVENING SUICIDE.
A Sad Social History.
        At half-past 3 o’clock Sunday, S.B. Blackburn, aged 24 years, son of
ex-Senator W. Jasper Blackburn, of Claiborne parish, being tired of the
slings and arrows of misfortune, yielded up the life he so little prized at
the shooting gallery of Smith & Gschuind, at No. 95 St. Charles street, by
shooting himself in the head with a dueling pistol.
        The facts connected with the sad affair will furnish food for a long
chapter, in which can be found a story of love blighted by dissipation and
terminating in the hero’s miserable and deplorable death.
        It appears that in 1874 young Blackburn fell in love with a young
lady of Claiborne parish, Miss -------, and they were betrothed; she, however,
postponed naming the wedding day on discovering that her future husband was
dissipated; but, living in hope of showing him the error of his way and
leading him in the right path, she still continued to love him.
        After bringing all her persuasive powers to bear upon him with no
effect, she one day determined to threaten him and wrote a letter in which she
stated that if he did not give up drinking and lead a better life, she would
break the engagement.  This letter was taken from the left hand pocket of
the deceased’s coat, and on the back these words were found:  “Good-by; try
and forget me.          S.B.B.”
        From the receipt of the letter up to the time of his death young
Blackburn is said to have been leading a dissipated life.
        He came to the city some weeks ago from Claiborne parish, and his
friends say that he has several times made the remark that he would destroy 
himself.
  Yesterday at the stated hour he repaired to the shooting gallery of Mr.
Wise, No. 80 St. Charles street, and asked him if he had any Winchester
rifles; being answered in the affirmative Blackburn ordered him to load one
of the rifles; while the proprietor was engaged in loading the weapon
Blackburn took off his shoes and socks and put his socks in his pocket, and
replaced the shoes on his feet with the remark that his corns were hurting
him.  After firing four balls at the target he requested Wise to again load
the rifle, which he objected to do, giving an excuse that he was out of
cartridges.
        This seemed to anger Blackburn, and he left Wise’s gallery and
repaired to the shooting gallery of Smith. & Gschuind, No. 95 St. Charles 
street; here he asked the proprietor if he had a Smith & Wesson revolver; the 
proprietor informed him that he had, but there were for sale.  He then 
requested Mr. Gschuind to load him a dueling pistol.  His pistol was loaded, 
and Blackburn discharged it at the mark.  He then requested the pistol to be 
loaded again, which was done.  The pistol being loaded he seized it with a 
firm grasp, but instead of firing it at the proper mark made a target of 
himself, and placing the muzzle just above his right eye, sent the bullet on 
its errand of death, the ball penetrating the brain.
        As soon as the facts were made known to the police the unfortunate
man was brought to the Central station, where he yielded up his life at 5:30
o’clock, surviving the wound only two hours.
        Coroner Roche was promptly on hand and held an inquest, and the jury
returned a verdict according with the facts.  The body was turned over to
his friends. – N.O. Democrat.

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