Iowa Old Press
The Miner’s Express, Du Buque Visitor
Dubuque, Dubuque Co., Iowa
Wednesday, March 20, 1850
Page: 3
MARRIED
– At Ead’s Grove, Delaware County, on the 12th
inst., Mr. AMARIAH KIBBEE, of Dubuque County, to MISS MALINDA LEE
of the former.
– On the 13th inst., MR. GEORGE SEELEY, of Dubuque Co., to
MISS MARY AUBERRY, of Delaware Co.
– ADAM HART of Rockville to MISS LOUISA CLARK of Dubuque
County, Iowa
– On the 14th, MR. on the 11th, inst., at Clayton, Clayton
County, Iowa, by L.S. McAllister, J.P., MR. GEORGE HURST to MISS
CATHERINE FUNCKE.
– At Colony, Iowa, on the 14th by Rev. E.B. Turner, MR.
JESSE B. BAILY to MISS MARGARET C., daughter of David Moreland.
DIED – In this city Monday morning the 18th
inst., JOHN BEECHER HOLBROOK, son of Rev. John B. Holbrook, aged
19 years.
Iowa Star – This little luminary
of a newspaper came to us last week with a change of appearance,
and a change of owners. Bates and Johnson are the present
proprietors. We do not happen to be acquainted with either of
these gentlemen, and therefore cannot say what the future success
of the paper may be. We hope, that however, they may deserve and
obtain the reward of faithful servants.
Suicide
A most melancholy occurrence took place on board the
steamer Lamartine, on her passage from Potosi to this
City, on Monday night last. Mr. William A. Nutt, a young man, who
has been residing in this city for several months past, shot
himself through the head with a revolver on the hurricane deck of
the boat, about an hour before she reached the landing.
He went on board the boat Monday forenoon, for a mere pleasure
trip to Potosi and back. While on the boat, he was observed to be
unusually depressed and melancholy. He spent much time during the
day in writing, and during the fore part of the night was
observed to be walking much by himself, to and fro in the cabin.
About 12 o’clock, the report of a pistol was heard upon the
upper deck; which, however, attracted no attention until morning,
when the body was found, in the place mentioned, cold and stiff
in death.
The body was lying with the head near the aft guard, a vial which
contained laudanum, was in his left hand, the cork lying near, a
six revolver was lying about four feet on his right. His skull
was perforated by a bullet at a point about three inches above
and back of the right ear, the ball ranging towards the left ear.
He had written letters to several of his friends in this city and
one to his father in Washington, D. C. In those to his friends
here, he assigns for the cause of the act he was about to commit,
that he would not survive the loss of reputation brought about
his recent dissipation.
Mr. Nutt was, as we understand, a son of Major Nutt, a clerk in
the Treasury Department in Washington; he was a young man of
refined feelings and polished manners, with a mind exhibiting
much native strength and no small share of cultivation. He was an
occasional contributor to our columns during the winter and was
the writer of the article on the Preservation of the Union, in
our last paper, over the signature of “Andre”. His mind
was filled with patriotic emotions delighted to dwell upon themes
connected with the glorious destinies of the state and country.
How sad and sickening is the reflection that the bright prospects
which might have led him in triumph through the world, should
have been dimmed and blackened by the demon of intemperance!
How audibly do the sounds come ringing to our ears, from
everything in and around our city, from their dram shops and
their haunts of vice, saying in thunder tomes to the companions
of Nutt. YOUNG MAN, BEWARE!!!
[transcribed by C.M., January 2019]