Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-01
No Diving Allowed.

Ala an aRRravating Inconsistency OF hu-
..;,. no,' nofr.qusntly discovered by the
:. So,.nn.t. that while IL 10 nobody's business
- h.In . man 10 live, IL 10 everybody bus
-. a. ace that he does not die in the way
~ his own choosing. A wretehsd family
nav be starving 70 death in house and no
one In the whole neighborhood feel 10 per
ticularlJ incumbent upon himself TO procure
the help required in the case bat let she
miserable head Of that haplsss household be
seen adjusting q rope or . razor TO his throat,
for less painful termination of his fOFlorn
sxistsnos, ana strAightway every beholder is
. special agent 20 prevent the fatal act
One wrong being no justification of second,
il Is possibly better TO interfere in the latter
event than not to recognize the moral de-
manda Of the matter a. all but, a. before
noted, the unfortunate sometimes iud such
philanthropy very provoking, and fail to re-
gard il With the gratitude supposedly lite due.
Ga . day Of last week q middle-sged,
moody -loobing man, carrying asmsll ss'eh'
oil, and, from ensuing oircumstaneos, be-
lisvsd 10 have been Grant delegate 10 the
| Philadslphia Convention, was observed
hoverins about the large depot Of the Mich
iRan Central Railroad, in Detroit, as though
"a thu place whence he had come. Finally,
=, a Iocomotive came slowly putting out OF
,ha building, be spread himself deliberately
a. ,ha tr.oI' with 80 obvious intention 10
!. Lilled. Had be been sitting sick and
suffariuR anywhere out Of the way, TO linger
into death by exposure and neglect, his
ohanc". Of being uudistuFbed would have
! ham excellent bat now, that he plainly
he nauahOvn
w.r. .gitated for his safety, and several
pairs Of hands very swiftly dragged him
from before The iron horse, and at least one
humane foot emphasized the timely rescue
. with kick for his stupidity. SO With hi'
life saved, but no offer made BY anybody &C
render that life better worth keeping thar
il was before, the poor man hmPed swsI
! FROM his rather profans bensfaotors, and, &C
cording TO the Free Press, took refuge
behind some freight on boat sailing TO
Cleveland. The crAft was scarcely ous
the river on the lakes when the refugee va
discovered, and upon confessing that he ha'
no msaus TO pay his fare, received unavoid
I, able permission to occupy . dry-goods box
There being nothing in this particular treat
: msnt 20 make bic life lighterito him, tn
I' needy creature undertook once more 70 en-
il BY leaping iaio the water, but was caugh
J. by one Of the deckhAn1s before be coul
, accomplish his purpose and summary COT
. 6ued to his dry-goOds box ~ madmAI
. When the boat reached Cleveland be hS
70 not vet received from any one much induce
!" ment TO live, and accordingly took &C
~ vantage Of favorable opportunit
IL 20 slip over the ratings into the waves an
20 try TO sink without noise. Again, howevel
70 he was TO be saved in spite Of himself 70
o. although be refused fs.preserver tbro-
"a to him from the wharf, aud disregSrded Il
N threat Of . man with q revolver to shoot hi
~ IL be did NOT seIze the inflated cushion,
q party in q small boat dragged him Ashol
H. BY leg, and be was hurried TO a poioe-ce
N to mediate upon the blessings of the exi'
ne ence he had thrice sought - end. He d
40 mediate and when al officer came
learn the result, was found epdeAyroing
q choke himself TO death with the rags Of
y, prison cot. Thereupon the AuthorirS
W thought he had better 90 back TO Dstroi
% and placed him, starving and as pauper, :
~ . vessel returning TO thAI city. l: will
u observed that not in this, either, was the
$ much to make life . pleasure TO . lively ia
: Geination, and the ApprsoiAtive reader vi
70 not be greatly surprised to learn that th
% politician made . third attempt 10 fDd re
o' in q wAIery grave. A third time be vi
~ rescued and, to render the benefActiC
n greater, was locked into low, close roo
y until the boat reached her dsstuAtio
a Then they dragged him forth, Just as he vi
O. trying to hang himself With his suspendsr
y and asked at what hotel he preferred to boar
q, In reply be fairly broke down, burH 10
e' aobs like q boy, and said that he had
ve money for hotels not even for neal, az
&c would not reveal the name his poverty 81
w. unSuooeSSful endeSvorS to die otherwise tn
a by starvation had disgrAned. When be 9
Va rivsS at the Grant gathering it is hoped th
~ his brother delegates may do something
NJ to make him more cheerful.