Porcher, Arthur^{[1, 2]}

1858 - 1887  (29 years)

• Name	Porcher, Arthur
  Born	12 Apr 1858	St. Giles,Cambridge,Cambridge,England
  Gender	Male
  Cause of Death	10 Sep 1887	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
  	Suicide (Cut own throat with razorblade)
  	Age: 29
  Died	10 Sep 1887	Salt Lake City,Salt Lake,Utah   [3, 4, 5]
  Buried	11 Sep 1887	Salt Lake Cemetery, Salt Lake City,Salt Lake,Utah
  Person ID	I24035	Taylor
  Last Modified	4 Nov 2005

  
  

  Father	Porcher, Robert,   b. 06 May 1825, Cambridge, Cambridge, England ,   d. 27 Apr 1890, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah  (Age 64 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Pilford, Eliza,   b. 1826, All Saints,New Market,Suffolk,England ,   d. 12 Dec 1874, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah  (Age 48 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Married	04 Apr 1847
  Family ID	F1300	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones

  Porcher, Arthur Grave Location: UK7985

  
  

• Notes

  Died: Utah Journal,14 Sep 1887, p. 3 ARTHUR PORCHER SUICIDES. ____________ A Thrill of Horror Sent Through The Community. ____________ On Saturday night, about 6 p.m., occurred one of those terrible events which send a thrill of horror through the community. About 7 p.m. the body of a young man, of powerful physique, was discovered, in an upper apartment of his father’s house on Third South street, wellering in a pool of blood and with the head almost severed from the body. The floor of the room was spattered and saturated with the crimson stain for some distance around, indicating that the struggle of the strong man with death had been prolonged and terrible. A razor smeared with blood was found ? the body, a circumstance tending to show that is was probably a case of suicide. For some cause Coroner Taylor was not notified of the case until yesterday morning when he immediately took steps to enquire into the cause of death in order to ascertain whether the man had been murdered or whether is was a case of suicide. The jury having been duly empanelled and witnesses sworn. Robert Porcher, father of the deceased was placed upon the stand. He testified, in substance, that the deceased was his son Arthur Porcher 28 years of age, dark complexioned, about 5 feet 11 inches in height, and unmarried. A little before 3 p.m. he noticed that Arthur seemed to be in a brown study about something. He was moody and silent accept when spoken to, when he merely answered in monosyllables. “Yes� or No. Witness told him he was going up town, when Arthur asked him if he had any money, and afterward handed his father 30 cents in change. Witness then went up town to make some purchases. This was about 3 p.m. He did not get back until about 6:30 p.m. and shortly after asked Walter (another son) where Arthur was, and he replied up stairs and that he thought he was asleep. Witness then took off his shoes to avoid waking him and went cautiously upstairs, when he discovered the deceased, and almost fainted with horror at the terrible picture presented. As soon as he recovered sufficiently he ran out an d alarmed the neighborhood in search of assistance. Walter Porcher, brother of the deceased, testified that he (Walter) was lying outside of the house under a tree when his father went up town and that shortly after his father left the house he heard his brother run up stairs, and subsequently heard him pacing the floor, until about 4 p.m. when he fell asleep and awakened later with a shock from a terrible dream, with the impression that some one was calling him. He added that deceased was subject to lapses of reason and that about eight years ago he had been sent to the asylum in this city for six months, and that about three years ago he had been locked up at the City Hall for interfering with a man on the sidewalk and that his fits of aberration were frequent and unaccountable; that he had no enemies and that there was not the slightest suspicion that he came to his death otherwise then by his own hand. The jurors brought in a verdict in accordance with the facts. – Deseret News.

  
  

• Sources

  [S163] Ogden Standard Examiner, (Utah Digital Newspapers), 2 (Reliability: 3), 26 Mar 1879. Sad Case. A young man from Salt Lake, by the name of Porcher, was found wandering in an insane condition about the streets last evening and was placed in the jail for sake keeping by the officers. He is in a terrible condition, being utterly unable to give any rational account of himself, and being all the time engaged in telling the most weird, improbable stories. We understand he has a family in Salt Lake, that he was recently confined in the asylum there, and that his friends are very anxious about him, as they are not aware of his whereabouts. The Marshal will probably communicate with the officers in Salt Lake or with the family of the young man, in order that he may be returned to his home. [S163] Ogden Standard Examiner, (Utah Digital Newspapers), 2 (Reliability: 3), 05 Apr 1879. Taken to the Asylum. The News says that Porcher, the crazyman, was taken to the lunatic asylum Monday evening, where he will remain for the present, to the gratification of all peace-lovers in the community. Ogden, received his attentions during a short period of time, and the public here will also be gratified to learn that he has been take in charge by the proper authorities. [S163] Ogden Standard Examiner, (Utah Digital Newspapers), 4 (Reliability: 3), 13 Sep 1887. A Suicide in Salt Lake. On Saturday evening a young man named Arthur Porcher committed suicide at the residence of his father, T. Robert Porcher, by cutting his throat with a razor. A coroner's inquest was held on Sunday morning. The evidence showed that deceased had been subject to lapses of reason for some time past. The jury brought in a verdict that deceased had come to his death by his own hand. [S165] The Daily Enquirer, (Utah Digital Newspapers), 3 (Reliability: 3), 13 Sep 1887. On Saturday night about 6 p.m. a young man, named Arthur Porcher, committed suicide in Salt Lake by nearly severing his head from his body with a razor. Cause, temporary insanity. [S164] Salt Lake Tribune, (Utah Digital Newspapers), 6 (Reliability: 3), 11 Sep 1887. ARTHUR PORCHER SUICIDES. _______________ The Ghastly Sight that Met His Father’s Gaze Yesterday Evening. Arthur Porcher, a laborer, who lives at 353 East, Third South ?, committed suicide yesterday afternoon by cutting his throat with a razor. Nothing was known of the occurrence till last night, as the man went to his room some time during the afternoon and was supposed to have fallen asleep, and for fear of disturbing him no one went to his room till late in the evening. A reporter asked at the house last night where at eleven o’clock the body was still lying in the same position as it was found, at the head of a stairway with the throat cut from ear to ear; the arms were outstretched, a bloody razor lay between the fingers of the right hand, and a fearful pool of blood had run onto the floor. The father of the deceased states that during the past week his son has been unable to work, as he was suffering from some sickness, he knew not what. He complained that he could not sleep at night and was very moody, ?ing about all day without speaking except in monosyllables, : by ? or ? ? morning after he had asked his father asked him if he had slept well during the night, he replied that he had not. His father then further questioned him regarding his condition, and asked if he could not describe his ? He replied that he felt sick,� but could not tell what was his ailment. He seemed More Gloomy than usual Yesterday, and sat about the house till about 5 o’clock in the afternoon, when his father started up town to male some purchases; he then emptied his pockets of all the money he had and turned it over to his father. In the evening when the old gentlemen returned, another son, Walter Porcher, was asked what had become of his brother, as he was not sitting in his ? place. Walter replied that he had gone up stairs to sleep. Soon after the old gentleman went up to the room of the ? and the fearful sight met his eyes. The ? of horror that escaped the old man’s lips brought in Arthur Porcher. The police and coroner were at once notified that the body be left in the position in which it was found, where it will remain ? today, ? an inquest will be held. The deceased is said by his relatives to be a man of good character and a member of the Episcopal Church. His mind has been somewhat affected since his birth and till he was about 18 years of age he suffered with epileptic fits. A few years ago he was declared insane and was sent in the Asylum. He was subsequently pronounced cured and has never shown any symptoms of his old insanity, except in an occasional fit of despondence. He is 29 years of age, quite tall, and is said to have been a very good looking man, but to a stranger his manner indicated that his mind was not sound. He was known as a good workman, and has never since he was released from the Asylum displayed any traces of violent insanity.