The daily gazette., 1879-01-29
Attempted Suicide.

Thomas, the Wife Murderer Ayain Cuts
His 1hrOat-Ihe Second Atiempf I'M
s,tccessfui-He Is remored 10 tie City
Hospitdl.
l. William Thomas, who, on the night of
Frid3y, April 9th, 1873, murdered his
witet IN BrOwntown, and attempted to
takYhis own li'e by cutting his throat,
| ma9' another unsuccessful attempt upon
his ME, AT an early hour this mol NM, by
again cutting his throat.
Thomas, since his acquittal at the May
Term of the New Castle County Court,
has resided in two-story frame house on
West street, above Front, No. 1O1. His
three little girls lived with him, Nellie,
the eldest, be ny the housekccper.
notwithstanding his resolution, made
after his acquital, to drink 10 more
liquor, Thomas has been indul ying quite
freely IN the Intoxicating bowl. He got
drunk on Friday evening last, and kept
In that cond ton until lat evening, whe n
he came home and retired to bed abou' :
o'clock, complaining OF not feeling we'll
Inc children attempted to come 70 bed
about an hour later, but he refused to al
low them to come up stairs, and they all
huddle up together on a lounge IN one
OF the lower rooms.
About three O'Clock this morning, Mel
lie, the eldest girl, awoke, and feeling
anxious about her father went up stairs
and knocked at the front room door,
Her father opened the door, and she was
horrihed TO see that he was
COVERED WITH BLOOD,
and scarcely able to stard He got back
into bed, and Informed her that he had
cut bis throat, as he did not want TO live
any longer.
Nellie AT once went for assistance. and
vnh ,ln it..a
across the street Mr.. West got up and
started for the pol ce station, meeting
Sergeant Dolan on the way, to whom lie
communicated the startling announce
ment Sergeant Dolan started OFF for
Thomas house, and sounding his whistle
as he went along, he aroused Chiet Max
well who accompanied him TO the scene
OF the attempted suicide. They went in
together, ami entered the second story
front room, where Thomas still lay upon
the bed, presenting
MOST HORRIBLE SIGHT.
His head was held down close to his
neck, and half buried under the bed
clothes, while IN his neck, rs the cl jthes
were drawn down, could be seen a fear
ful looking cash, extending almost from
ear to ear, from which the blood gashed
at every respiration. The bed clothes
were saturated with blood, aud alto
gether the scene was ghastly in the eX-
treme, and made the two strong men
tremble as they looked upon it.
In response to their inquiries Thomas
said he had cut his throat in the back
room and then walked into the front
room, which statement was corroborated
by the blood that marked the floor from
one room to the other. He said that he
had done the deed with knife away but
on turn ng him over the Chief aud Ser
Il..l IL l....
his hips Ii was common Barlow knife
the blade was stained with blood.
Meanwhile messenger was dispatch
| ell for DIR. Ogle, who, upon arriving
attended to Thomas wounds. He
| found the cash not to be as serious as it
| looked, as u was not very deep. had not
severed the important arteries, and only
slightly cat ;he wiud-pipe. Wmle he
W iressing the wound Sergeant Dolan
procured a permit from Councilman
Guthrie, aud about five o'clock Thomas
was taken to the City Hospital, where
he Is now, under charge of Dr. Shortlidge.
AT present he seems 10 be under a com
Portable condition, and the Doctor thinks
he is likely to recover. 1t is proposed
to remove him to the Amshouse, this
afternoon, as there he can be more close
ly watched than at tho Hospital, and
thus prevented from finishing the Job he
commenced this morning
Thomas, since his release from New
Castle, has been rather steady until
within few weeks past. He has been
working at the Harlan K H0lling.wortb
Company's ship yard, and always took
good care of his little children, for whom
despite his other bad traits he euterrai ns
sincere and devoted affec ion. 1t is
probable that his mind is now really at
fected, and that he will never be in a
rati iOnal condition apaln