A Soldier's Solitary End
The tragic discovery of a soldier found hanging at the government wharf.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Last Friday morning early, Jacob Lammerson, a soldier of Company H, 14th Infantry, was found hanging dead at the government wharf. Dr. J.H. Smith, the coroner, was called, and on looking matters over found it so plain a case of suicide that no inquest was considered necessary. The deceased was a good and faithful man, having some $600 to deposit with the paymaster. He left no clue as to his reasons for the act, but it is supposed by those who know best that there is a girl in the case, away back on the Uncompahgre.
“He left no clue as to his reasons for the act, but it is supposed by those who know best that there is a girl in the case.”
This story reflects the harsh realities of soldier life in the late 19th century and the frequent lack of mental health resources. It also highlights the era's tendency to simplify suicide as a matter of heartbreak, shielding the public from deeper systemic issues.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.