The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-10
A MANIA FOR SUICIDE.
Days Record of Self Destruction in Chi
cago-Poison, Water and Hemp as Active
Agents, with Whisky Giving the General
Leverage.

A Days Record of Self Destruction in Chi
cago-Poison, Water and Hemp as Active
Agents, with Whisky Giving the General
Leverage.
CHICAGO, Ill, April 2.
A local paper in its daily record,
has the following list of suicides all IN
der single heading. This city is so
healthy that the only way to get out of 1t
is to move away or commit suicide, and
of course all true Chicagoans prefer the
latter route:
TINCTURE OF ACONITE.
James ID. LedSworth, a man forty-eight
years old, and printer by occupation,
committed suicide by taking tincture of
aconite, at his house at No. 434 Seminary
avenue, in Lake View, dying yesterday
morning at about three O'Clock. Leds-
worth was at one time the possessOr of
good deal of property, and the loss OF
that and the death of favorite son, about
four years ago, caused him to become
changed man. Sunday evening he objected
to young man remaining in the house
with his children and caused. considera-
BILE disturbance. Aconite had been in the
house for some time, having been used
for a sick child, and Ledsworth announc-
ed his intention of taking it, and did so in
the presence of his son and daughter, who
endeavored to prevent him, but could
not. He swallowed the contents of a
small vial, and in a few hours was dead.
Ledsworth had been married nineteen
years, and leaves four children. An in
quest was held by Deputy Coroner Shan
ahan, when the facts above given were
testified to by Mrs. Ledsworth and DR..
Newell and a verdict of suicide was re-
turned by the jury.
wASH-LINE AND WHISKY.
This is the way a coroner's jury put il
in the case of Gustav Bahls, who hanged
himself: "That he came to his dea1h at
No. l59 West Erie street from strangula-
ton caused by tying wash-line about his
neck and hanging himself, he having been
at the time suffering from delirium ire
mems, caused by excessive drink. Peter
Goudolf, driver of beer wagon, testified
that he discovered deceased hanging
from knob on the ice-box in a saloon
kept by Bahls at the place above men,
toned, and cut him down. The wife of
Bahls testified that he had been drinking
constantly since the I4th ut, and be-
coming delirious, had killed himself while
in that condition. He had been married
over nine years, and leaves two children.
WHISKY AND WATER.
A verdict of suicide by drowning was
returned by a Coroner's Jury in the case
of Otto Philo, a German bartender,
whose strange freaks were related by
Louis Sewing, steward of the County
Democratic Club. The latter said he had
known Philo for two years, and he had
been latterly employed by Charles Rooster
at No. 40 South Clark street. He was
twenty-six years old. Sewing knew of
his receiving some money from Germany
about three or four months ago, and he
began to drink to excess. He talked of
having high old time generally, and then
destroying himself. After spending all
his money he pawned his clothing and
jewelry. On January l3 he went to Mr..
Hertz to borrow pistol for the purpose
of shooting himself, but Hertz would not
let him have it. He said it made no diff
ference, as he was determined to kill
himself anyway. He took off his under.
coat, suspenders and necktie and walked
to the lake at the foot of Harrison street
and deliberately jumped in and drowned
His body was found at the foot of Twenty
seventh street on Saturday last.
ONLY WATER
fhe inquest held on the body of the uD
known man found on Sunday morning a:
the foot of Delaware place, in the lake,
resulted in verdict of death by drown
ing, but whether with suicidal intent or
not the jury were unable to determine.
HEMP AND WHISKY.
Another suicide occurred at $3.50 q. m.
yesterday. DIETRICH Netman, German,
also about sixty-three years of age, who
boards at 397 South Canal street, hanged
himself in his room with rope. ThoInas
Frazier, roommate, discovered the sus-
pended body. The cause of the act was
supposed to be, as in the other suicide,
excessive drinking. rr