The Ouachita Telegraph - Mrs. Jules Buisson, nee Henriette Souchon, Takes Own Life
Submitted by: Lora Peppers October 2000

*************************************************
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************  

The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, August 22, 1879
Page 1, Column 3

A SAD EVENT.
The Mother of Seven Children Takes Her Own Life.
[New Orleans Picayune, 14th.]

        A sad occurrence took place yesterday evening in the death of Mrs.
Jules Buisson nee Henriette Souchon, at half-past 5 o’clock, at her residence,
at the corner of Camp and Felicity streets.  The circumstances attending Mrs.
Buisson’s demise are the sadder as she came to her death by her own hands,
leaving behind her seven little children, the oldest aged eleven years,
and the youngest one month and thirteen days.

        A few minutes after dinner the deceased repaired to her bedroom,
and soon after, her servant, who was walking on the gallery holding in her arms 
the little baby, heard the report of a pistol.  She hastened to the room,
followed by Mr. Buisson and some of the neighbors, who had been attracted
by the detonation, and found the unfortunate lady lying on the floor of her
room with a bullet hole in the right temple.  The pistol which she had
used was on the floor beside her.  Dr. Anderson was immediately summoned, but
medical skill could do nothing for the unfortunate lady, who expired
almost immediately.

        The intelligence of the suicide naturally caused a sensation among
the large circle of relatives and friends of the deceased, who were at a loss
to understand what causes had led to the commission of so terrible a deed.
Inquiry was made as to the circumstances which had prompted this act of
self-destruction.

        It was ascertained that Mr. Buisson attributes the suicide to
mental derangement, alleging that Mrs. Bussion had on two occasions, once in 1873
and again later, attempted to poison herself, but was saved by the timely
application of antidotes.  The mental aberration spoken of has been
ascribed to the effect of domestic troubles.  It is stated that yesterday Mrs.
Buisson left the dining room after dinner and went to give an order to a servant.
Returning she engaged in an animated conversation with her husband.

        She then left the dining hall, went to a room adjoining, took a
revolver and repaired to her bed chamber, where she applied the weapon to her 
right temple and puled the trigger, sending the missle (sic) through her brain.
Mr. Buisson usually carried the weapon to prevent his wife from getting
possession of it, as he alleges she had before attempted (sic) to destroy
herself, but yesterday had laid it aside.

        Mrs. Bussion was a native of New Orleans, only thirty-five years
of age, and possessed all the beauty and accomplishments of a Southern lady.  
She was a tender mother and a devoted friend, and her untimely end is greatly
deplored.