--
Suicide.--A difficulty occurred at the
Sprigg House, in
Wheeling, Va., on the 13th inst., between
Richard Hadden and
James P. McLane, a salesman in a drug store, in which the former was shot in the breast, and it is thought mortally wounded.
The
Intelligencer thus relates the conclusion of the tragedy:
‘
Young
McLane, yesterday morning, came down to the store at which he was engaged, on Main street, as usual, though evidently agitated on account of the rash act of the few hours previous, and the probable consequences.
About 9 o'clock, however, learning that he was about to be arrested, he disappeared.
Yesterday evening his numerous friends and relatives were startled by a dispatch from
Bellaire, stating that he had shot himself near that village, and was dead.
Young
McLane was about twenty years of age, and was greatly admired by his employers and loved by his associates.
’
It appears that upon leaving the store in the morning,
McLane went down slowly to the
West Wheeling Ferry Landing, and, after crossing, stood for some time on the
Ohio shore looking into the water, and then proceeded down towards
Bellaire.
He is supposed to have lingered along the route between the Ferry
Landing and the place where the body was found, a short distance this side of
Bellaire, until about half-past 2 o'clock; and being in a distracted state of mind, because compelled to leave his home a felon, drew his pistol and shot himself through the heart.
He seemed to have been thinking the matter over before committing the rash act, as he had whittled quite a large niche in the fence against which he had been standing.
Before firing the pistol he wrote his name upon his shirt bosom with a pencil.
When first discovered by a boy he was still struggling, but died in a short time, and was removed to a house near by.
