The New York Herald

Melancholy Suicide.—A most tragical occurrence took place in this city, yesterday. A young man, about 22 years of age, of the name of James I. Platt, son of the late Levi Platt, of Plattsburg, a stranger here, who had been stopping a few days at the City Hotel, was the subject of it. This young man, of fine education and address, was preparing, through the day, to leave in the five o'clock up boat for Buffalo, and after dinner took leave of his acquaintances formed at the hotel, with his accustomed flow of spirits and good feeling, nobody suspecting anything out of the way. He had packed his trunk, and directed the porter to call at his room and take it to the steamboat, at about four o'clock. At a little after this hour, Platt entered his room, and a few minutes after the porter followed and found him sitting in his chair, shot directly through the heart and already dead, the pistol laying on the floor. On his table were found two letters, addressed to different persons, one of which was to the Coroner, saying that he need have no trouble or suspicion of any one, as his death was caused by his own premeditated act. Since writing the foregoing we have received the following:—An inquest was held by Mr. Coroner Stewart, on the body, which rendered a verdict "that James I. Platt came to his death by his own hand, with a pistol, the ball passing between the fifth and sixth ribs, through the centre of his heart, causing instant death." The following is a copy of the note to the Coroner, referred to above:

OSWEGO, N. Y., April 23, 1849.

TO the Coroner of The City—Sir: I pen these few lines with a view of informing you that, when you hold an inquest upon my body, you may labor under no doubt as to the cause of my decease, inasmuch as I fell by my own hand. With much respect, I am, sir, in my last moments, yours, very truly,

JAMES I. PLATT, 24.

—Oswego Times.