The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-09-07
A STUDY OF SUICIDE
WHAT LIFE RescuER oHRIEN SAYS
ON THE SUBJECT

observations OF n Chicago Man VINO Has
Saved Thirty Human Lives--Peopie Who
Want TO Drown Themselves Methods
OF tho Genuine Self Killer.
when am free and at leisure 90 TO
lincoln park. The lake shore there is
my field of operation. Most Of tho
drownings take place in the lake off Lin
coin park. Dozens of young people are
out boating there every day, and once in
awhile life hater turns up, determined
TO bury himself In the waves. For one
who Is really tired Of life it is indeed q
good place. Tho water Is clear, cool and
inviting The confusing roar and noise
Of this busy city life is far off. Peace
tranquility and rest reign all around Tho
place Is just made for life haters who,
you know, are often capable of walking
miles In order to terminate their life In
shady and green spot. Along that very
shore rescued about dozen people. and
at least FIVE of them were would be self
murderers.
During tho many years l devoted to
this peculiar occupation Of mine--that is,
to saving the drowning--I observed that
not only place and time but also the
weather has great deal to do with the
occurrence of drownings. Those who
drown themselves ia the spring and
autumn usually have a weakness for fair
weather. They are visionaries suffering
from inborn melancholy, and often poets
with ruined, dlssipated talents. The
great majority, however, are poor crea-
lures for whom sunshine is rather in
vigorating than productive of desire TO
die. They think of dying for q long time,
but they do 1t ae soon as the weather
changes for the worse. II the weather Is
too bad, If 1t rains or SHOWS heavily, they
will wait They do not like too bad
weather
"The days on which the drownings and,
suppose, suicides in general are most
numerous, are in most cases those on
which the sky is enveloped in gray clouds.
Everything then seems gloomy and mel
ancholy. An inexplicable heavy pressure
upon the breast makes the blood flow
slowly and lulls the brain into dull
stupor. The thoughts get confused.
Deep sadness seizes the unfortunate suf
ferers, and whatever unpleasant and Bit
ter their past life contained forces its way
out of the depth of recollection, and
bursts forth in one agonizing feeling Of
despair and disgust with the world.
Those who try to plunge into the here
after on such days offer grim resistance,
when one comes to their rescue, and with
out preliminary precautions to rescue
them is a dangerous undertaking.
MANY of those who resolve to drown
themselves often come to the spot they
select for the accomplishment of their re-
solve, long before taking the final step.
They walk up and down along the shore,
gaze at the sky, look around shyly, then
they begin to stare at the water, en-
deavoring to measure its depth. When
laxy 1n,, 20 IL A1,., 4u1
ment they halt suddenly and listen, The
chirp of bird, the splash Of a fish, the
whistle of steamer, any sound, any
trihing matter unsettles their resolve.
They turn round all of a sudden and walk
quickly away. A few days afterward they
come back and seem to reproach them
selves for having been 80 cowardly before.
Instead of walking up ard down they now
remain standing on one spot. They stare
at the water In their eyes there is not o
spark of a thought. They have the ap-
pearance Of somnambulists. They can
neither see nor h1sr anything. Suddenly,
| it seems, something startles them. Tho
hat flies from the head, the coat from the
| shoulders, and-there-they are strug-
1 Cling with the waves.
"Most of them appear on the surface
before they finally go down A genuine
self killer will fold his arms, shut his
| eyes and go down without any noise. He
| is half dead slreaiy before the unavoid-
able apoplexy strikes his brain. Those,
| however, who go into death with some
hesitancy, at this dreadful moment are
| overcome by powerful fondness of life.
They cry and kick and tralnple with their
arms and legs, and when one comes to
their rescue they cling to him like polyp.
To die is not so easy thing after all, and
1, %a1-, 1.
not soon repeat his attempt.
Even the hours of the day are of great
Importance to the suicides. Generally
they choose the afternoon hours, when II
begins to grow dusky. Only a small pro
portion suicide in the morning. At day
break, when only the street cleaners are
at work, In Chicago as well as in other
large cities, you can sometimes notice
people of all nges and stations of life wall
down to the lake or to the river. They
look pale and weary, their hair is con
fused, their clothes in disorder, they lool
as II they had just come out of their bed
They are gamblers who have lost. all theil
possessions in one night, or embezzler
who have spent the money of their en-
ployers in one great debauch, on thieve
who are escaping from the police. Their
they stand at the edge of the water auC
sigh. Yesterday they were happy AM
free from all care, today dreadful en-,
awaits them.
"The darkness vanishes moro and more
the city awakens, its noise becomes loude
and louder. They sit down and let thei
legs hang over the surface of the water
Tears fiji their eyes, they sob quietly
1t is so difficult to die, especially whe
one is young. The sun has risen hig
upon the horizon. People hurry dow
town from all directions, 1t strikes 8,
o'clock-now, perhaps, the embezzlemer
has been discovered the police are bein
notified = another hour passes quickl
away. There is no hope left. They loo
around again and again, then suddenl
they shut their eyes and glide down int
the water. They think it is all over, br
somebody comes to their rescue. Whe
they are brought ashore and they regal
consciousness, they send forth shouts {
, | Joy. Whatever may come, disgrace.
mprisonment-'Thank God, they repea
/ 4 am alive, am alivep ep"-Chicago Jou
nal Interview.