Willson - Levi B - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review, Oct 8, 1881

Monday morning last, the citizens of this city were startled   by the announcement that Levi Wilson, so long employed as Deputy   Clerk, had taken his own life. This was too astonishing for   belief, but was soon verified and the particulars told. As was   known to many of our citizens, Mr. Wilson was possessed of a powerful appetite for strong drink, which it was impossible for   him to loosen. Since the death of his father, Col. Sam. Wilson,   he has been frequently brought to the ground by the curse of   liquor.; He has repeatedly declared he would never touch a drop   of the vile stuff again. Again he was tempted and again he fell.   Last winter he sought and procured license to preach, as a local   preacher at the Methodist Church, thus thinking to break off that   dreadful appetite, which was bringing him down. Again, he failed   and this failure he lost all hope. On last Sat, he remarked to a   friend, that he could not free himself from the destroyer's   clutches that he had tried and tried in vain, he had lost his   business and disgraced his friends. The troubled mind found no   rest and he fell sick. Sunday night his brother-in-law, Dr. Marsh   stayed with him. About 4 o'clock in the morning, Levi, arose and   left the room. He stayed so long that Dr. Marsh became anxious   and started out to see what had become of him. He found Levi   seated on a low trestle in the yard with his throat cut, and   bleeding profusely. He was immediately carried in and the best   medical aid summond but it was of no use, the cord of life had   been snapped and no earthly power could save the spirit so   summarily ushered into the presence of its Maker. He died at 6   o'clock monday morning. The instrument with which the deat was   committed is an innocent looking taper eraser ? with a blad about   two inches in length. he had made incision on each side of the   neck severing the jugular vein. Wherever Levi Wilson was known,   he was welcomed as the genial friend and talented gentleman. He   was the life of all social gatherings and always ready to lend   the charm of his wit to them. In point of intellect and   education, he was one of the most billiant members of the   Montgomery Co. bar ready with tongue or .. he was a host to meet   on the rostru... or in newspaper discussion, clever and obliging,   we always found him and with sorrow we chronicle his sad and   untimely end. The history of his life and death, is only another   mile post of Eternity's highway, to warm young men from the   slight of the tempter. A bright light gone down in darkness, a   genial friend and companion, and clever gentleman. let his .. lie   light .. on him. (very hard to read)