Martin-Washington County NcArchives Obituaries.....Roulhac, William  May 27, 1819
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Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com March 31, 2008, 4:14 pm

Tues., June  8 & 15, , 1819   Edenton Gazette
   SUICIDE -- It is seldom we have to record a more cruel and premeditated 
murder than that which it is our painful task this day to lay before our 
readers in the death of MR. WILLIAM ROULHAC, a native of Martin County.
   MR. ROULHAC, on the morning of Thursday last, rode out of the town of 
Plymouth, where he had been for two or three days on a visit, and returning 
soon after, turned his horse loose in the street, and then, as it is 
supported, walked a short distance out of town, where he committed the horrid 
act of putting a period to his existence by stabbing and shooting himself in 
the most barbarous and shocking manner. Being missed, and fearing some 
accident had befallen him, diligent search was made, but without success. 
   On the Tuesday morning following, however, he was found by means of a 
number of buzzards flying over the spot where the unfortunate victim lay. He 
was shot through the heart, his right jaw shot nearly off, several stabs in 
his left side, and his throat entirely cut across. He presented to beholders 
an awful spectacle indeed!
  What led  to this rash, unpardonable act, his friends are at a loss to 
conjecture, MR. ROULHAC, who was in the prime of his life, was of very 
respectable connections and much esteemed as a pleasing and sociable companion.
                          ( End of Article One)
                    Tuesday,  June 15, 1819
   WILLIAM ROULHAC was the eldest son of JOHN ROULHAC, ESQ., deceased, of 
Martin County. He was educated at Chapel Hill; served as a Captain in the 
detachment of troops from North Carolina in the late war [War of 1812] at 
Norfolk; and at the last session of the Legislature represented his native 
county in the House of Commons. Since his arrival at the age of maturity, his 
attention has been devoted partly to merchandizing but principally to 
agricultural pursuits and to his fishery. In all his transactions in society, 
he has ever been esteemed as a gentleman of the strictest integrity and honor. 
He was an affectionate son and brother. But unfortunately, he was of a 
temperament of mind, which, while it gave him the highest relish for the 
enjoyment of prosperity, it totally incapacitated him for sustaining, with 
composure or fortitude, the slightest shock or real or imaginary adversity.
   On the morning of Thursday, the 27th ult., he arrived in Plymouth from 
Fairfield's, the family residence, about three miles from town, and stopped, 
as usual, at the house of his relative, MR. HORACE ELY. No servant being at 
hand, he stripped his horse and turned it loose. He entered the house, 
apparently very uneasy and distressed. Declining a chair he observed that he 
would "take a walk." It is probable that, very shortly afterwards, he walked 
out of town, and took a path into the woods; which, pursued a few hundred yars 
led him to a large pine in a very secluded situation, where he completed the 
dreadful work of self-destruction.
   
 
  

Additional Comments:
Note: This contains two newspaper articles relating to the death of WILLIAM 
ROULHAC. The second appeared a week later on June 15, 1819 in the Edenton 
Gazette. Since they are so closely related, it seemed fitting to combine them.
C. S. 

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