(Peb United Pbess Association.) CHRiSTCHuacn, December 11. Early thia morninc tho mwi »p:c»d q"!cb!7 through the city that Gideon Withers, the well-known managing clerk of Messrs Matson and Co., had committed suicide. It appears that about five minutes to 8 o'clock this morn ing George Goodridge, storeman in the firm's employ, went into Mr John T. Matson'u private room and found the corpse of deceased sitting propped against the sofa with the vest and shirt unbuttoned, and a si j-ohambered bulldog re vuivci iv ilia fiauu. j.\yu wLauiaers vveru un charged, and there was a wound over his heart. He must have fired at his naked breast, and died immediately. Thore was little or no ex ternal hemorrhage. The body was quite warm when found, and was removed to the Empire Hotel. In the room were found two loz bottles of laudanum. The revolver, it has since been ascertained, was purchased on the previous day. Deceased, it was understood, contemplated leaving for England at an early date, and it i 3 said that he bad picked a cabin in the Aorangi which he would have occupied on the trip. He had occupied the responsible position of managing and confidential clerk to the firm for upwards of 30 years, during whioh time ho proved himself a faithful and conscien tious servant;. Nothing of whioh the ficm haa any knowledge can account in any way for his self-destruction. Deceased left a number of little notes and memos. lying about the place— one to the head of the firm containing a reference to private business affairs, and another, which runs as follows, and which was written it: blue pencil:—" Tuesday, 2 o'clock a.m. Since yester day at 11 a.m. I have taken 3oz of laudanum and no effect, and so have had recourse to powder and ball (s'c). Transit gloria mundi." Another says:—" Tuesday. Left this sphere at 6.45 a.m. My last hours have been spent in here all night." Another requested that his body might, not be taken to his house, but none gave any reason for the suicide. Deceased leaves a widow engaged in business in the city and a grown-up son. In musical circles the deceased gentleman was exceedingly well known as a flautist of no mean merit. 