Chapter XXII: The Suicide

In the Ashtabula “Telegraph” appeared the following article:

ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE BRIDGE DISASTER.

“Our community received another shock on Saturday last, hardly
less severe than that of the news of the disaster itself. The
announcement that Charles Collins, the Chief Engineer of the L.
S. & M. S. road was dead, without any cause but that he was found
lifeless in his bed, carried every one back in mind to the bridge
calamity, and there was an intense eagerness for an explanation.
The evening papers brought that explanation, but with it an
increased effect upon the sensibilities of our citizens. He was, to
be sure, found dead in his bed, but beside him were the implements
telling the manner of death. He died by his own hand. The story of
his death we abstract and condense from the Cleveland dailies, as
follows: Mr. Collins’ assistant--Mr. I. C. Brewer, of the Toledo
division, sought his presence at his office on Water street, on
Saturday morning, but not finding him or hearing of him, passed
over to his residence, and being informed by the colored man in
charge that he was not there, determined to make an examination of
the house for the settlement of the question--whether he was in the
house. Upon passing through the house everything indicated order
and quiet, but loneliness, until the bedroom was reached. Here he
found the person of his search, dead, and in the first stages of
decomposition, marked with blood, a revolver at hand, with which
the deed was done, and the handle of another just showed from his
pillow. The determined purpose that controlled him was shown by
the means for making his destruction sure. A razor was also found
upon the bed. It was found that the muzzle of the revolver had
been placed in his mouth, and the direction of the ball was upward
through the roof of the mouth, and out through the upper and back
part of his head. The first shot seems to be the fatal and only one.

“In casting about for a cause for this violent and shocking death,
circumstances point to the effect upon his mind of the bridge
accident at this place. We find that he laid it deeply to heart,
and when he first beheld the scene, he wept over it in an
outburst of grief. That effect he seems not to have been able to
shake off. It followed him night and day, leaving no taste for
food, and driving sleep from his pillow, until he was led to say to
some of his more intimate friends, that he believed it would drive
him crazy. His was a gentle, sensitive nature, and his profession
carried to its utmost perfection and success, which was shown in
the superior condition of the road, and all its appointments were
his chief pride. This pride, we apprehend, never extended to this
bridge, as his rather guarded observations in reference to it,
from the beginning, sufficiently indicate. In the minds of many
of the best informed in this community, he rather shrank from the
responsibility of it. The special care of it, therefore, seems to
have been in a great measure, at least, committed to other hands.
Whatever his feelings, however, he could not in his position escape
responsibility. The sense of that responsibility seems to have
had a striking effect upon him in the recent examinations by the
Legislative Committee, and conferences in which he was present on
Wednesday afternoon and evening--the night, probably, upon which
the fatal act was committed. His state of mind was not unobserved
by some of his intimate companions. We are told that Mr. Brewer,
his trusted assistant, had, at his earnest solicitation, consented
to remain with him during Monday and Tuesday nights, and was
surprised at the alarming state into which his mind had fallen.

“It was further shown by the act, and the manner of it. He had
tendered his resignation to the Board of Directors, on the Monday
before, when with tears he said, ‘I have worked for thirty years,
with what fidelity God knows, for the protection and safety of the
public, and now the public, forgetting all these years of service,
has turned against me.’

“The resignation was, of course, not accepted, and he was assured
that his view was entirely unjust and unworthy, but all to no
effect. The thought of possible injustice still haunted him.

“On Wednesday night Mr. Brewer intended to go, as he had done the
two previous nights, and stay with him at his residence on St.
Clair street. But, upon calling at the office and being assured
that he had left no word for him either in regard to the evening
or concerning the trip of inspection contemplated for Thursday, he
concluded that the deceased had left for his home in Ashtabula,
where of late he spent much of his time. Thus affairs rested till
Saturday morning, when, learning that he was not in Ashtabula, Mr.
Brewer feared that some evil had befallen him, and going to the
house he inquired of the colored man, went through the house to the
family bedroom, and found the remains of the deceased as described
above.

“There is little doubt but that Mr. Collins intended to go on the
proposed tour of inspection on Thursday, for his traveling-bag was
found neatly packed in the bed-room. It is probable that the act
was one of momentary desperation, when the troubled thoughts of the
previous days and nights, weighing upon him, made life hard to bear.

“Mr. Collins’ family had been in Ashtabula, where his wife’s
relatives reside, for several days, and the colored man supposed
that he was alone in the house. But the quarters of the latter
are in the back part of the house, while Mr. Collins’ room is in
the front. It is supposed that Mr. Collins came in without the
knowledge of any one and went to bed on Wednesday night. Everything
in the bed-room confirmed this opinion. The various articles of his
dress were disposed about the room, his collar and necktie upon a
stand near the head of the bed, his pants, shirt and coat were laid
over a chair, and his shoes and stockings under the edge of the
bed. The vest was carefully placed under the mattress. The scene
presented to view upon entering the room, was most horrible. Three
chambers of the large revolver at the right of the corpse were
empty, but only one wound was found. There was a hole in the wall
of the room, recently made, such as a ball would make, and it seems
evident from this fact that the deceased was sitting up when the
fatal discharge was made. There was no appearance of a struggle,
but the discoloring of the blood from the wound which had flowed
from the mouth and nose, was terrible to behold. The face was badly
stained and presented a horribly ghastly appearance. From the fact
that decomposition had already begun, it is inferred by the coroner
that death took place some 48 hours before, or on Thursday morning.

“The deceased was born in Richmond, N. Y., in 1826, and was,
therefore, 51 years of age. He was from an old and highly respected
family, received a liberal education at one of the eastern
colleges, and his professional education and graduation, from the
Renssaeler Polytechnic Institute. In this latter institute he gave
full promise of the abilities which he was destined to display
in after years. Immediately after graduation he was employed
for several years in practical engineering in various parts of
New England, and next took charge of some important work on the
Boston and Albany railroad. He came to this section of Ohio in
1849 to take charge of locating the C. C. C. & I. railroad. He
was an engineer also in its construction. Next he was for a time
superintendent of the Painesville & Ashtabula road, and when the
L. S. & M. S. consolidation was brought about, he was given his
present position.

“As an engineer, Mr. Collins enjoyed the confidence of many of
the leading railroad men of the country. Among them was Commodore
Vanderbilt, whose friendship he also enjoyed.

“We are told that when any work was to be performed upon the great
lines of which he had control, Mr. Collins’ plans and methods were
always accepted by the great commander, without question, as the
cheapest and best.”