St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-31
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
Congressman Culbertson, of Kentucky
Attempts to Kill Himself.
No Cause Given for the Rash Act, but Sup
posed to be from Mental Depression.

WASHINGTON, July Representative VIM.
c. Culbertson, of Kentucky, shot himself at his
room at National hotel about noon, and is lying
in critical condition. On Saturday he went to
the National and took room, saying he would
be there but few days. He was then quite
nervous. He stayed about the hotel. none of
his friends knowing he was in the city. After
breakfast this morning he had his trunks and
boxes checked for Frankfort, KY, and without
going to the clerk had the servants change his
room for one in more remote part of the
house, No. 81, which is just at
the head of the stairs on the second
floor. with windows opening on Sixth street, near
Pennsylvania avenue. After having his trunks
checked he was not seen any more, and it was
supposed he had gone out. Officer Farrer was
standing at the corner of Sixth street and Penn
svlvanla avenue when five pistol shots in quick
succession rang out, apparently from the win
dow over his head, and he rushed into the hotel
telling officer Lamb, whom he met on the way
to come along as some one had probably shot
HIMSELF The clerks had not heard the firing
and the officers passed through the lobby un-
noticed and ran up stairs to where they had heard
the firing. AS they were looking
for the room the key turned
in door No. 81, and Representative Culbertson
stood before them with the pistol in his hand
on seeing the officers was: '1'm afraid l haven't
done 1t, boys. WANT to, though, and will. He
seemed dazed, and handing his pistol to one the
officers, asked him to see if there was another
bad in it. The cifcer told him there was not,
and he asked them to load it for him. This con-
versation occupied but little more than a minute,
when the wounded man began to stagger and
the officers laid him on the bed. Medical aid
was sent for and in few moments Drs. Towns
end, w. G. Brisco B. G. Poole 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 base of the
brain, both balls going through both walls of the
skull. The brain had not been I'M jured, the doc
tors said, but the wounds are of serious charac-
ter. The wounded man lay in bed in an uncon-
scious state. part of his body across the bed aid
his legs resting on a chair, propped up with pill
lows. After his face had been bathed and
proper medical attention rendered, he
recovered sufficiently to talk q little.
He then felt his own pulse and whispered to the
doctor he was afraid he was getting better. He
offered no explanation of his act When asked
where his wife was he replied she was at Frank
fort, but said not to send for her, he was
ashamed to meet her 81 am afraid won't die, -
he said, ''but am bound to do it; you can't
help it, that's positive. No use sending for any
one" The only cause assigned for Culbertson's S
attempt at suicide is nervous depression, result
ing from little too free use of stimulants dur
ing the hot weather. The wounded congress
man taken to the Providence hospital.
At o'clock this morning Representative Cul-
bertson is alive, but the physicians have no hope
of his recovery.