Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-27
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
A Desperate Efart on the Stsu.
bsnyIlIe Bridge. aE
a Pan Handle Passenger, Probably Insane,
Shoots Himself While the Train
is Crossing the Bridge.

On Friday evening. ~ the east bound
Pan Handle train was crossing the Steuben.
willie bridge, the passengers in the ladies'
car were startled by the sharp report of Q
revolver. They turned to see man in q
rear seat jump from his place and with Q
wild shrek fall back again, apparently
dead, while crimson stream flowed down
his body to the floor. 1t was case of sui.
eide. The passengers gathered around and
offered such comforts to the man, who was
not dead, as the car would afford, and he
was carried on to Pittsburgh. Upon ar
rival q physician was called, and after ex
mining the wound found that the ball
had entered the right lung and apparently
taken a straight course had lodged some
where in the back. The doctor pronounced
the wound very dangerous one, but could
not tell exactly whether there was any
poe sible chances for recovery. He ordered
Ibe nan taken to the West Penn Hospital,
where q thorough examination OF the
wound will be made. The man resisted
any effort at examination that was made.
NO REASON ASSIGNED.
No reason could be obtained for the com
mission Of the act, as the man refused to
give any reason. Whenever he was ques-
tioped be refused to answer, although he
u emed free to answer any questions except
az to why the shooting was doae. He
gave bis name as Michael 7. Layton, and
.ays he has wife and child in Marie,
Harrison county, Iowa. He said he was
coming to Pittsburgh to visit his father
who lives at Lay ton Station, on the Balti.
n ore & Ohio Railroad. He says he has not
visited him for number Of years, and as
he is a farmer, thought he would take ad.
vantage of the winter season to visit the
home of his toyhood. His ticket was
purchased at Council Bluffs via st. Louis,
and bore the date of January %. He is q
medium sizsd man, rather heavy, with
dark hair and light tblue eyes. His face
is thin and sharp and minus any beard.
His dress was not the finest hut OF goods
tina. would recommend his calling.
After the shooting he became wild and
delirious, and two United States msrshaIs,
who happened to be on the train, PIT a
pair OF handouts on him until he arrived
the city. When seen last he..w
lying in the baggage room at the Union
depot seemingly resting easy, but was COM
paining very much of pain and entreating
some one to shoot him. All efforts to in
duce him TO tell for what cause he had
committed the act were unavailIng
He requested one Of the passengers in
case lie should die to send his body back to
his wife in Iowa, but not to let his father
know that he had killed himself.
PASSENGERS STORY.
Mr.. NJ B. Alexander, who was passen-
ger on the train, said that he use all en-
Letvors to pursuade the man to tel his rea
ION for attempting suicide, but all - NJ
purpose. Mr.. Alexander had co ne with
The man from st. Louis, aud had noticed
his actions as being very peculiar. "After
the shooting" said Mr.. Alexan Ter, II.
would constantly say: Il am inn jcsnt; |
never touched q hair Of a man or womra's
head When asked What he nea7t he lie
lspsed into silence and would no
si>w,r word. | wss only sitting shor
istsncr from him when | saw him pull
he revolver from his pocket, and, turniHR
itsgsinst bis breast, fired. The movement
WIS done so quickly that no one had any
time to intercept him. The revolver i d
Smith & Wesson. large size. can hardly
think what made hir still say he was in
ucceDt. A number Of the passengers
thought he might have been connected with
murder that il in to-dsy's ST. Louis pa
pers. Whether he is or not could not say,
bnt he does not look like such mau."
layton was removed to the West Penn
hospital, ana his friends notified by tele
gIsph. The general belief is that the man
is insane.
AcXEG's dyspepsia Tablets never fail.
For sale by Edmund Booking, G. Menke
miller, Wheeling, and +. 7. thinner