John Howatson Smith Chopin

Assistant, Judicial Revenue Dept, Calcutta.

Committed suicide. An extract from an indian paper (http://chopin2001.com/featurepages/news.html) reads:

"SUICIDE - A fatal case of self-destruction occurred yesterday, in a respectable East Indian family. Mr. Chopin, an Assistant of the Judicial Department Office, was urged to commit this dreadful act on himself, and considering the circumstances connected with Mr. Chopin's condition, it is a case that must prove more particularly distressing to his freidns and family. Mr Chopin's age could not have been above twenty-seven years, and but two ago he had married. It is said that some domestic difference arose, which alone was the unfortunate cause that led him to the dreadful deed of self-destruction. It was about 4 o'clock yesterday morning that he swallowed a large quantity of laudanum, and feeling the drug operate on him in a short time, and being fully confident of the fatal result, he sent for his morhter, desiring to see her before he was no more. His brother, together with several friends, came to see him who soom discovered the dreadful fact that the young man had poisoned himself. No time was lost to remove him to the Native Hospital as the nearest place where medical assistance could be obtained. Here several expedients for his recovery were resorted to, and among other s the stomach pump; but every endeavour to restore him was found unsuccessful, and the unfortunate man breather his last at about seven o'clock - Hurkaru"

A website about the Chopin family (http://chopin2001.com/featurepages/news.html) adds:

"John Howatson probably never realised that his wife was carrying his unborn son. His widow, Isabella, died soon after the his son was born and it appears that the orphaned children were brought up by relatives and friends. I believe that the interest in the family history stemmed from John Francis's desire to know more about his ancestors. All the family trees that circulate among the different branches in the family contain elements that indicate a single source of origin."