The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-31
WEARY OF LIFE.
A Kentucky Congressman's Attempt
at Suicide
He E,np,ies His Pistol al His Own
HeaG-TNo Shots Take Effect
g AFRAID Won's
Dfe.S

WASHINGTON CITY, July 3l.-United
STATES Representative William w Culbert.
son. of Kentucky, shot himself at his room
at the National hotel about Wednesday noon,
and is lying in a critical condition. On
Saturday he went to the National and took
a room, saying he would be there but few
days. He was then quite nervous. He stayed
about the hotel, none of his friends
knowing that he was In the city.
After breakfast Wednesday morning he
had his trunks and boxes checked to Frank
fort, Ky, and without going to the clerk had
the servants change his room from one in a
more remote part of the building to No. q,
which is just at the head of the stairs, second
floor, the windows opening on Sixth street,
near Pennsylvania avenue. After having
his trunks checked, he was not seen any more,
and it was supposed that he had gone out.
Officer Farrer was standing at the corner of
Sixth street and Pennsylvania avenue, wheT.
five pistol shots i'll quick succession rang out,
apparently from the window over his head.
He rushed into the hotel telling Officer
Lamb, whom he met ON the way, to come
along, as some one had probably shot him
self. The clerks had not heard the firing,
and the officers passed through the lobby I'M
noticed and ran upstairs to where they heard
the firing As they were looking for the
room the key turned in No n and Repre-
sentative CulbertSon stood before them with
pistol in his hand and dripping with blood.
The first thing he said on seeing
the officers was Pm afraid | haven't
done it boys, though l wanted to
and will" He seemed dazed and, handing
his pistol to one of the officers, asked
him to see if there was another
load in it The officer told him there was
not, ana he then asked them to load it for
him This conversation occupied but little
more than minute when the wounded man
began to stagger and the officers laid him OF
the bed. Medical aid was sent for, and in q
few moments Drs. Townshend, w c. Briscoe
B. G. Deale and j. S. Mclean were in the
room and were doing what they could.
Two shots were found to have taken effect
in the back of his head, just below the bass
of the brain, both balls going through boti
walls of the skull The brain had not beer
injured the doctors said, but the wounds ar
of a serious character The wounded mai
lay in q half unconscious state, part of hi
pody across inc heu, anu MS legs festlng on {
chair After his face had been bathet
and proper medical attention rendered, h
recovered sufficiently to talk little HI
then felt his own pulse, and whis
pered to the doctor he was afraid h
was getting better He offered no explana
tion of his act When asked where his wife
was, he replied she was at Frankfort
but said not to send for her, as h,
was ashamed to meet her. Il am afraid
won't die" he said, 'but am bound to do it
You can't help it, that's positive. No us
sending for any one" The only cause as
signed for Culbertson's attempt at suicide i
nervous depression, resulting from little to-
free use of stimuants during hot weather
The wounded congressman was taken to til
hospital