The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-02-07
SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.
A Prisoner in the Chicago Jail Swallows
PoisOn-Death Preferred to "a Term in
the Penitentiary.

the Penitentiary.
CHICAGO, Ill, Jan. 20.
The dead body of John T. Lessing, under
arrest for the attempted murder of Mrs.
Fred Kouzack, at 90 North Desplaines
street, was discovered in his cell-bunk by
the jail authorities this morning. The Off
cials announced that heart disease was the
cause of death. A pos -mortem examina-
tion developed the fact that poison, in the
shape of potassium, the true cause.
Doctors Bluthardt and Krost estimated that
the dead prisoner had taken fifteen grains
of the deadly drug Small scraps of paper
Uttered the cell floor which contained
traces of the same powdered poison with
which Herman Korstein ended his exist
ence last week. Lessing did not partake
of any breakfast when the food was passed
into his cell this morning. He failed to
leave his bed when the door was unbarred
to permit him to join with the other pris-
oners in their daily exercise in the cOrri-
dor. a deputy attempted to arouse the
sleeper. He touched a cold and inaniInate
body. Korstein and Bessing came from
the same neighborhood in Germany. They
were together great deal during thehours
of exercise. The theory Of the Jail officials
is that Korstein procured the poison and
divided it with Lessing. The presumption
Is Uudb lSSSluR SWdllONGu bLlb AdbdL uOSS
Monday night.
The following letter, addressed to his
wife, written on the blank pages of
prayer-book found in his cell:
DEAR WIFE: You have been bad to me, but
you viii not know it until too late and your
eyes are opened by this. You can not say that
have been a la to you since we lived to-
gethCr as you have to me. In the old Father
land, my country and yours, You were arrest
ed for infantfcide once, but came forward in
spite of this and made an he nest wife of YOU
| is * my ~ (vXT1r d Tn a
me when lie in the cold grave and you are in
| the warm embrace of another husband, who
| will perhaps abuse and beat you. Many times
! your father advised me to take a stick and
correct YOU but never did, because l did
| not wish to soil my hands by putting them on
your body. Every one has told me | was too
! good for you, and that you have acted in this
! are. l shall always have witnesses that come
| of an hone s. German family, of whom no one
Can say that anVmember was bad. was born
| February Is, 1856.
He also wrote a letter saying that he
wished to have 500 that was coming from
| his mother in Germany returned to her,
and that he preferred death to dishonor.
| None of his family had been in the Peni-
! tentiary, and he would also avoid that
| shame. The letter was addressed to Mrs.
! Wilhelmina Lessing, Gross Lesewith, Prus-
! sia.
The crime for which he was incarcerated
was the shooting of Mrs. Fred KOuZack, 1863
| North Desplaiues street, on the night of
| November 81. His wife stopping there,
| having refused to live with him on account
| of his dissolute habits. He went to see her
with the avOwed purpose of killing her and
then himself, and when ordered from the
/ house by Mrs. Kouzack, he deliberately
! drew a revolver and fired at her, the bullet
entering just below the mouth, breaking
| her jawbOne on the left side and burying
itself in the muscles of the neck at the base
of the tongue. The wounded woman was
| not expected to live, but she is con-
| valescent. The epidemic of suicide which
/ has apparently set in at the jail is believed
| to be not vet over. There are several des-
| perate characters who have suicidal ten
| denotes, notably Charles A. Grimm, the
| diamond thief, who has been heard to an
| nOunce his intention of killing himself
| rather than go to the Penitentiary. He
! was thoroughly searched before being
taken into court to-day, where he is now
! undergoing his second trial. He fought
/ deperately during the ordeal. Nothing
| was found upon him. but he is to be closely
| watched, should the jury find him guilty.
| Some Of the prisoners have made the sub
ject of suicide Il special topic, and one,
! whose talent for versifying has been noted
| heretofore, handed out the following paro.
dy on Gilbert's rhyme in the opera of Pa.
| thence.
] Here's a receipt for a popular suicide,
Take twenty grains OF potassium cyanide.
Its action is noted for painless rapidity,
Wen all take a dose without any timidity.