Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-15
COT TIRED OF LIFE.
Patrick Nash, an Aged Butcher, Attempts
to End His Existence With Knife.
But His Hand Has Grown Unsteady and
the Attempt Fails No D"m"Nti"
Troublr-Taken to the IntirmarN
Who He Is

Yesterday morning the residence "i Geo.
=. Smith. the well-kmown Market butcher
on West Main street, was the Srenr of a
serio-comic event that well nigh ended in a
tragedy. Mr.. Smith had with him an old
man named Patrick Nash who served I'M
der him as a butcher for twenty years. hut
had outgrown his usefulness For the last
three years Mr.. Smith has kept him, rather
for the services he had rendered than Tor
anything. he could do. The old man seemed
to feel very keenly his position a. a pen
sinuer on Mr.. Smiths charity. and has more
than once expressed the desire that death
might come and take him out of the road.
Yesterday morning about six o'clock
MI Smith was awakened by the old
gentleman'S voice calling Ia him L"
and Se,. the hog he was killing. II" arose
at once and opened the door leading I" the
back porch. whence the noise seemed L"
have come. His surprise and horror can
well be imagined when he saw Nash sitting
on the floor with an open pen knit" IN ms
hand covered with blood. and a stream of
blood squirting from his throat. He saw
at once what was the matter
and. tearing off strip of linen
from his own raiment, bandaged the wound
as best he could to stop the flow Of blood.
The knife with which the deed was done
was a large penknife, with a carved blade,
three and half-incheS long.
Smith called the patrol wagon and had
the would-be suicide taken at once Ia the
office Of DrS. Mclaughlin and Russell,
lere the wound was examined. He had
attempted to make the same sort of stab
that is used in killing hog. The
blade had entered just at the right
of the Adams apple. and cut through
downward toward the left. Just missing the
wind-pipe and large artery. The knife had
been sunk to the hilt. The physicians say
there is no possibility of the wound proving
fatal if the msn receives proper care and
attention He was perfectly rational. and
told the physicians and officers who had
brought him there that he had himself made
the stab, and had done il in order Ia end his
useless life and get out of other people,
road He had had no trouble with any
body. and they were very kind Ia him al
Smiths but he felt that he was a burthen Il
them and To the world. While his wound
was being dressed he got a permit from
Trustee Harrison to admit the old gentle
man To the infrmary. and Superintendent
Fleming came over in answer 10 telephone
call The patrol wagon was again called
and he was taken TO tins institution. Right
here is another case where a city hoSpita
would come in very handy.
Patrick Nash is of Irish brit
and is about siNty-tive years old
lie came here thirty wears ago, an,
has always since then worked a a butcher
twenty years of his life having been spen'
| in Smiths service, He was married anc
has daughter. Maggie Nash. who make
her home with her uncle, Thomas Mclean
His wife died five years ago. He i &
sober quiet old man. and never did any
body any harm. There is no reason Il
suspect any other cause for his rash attempt
than the one he himself stated.