Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-26
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
From Welded Bliss to Dcinoniac Despair in Three Days---The Dreadful Result of Too Many Pot,siions

On Wednesday evening last tue CITIZEN announced the marriage Of J. l. Sloan and Miss Eva Forman, at the Cosmopol- ltan hotel, and joIned, with many others, in wishing them happy voyage through the future that lay before them. To-day it announces an attempt at suicide of the late happy groom. For some time il had been known to his friends that be had been drinking heavily, but not be- ing worse than a protracted spree, was net feared. Yesterday, however, it be- came manifest that be was bordering on the verge of delirium tremens. Toward night he developed into oaspasmodic mad man, at times he would hunt to death his imaginary foes, and again by his cries they apparently had the advantage over Linn. At such times his whole am was the procuring of a revolver but as such things were sedulously kept beyond his reach, he roamed about without injury toany one.
 Early this morning he attempted to gam entrance to the store of l.. Zecken- dorf X Co.,, but failing to do so besought every man he met for the much needed revolver. As the store was opened he entered and inquired of Mir. BerrymaD who has charge of the hardware depart ment, the price of the best rife in stock. On being told he considered 1t cheap and very quietly asked the priv ilege oi looking at one, but fortunately Mr. Bergman had been apprised of the mans condition, so excused himself by saylng that another employe, not yet arrived, had the key to the gun case. Upon hearing that, Sloan argued very sanely against the probability of such an uubusiness like procedure, finally picking up a heavy sample cleaver he very authoTitRtively demanded that the gun case be opened. Under the circum- stances Mr. Bergman prudently retreat ed and as Sloan followed close they had a regular walk around the counter.
 After a while he tried rounding up Mr. Bergman and turned his attentions to gentleman near by purchasing gro ceries. He accused him of having at- tempted to shoot him (Sloan) on the night previous. Then, seeming to recOl- lect himself, returned the cleaver to its proper place, stood by 1t meditatively for a few moments, then picked up couple Of other cleavers, and Mir Berry mans walk around the counter recom- mencei. In the meantime police oiii- cer, who had been sent for, arrived, dis armed the would-be murderer, and marched him off to jail
 In iail Mir. Sloan was wild and violent at times, but there being nothing within his reach that could serve as d weapon of offeuse. no thought of harm was en- tertaiBed. Later, however. he was dis covered Tn a bleeding condition, saving away vigorously at his throat with the broken edge of an old tin coffee canister that he had picked up, and when this crude instrument of murder was taken from him, he thrust his fingers into the wound already op ned into his wlndpipe, and endeavoied to tear it open He was secured by the guards and Dr. Handy summoned who found that a quite severe but not necessarily fatal lucision had been made into the throat, and that his right temple was severely cut. After the wounds were dressed. his violence ceased for a brief time only. and it was found neces- sary for the officers to procure irons to restrain him from doing further mis- chief to himself and others.
 Mir. Sloan had been in ;he employ of the Hercules Powder company, and tray- eled in through Arizona and Sonora for NIT. W. A. Scott, IT,, the agent in Tue son. He is unfortunately addicted to an immoderate use of liquor, and had lost hls position through his dissipation. His case presents most melancholy ex- ample of human depravity, and it IS hoped that the present circumstance may be the turning point in his life, and that bis future may be free from the tangled web woven by the wine cup.