SUICIDE OUT OF PRINCIPLE
The Grass Valley National, of Tuesday evening, tells a story of a Chinaman named Ah Sin, who committed suicide in a very civilized way, impelled thereto by an enlightened motive. Ah Sin loved - to smoke opium. He had, it may be supposed, a quantity of his favorite drug, but lacked a pipe. In an evil hour, when suffering for the want of a smoke, he chanced upon a pipe "worth four bits or a dollar," and incontinently gobbled it up. At least that was the charge made against him by some other Chinamen, who were so angry with him for thus disgracing the national character for honesty, that they could not take time to starve the culprit to death in the usual manner, but undertook to beat him to death. A Policeman rescued him from the hands of the executioners, and for safety placed him in the calaboose. John called for his pipe and his opium bag, took a farewell smoke, and then taking his sash, a dirty silk one, from his waist, hung himself with it, with a great deal of difficulty and determination. The Policeman discovered him dead when he went in to give him his regular tea. He was in a kneeling position, from which it may be inferred that he died while saying his prayers to Josh.
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