The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-10-29
CURIOUS DEATHS.


Extraordinary Modes OF Shutting on the
Mortal Coil-some Facts and Statistics
About Self Destruction In This City.
well, we have reaped our harvest of sui.
oldes this year" said Deputy Coroner
Praedicow yesterday, while at work on the
statistics of the Office. Mr.. Praedicow has
held the position of deputy for nearly
twenty years under several coroners, and in
consequence ofthis extended service in the
grim business Of inquesting deaths rroba-
bly, knows more about violent takIngs-of
than most men. After sigaing the certiti.
cate which gave leave TO the remains OF
Senator A. Alpeora Bradley to occupy a
dwelling in the earth, Praedicow was drawn
into the appended interesting talk 81
have seen great many curious ways OF
dying since have been in this office, One
of the most unusual was the case of A
butcher, who became involved insome tinan.
cial troubles about twelve years ago. He
went home and loaded an oldstyled single
barroled pistol with powder and oiled the pa
per wadding well, making ii waterproof.
He then poured water in, filling the barrel
to the muZzle, Another carefully oiled
and waterproof wadding was then placed
over the top, so that thorevolver was loaded
with about cubic inch of water. He paid
his fare on ferry boat, and to insure death
he mounted the railing, when the boat
reached mid-stream, and putting the re-
volyer TO his lett eye fired. The captain
saw what he thought Was the decapitated
| body fall into the river. When the body
was found, three days later, the top of the
head was found missing and his hand still
| held the revolver with the fingers tightly
| Clenched about the stock, This is an occa-
sional, but desperate means adopted to
shuttle off AT some place in the east, a
few years ago a man loaded both barrels
OF a double Shotgun with water and pnt
the muzzlo against his chin, pulling the
trigger with his toes. His head was never
| found
"a very sad case, buta funny one in some
respects occurred about ten years ago ON
| Walton road. 1t was the day John Chris
| tian was hung for the murder of old man
| Ross. Three boys, who were PLAYING
truGnt from school, witnessed the execu.
| ton, On the way home they stopped in A
barn on the Watson road, aud went to the
hay-l0it where II pulley and tackle was
suspended for raising sacks Of feed. One of
the boys suggested that they play hanging
| in imitation Of the event Of the morning
Two of the lads agreed to take the roles of
eXecutioner, and the third WAS to play the
condemned
"We'll hang you,' said one of the BOYS,
land rs soon rs 1t begins 10 hurt holler and
we let you down.
The lads arms were tightly pinioned
behind his back, a cord bound his ankles
together, and his cap was pulled down
over his face to represent the black
cap OF tho condemned murderer,
Closely initiating the proceeding they
had witnessed at the Jail. thew
concluded arrangements, and pulling the
improviscd trap from under him, he shot
down distance of few inches and dan
gled about, much to the merri.
ment of tho two young executioners.
who stood by laughing. The unfortunate
boy who was suspended made no cutlery,
and the struggles and twitchings were mis-.
taken for his ondeavors to make the play
more realistic. A few minutes elapsed,
when the rope was slackcned by the two
boys, who were Mortified to find that they
had in reality executed their little com.
panion, whose lilclcss body fell at their
feet. ] held an inquest, at which these
facts developed, and returned verdict of
death by publication accidental. Early
one morning about ten years agO n farmer
| living Ia few miles out of the city limits, on
the Olive Street road, nwoke and found an
elegantly dressed man suspended from his
| hay stack, near the bottom of which was n
smoothly.brushed stove pipe hat contain
ing pair of black kid gloves. This was a
most deliberate case of suicide. At the
top of the hay.staCk he had found a long
beam, which he arranged 80 rs TO make
the apex Of the mound tho full
crum. lie then lied one end down with Il
rope SO that he could cut it from the other
himself He then arranged the rposc
! around his neck, and crawling out to the
end of the beam, suspended himself and
when in position cut the rope. The one
| end was carried mp by his weight until IL
struck the ledge of the barn, giving him n
fatal jerk which severed his spinal column.
"A sad case was that of u boy living on
Locust street, which occurred only a few
years ago. lie went into the bathroom
one morning, whore there was strong
roller towel suspended, from which ho was
in the habit ofswinging. This morning he
put his head through theloop and thought.
lcssly began twisting his body until the
moose had frightened SO close around his
neck that he could not breathe. He was
prevented from swinging back by his legs
striking tho hath-tub, and before assistance
reached him he was strangled tn death.
| IA case which was never satisfactorily
cleared M was that of Louis Walters.
about u year ago. Pieces of his body
were gathered up in the vicinity of
Third and Chotcau avenue one after.
| noon after terrific explosion.
Walters had been manufacturing some
powerful explosives and one of these bombs
exploded, blowing the manufacturer 10
! pieces. Walters never told why he WAS
engaged in the business, and had no per-
nit to manufacture explosives within the
city limits. A verdict of suicide was rem
dcred.
"a horrible suicide occurred about eight
| years ago In the rear of the fair grounds. A
man whose lame don't remember shot a
man in an allray on Christy avenue and
then went out behind the fair grounds shot
himself IN the temple and set fire to his
clothing, Tho handles of the rcvolyers he
had IN his pockets were burned oft and his
| body burnt to crisp.
What is the order ofmeans preferred in
sell.destruction ?"
! The last report shows ~ suicides by poi
soning, 81 by shooting, II by hanging, Ii by
drowning, . by cutting throat and . nv
jumping under moving trains. The poisons
rank as follows Paris green 10, morphine
o. laudanum |, arsenic |, concentrated I've |.
and strychnino |. The causes in 81 cases a, q
as follows arrangement of mind %; in.
temperance; o. sickness, I; disappointment
IN love, 4 financial troubles, s; want of en-.
ployment and means, j; family troubles, 10;
jealousy, .; grief5 unknown causes, 4. The
nationaliiics in the same number were
German, 10; United states, 10; Ireland, )
England, 4; Switzerland q Canada, |;
Italy, |; Sweden, |; Spain, /; unknown, q
colored, a.. 81, In 80 casea, Is were males
and Is females.
saHs-a-'---H-. - . ---a -
MALE ESCORTS tn INT