The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-15
Two Desperate Lovers Attempt Sui
eide on Each Others Account.

Two Desperate Lovers Attempt Sui
eide on Each Others Account.
ICincinnati Gazette.l
Thomas M. Stoms, a young man re
specially employed and connected, at
tempted to commit suicide about half
past two o'clock yesterday morning
against the Cathedral wall on Central
| avenue near Eighth-street, by shooting
himself through the head with a re-
volver. He had been walking up the
street with friend, Mr.. George Hughes
of No. 90 West Seventh-street, and
when reaching the point indicated
stopped, deliberately placed revolver
up to his head, little below the right
temple, and fired, the bullet passing di
rectly through his head, with slightly
downward course, and coming out on
the opposite side, little in front of the
! lower part of the left ear. A man
named Gilligan, coming along, picked
up the revolver, and Hughes stopped to
raise the head of his wounded friend
when officers from Ninth-street Station
came up and took charge of the three
carrying Stoms thither, and placing
the other two under arrest, on suspi,
cion. Stoms was afterwards conveyed
to the City Hospital, where it was
found that the bullet had not pene.
trated any vital part, and that the prin.
cipal danger would be from infamma
ton. When asked if he had shot him.
self, he replied that he had, but refused
to give any information as to his rea.
sons. That it had been previously con.
templated, is shown by the following
note, found in his poeket-book:
"MoTHER AND FAN: This is the
height of selfshness, but l have lost
confidence in myself to this extent.
hope you will forgive me for the pain
which / know / will have inflicted or
you"
Hughes was retained in the station
house until yesterday morning, until
Stoms had clearly recovered conscious
ness, and told positively that the shoot
ing was his own voluntary act, and
Hughes had nothing whatever to dc
with it. The man Gilligan was released
soon after his arrest. Hughes refused
to tell Stoms' reason for the act; said he
had met him but half an hour before
the shooting, and had urged him to &c
home, because he had evidently beer
drinking.
1t has since transpired that it was
prompted by jealousy of his mistress
May Willis, who, up to Friday night
had occupied a room at lodging house
on Richmond-street between John and
Mound. The girl had been receiving
attentions besides from one Frank
Grieve, who lives in the western part Of
the city. Stoms had frequently pro
tested against her associating with othel
men, but she sought to retain the two
lovers as long as possible without bring
ing them into contact with each other
Stoms became less attentive, and hao
almost withdrawn, when he met hel
again on Saturday evening. The shoot
ing was the result of the interview
Last night Stoms rested quite comfort
ably, and was not believed to be in seri
GUS danger. .- al. --a
THE woMAN's ATTEMPT.
Mabel Willis heard yesterday fore
noon of her lovers attempt at suicide
and at once resolved to go and do like
wise, probably in obedience to the ex
ample of the woman in the ancient bal
lad, who declared.
t' If he has died for me to-day,
| I'll die for him tomorrow"
At least she resolved upon suicide to tn,
same degree that her lover had com
mitted it, and allow no such blunder t,
occur as that by Romeo and Juliet
About noon, provided with small via
of laudanum, she proceeded to he
former lodging house on Richmond
street, and unburdened her grief owe
her lovers fate to her associates. Th,
others upbraided her for the unfaithful
ness which had cost her the loss b,
death of one lover and the probable los
Of the other because of the notoriety 0
the affair. So to prove herself to b
faithful, there was no other course opel
but to kill herself about as much as he
lover had done. The contents of tn
deadly poison were carefully measured
1t wouldn't do to take too much, an
too little might make her sick. Be
sides, the taste was horribly disagree
able. She didn't like it a bit, an
shrugged her fair shoulders and gul
! gled a womanish expression of horro
at the thought of taking the nasty stuf
J To modify the taste she diluted POI
ton of the laudanum in water; dram
!, it down in a swallow or two, and too
drink of water to wash the disagree
able taste from her mouth. The othe
dodgers were terrified at the tragic deec
Two of them hurried to her aid, afte
the excitement had partially subsidet
and, taking her by each arm, proceede
to walk her briskly up and down an
around the room, to prevent her frol
falling asleep, while a third was sci
around the corner for DR.. Hellmal
: The doctor reached her at half-pa
three, about half an hour after the do
r had been swallowed, and at once a,
l ministered emetics, and had the acti,
exercise kept up as long as the patiel
was able to endure it. Both means r
e suited so successfully that by nil
o'clock the patient was as comfortab
e and cheerful as she had ever been, al
evidently without shade of dread
e the thought of the terrible fate fro
which she had been so narrowly re
cued.
g And both lovers will probably Ii
e to repent the folly of their love,
least as much as the folly of their {
y tempt at self-destruction.
# OF General Lafayette's personal a
q pearance an old newspaper gives this {
r. scription: General Lafayette was O
# of the handsomest men in the army, n,