The Hillsborough Recorder

Nashville, April 13.

Melancholy Catastrophe.—We understand, that the dead body of a man was recently found on an island in the Ohio, near the mouth of the Tennessee river, which, from an examination of the pocket-book and papers about it, is confidently believed to be the corpse of our late fellow citizen, Nelson Patteson. The melancholy fate of this misguided and unfortunate man furnishes a most impressive and salutary lesson. A few weeks since, he was found in our gayest social circles, was cordially taken by the hand, and unsuspected of a mean or dishonourable act. Suddenly he is detected in repeated acts of forgery, he disappears, and is found only a lifeless corpse! Mr. Patteson was not hardened in crime. He probably had no intention to defraud, but hoped and confidently expected to take up all his forged paper. In a moment of pressure from pecuniary embarrassment, he committed his first fatal error, and finding himself able, by a repetition of similar acts, to escape detection, and to obtain temporary relief, he went on, plunging deeper and deeper into crime, until an explosion suddenly arrested him in his mad career, and, awakening from his delusion, in a fit of desperation he destroyed his life. The principal source of all this guilt and misery, and ultimate ruin is, we understand, to be found at the gaming table. The estimation in which he was held may be inferred from the fact, that he was appointed to the responsible stations of secretary of the Texas Association, and secretary of the Jackson Corresponding committee in this place.

Banner and Whig.