~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Alamance Gleaner - Sept 28, 1875 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A SAD OCCURENCE -- AN ESTEEMED CITIZEN OF DURHAM COMMITS SUICIDE. ---The Raleigh News of 24th inst., says; We regret to learn of the suicide yesterday morning at Durham of Mr. J. W. Cheek, an esteemed citizen of that place under singular circumstances. Mr. Cheek, a gentleman some 55 years of age, a native of Orange Co., has been for a number of years engaged in merchandising and speculating in the town of Durham, and being a man devoted to his business it is thought overtasked his nerves, from which cause he has for some months been confined to his room, and owing to his nervous condition has recently been removed to the residence of his brother-in-law, Mr. Fred Gear, some mile from the town, in order to give him more quiet. Yesterday morning while his wife was absent from the room at breakfast Mr. Cheek by some means fastened the mosquito netting from his bed around his neck, and securing it to the bed-post swung himself therefrom, and when his wife returned to the room he was lifeless. The sad affair has cast a gloom over the community of Durham, Mr. Cheek having been universally esteemed both as a business man and as a citizen. No other cause for the suicide can be conceived other than the depression upon his mind occasioned by his nervous condition. [end]