A victim of nervous break-downs from which he had suffered for 20 years and despairing of ever regaining his health, Prof. J. Paul Spence, age 53, put an end to his life at the home of his brother, J.C. Spence, in this city Sunday evening. He took his life with a 32 calibre revolver. He went to the bathroom, locked himself in, seated himself on the commode, pressed the muzzle of the gun to his right temple, pulled the trigger and the bullet went to his brain. The muffled shot disturbed no one in the house and the suicide was discovered only when a sister heard him groaning in the throes of death. The door to the bath-room was forced open with an axe. The shot was fired about 6 o’clock. Prof. Spence breathed his last about 7 o’clock.
Financial troubles had nothing to do with the suicide. Paul Spence was thrifty. He had money in the bank and owned Courtney Terrace, a hotel property at Virginia Beach, from the rentals of which he derived an income of $2,500 a year. His wife came from a family of considerable wealth and he did not have to worry about the security of her future. He had insurance to the amount of $20,000 in force on his life.
But Paul Spence was tired of living. When he was pastor of the Baptist Church in Hertford 20 years ago he had his first nervous break-down. He was slow to recover. He never quite regained his health. Quitting the ministry he took up the profession of pedagogy. He was for several years principal of the public schools of Norfolk, Va., and there gained a national reputation as an educator. He married in Norfolk and everything seemed to be going well for him. But his health broke again. In 1918 his first wife died. He broke completely after that and was seriously ill for months.
In the fall of 1919 he had so far recovered that he accepted the position of superintendent of school of Eberton, Ga. There he met and married Miss Estelle Cauthern, a young woman of refinement, culture and social prominence. By this wife he was momentarily expecting a child when he killed himself Sunday evening.
It was last December when Prof. Spence’s health gave way for the last time. He became so ill that his brothers persuaded him to come to Elizabeth City. It was believed he would recover. He took rooms for himself and his wife at Mrs. Britton’s on South Road St.
Sunday afternoon he was persuaded to go for a walk with his brother, J.C. Spence. After the walk he went to the latter’s home. He did not indicate that suicide was on his mind.
Half an hour after he had put a bullet into his brain his wife left her rooms on Road St. And went to the home of J.C. Spence where her husband was dying. She did not now what had happened. She had only a premonition. When the news was broken to her she collapsed and had to be taken back to her rooms.
Prof. Spence is survived by three children by his first wife, the oldest Lota, aged 10; Paul, aged 8; and Charles, aged 6. There are also two brothers, of this city, Joseph C. Spence and Judge George J. Spence; and one sister, Miss Sarah Spence.
From The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, March 18, 1921
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