Rochester, Monroe, NY Rochester Republican May 3, 1849 MELANCHOLY SUICIDE AT OSWEGO - A young man named James PLATT, a son of the late Levi PLATT of Plattsburg, about 22 years of age, committed suicide by shooting himself at the City Hotel in Oswego, on Monday last. The Oswego Times says: - This young man of fine education and address, was preparing through the day to leave in the 5 o'clock boat for Buffalo, and after dinner took leave of his acquaintances formed at the Hotel, with his accustomed flow of spirits and good feeling, nobody suspecting anything out of the way. He had packed his trunk, and directed the porter to call at his room and take it to the steamboat, at about 4 o'clock. At a little after this hour, PLATT entered his room, and a few minutes after the porter followed, and found him sitting in his chair shot directly through the heart and already dead, the pistol laying on the floor. On his table were found two letters addressed to different persons, one of which was to the Coroner, saying that he need have no trouble or suspicion of any one, as his death was caused by his own premeditated act. An inquest was held by Mr. Coroner STEWART on the body, which rendered a verdict, "that James L. PLATT came to his death by his own hand, with a pistol, the ball passed between the fifth and sixth ribs, through the centre of his heart, causing instant death." The following is a copy of the note to the Coroner referred to above. "Oswego, N. Y., April 23, 1849. To the Coroner of the City: - Sir: I pen these few lines with a view of informing you, that when you hold an inquest upon my body, you may labor under no doubt as to the cause of my decease, inasmuch as I fell by my own hand. With much respect, I am Sir, in my last moments, yours, very truly JAMES PLATT, 2d." ** YOUTHFUL ENTERPRISE - A female, aged 11 years, and weighing 116 pounds, was recently married by a magistrate of Fairfield, S. C. this being illegal, the would be husband has been arrested under the act forbiding the marriage of females less than 16 years of age. The young woman, however, says she will stand by her liege lord in spite of the law. ** FATAL ACCIDENT - The Sandusky Mirror, of the 23d inst., says: "An assistant Engineer on the steamer America, was killed by the engine during her last trip up, on Saturday night. In working about the engine he got in the way of the crank, which struck him so severe a blow that he died from the effect of it in about twenty minutes. — We did not learn his name. He belonged at Detroit. ** RUNAWAY - A span of horses belonging to Mr. C. MORSE, ran away from his store on Front street, yesterday forenoon, drawing the lumber wagon to which they were attached, up Buffalo street at a furious speed. They were brought up in their career, by coming in contact with the rear of a loaded wagon in front of the Arcade. One of the horses fell across the tongue of the wagon, breaking his leg so badly as to render him worthless— the other was secured without injury. ** HIGH WAGES - It is stated that in consequence of the increased number of boats now plying on the Missouri river, there is such a scarcity of pilots, that good ones are hardly to be obtained, and enormous wages asked by them. >From $300 to $350 have been given for the trip to St. Joseph, occupying usually less than ten days. ** AN EDITOR KILLED- A telegraphic despatch says that Edward FITZGERALD, the springhtly editor of the "Philadelphia Item," was on Monday thrown from a horse and killed. ** The wife of Truman SMITH, of Connecticut, died recently at Philadelphia. She was a lady of excellent character, and an accomplished mind. ** The Value of Skeletons - Among the entries recorded upon the books of the custom House on Tuesday last, was the following: - "1 case skeletons - Value $79." The Express says - "Comment, of course, is superfluous. One knows, now, what his ‘mortal coil' is worth after it is shuffled off into a seven-by-nine candle box and assessed ad valorem. Horrid ! We should like to hear further from that box!" ** PAINFUL ACCIDENT - We regret to state that our worthy citizen, Capt. Ebenezer ELY, was seriously injured by being thrown from his buggy, near the Rapids, on Wednesday. The horse took fright and became unmanageable. Mr. ELY received several severe wounds on the head, but we have not yet learned his exact situation. ** ANOTHER ACCIDENT - Henry L. FISK, Esq., of this city, had a narrow escape while riding on the Pittsford road, last Wednesday. The bolt which held the whippletree came out, and the horse became frightened and ran, throwing the buggy into a creek by the road-side. Mr. and Mrs. FISK, who were in the buggy, escaped without serious injury with a little hydropathic treatment. ** DEATH OF WALTER OSTROM OF BROCKPORT - A party of six, of which Walter OSTROM, of Brockport, was one of the number, left that place some time since for California. They proceeded as far as Vera Cruz, when a part of their company was taken sick, and one of them returned home from that place. The others proceeded to Panama, where young OSTROM was taken with the yellow fever and died. During his sickness he was taken care of by Mr. George PIERSON, one of the party, the other three proceeding on their way. — Mr. PIERSON has returned to Brockport, after paying the last tribute of respect to his deceased friend. The deceased was a young man of about 20 years of age, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. ** FIRE IN JEFFERSONVILLE - PENITENTIARY DESTROYED - A fire broke out at 4 o'clock P. M., on the 24th ult., in the cooper's shop attached to the Jeffersonville (Indiana) Penitentiary, which was totally destroyed, together with the large hemp shop and several other minor buildings. — Loss not known. ** FIRE IN CALEDONIA - We learn that the dwelling house of Mr. Dugald THOMPSON in the town of Caledonia, about four miles from the village on the York road, with its contents was destroyed by fire on Monday. Not a particle of furniture was saved. Mr. THOMPSON'S loss will be considerable. We have not ascertained whether there was any insurance. ** FAILURE - Bishop DOANE of New Jersey has failed for $250,000, and is said to be able to pay only a trifling portion of his vast liabilities. Most of this money is said to have been spent in building church and chapels. The fortune of Mrs. DOANE, formerly Mrs. PERKINS of Boston, is not involved in this crash. Her income is said to be $12,000 per annum. ** Edwin FORREST, the celebrated American Tragedian, has lately separated from his wife, the daughter of Sinclair the vocalist. The New York Sunday Atlas gives a long account of the difficulties which led to the result, but they are of a domestic nature, and not the property of the public. ** MELANCHOLLY SUICIDE - Dr. Charles G. CHAPMAN, of Brooklyn, committed suicide in that city on Sunday morning, by cutting his throat with a razor. Cause, mental depression, or partial insanity. ** Find ALL of the News Abstracts for Monroe Co., NY at http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/NY/Monroe/index.html -- GjS