The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-30
A STUDY OF SUICIDE
WHAT LIFE RsscusR o'ealEN SAYS
ON THE SUBJECT
Observations CT = Chicago Nan Who Has
Saved Thirty Human Lives-people Who
Want TO Drown Observation-Disclosures
of tho Genuine Self Killer.

of tho Genuine Self Killer.
when I an FREQ and At leisrre 20 10
Lincoln pax. Tho LAKE. shore there is
my field If operation. Most o. Tho
drownings take place in tho lake of Lin
coin park. Dozens Of yonng people arc
out boating there every Gay, and once IN
awhile lite hater turns up. determined
to bury himself in the waves. For ono
who is really tired of life it is indeed a
good place. The water IS clear, cool and
| inviting. Tho confusing roar and noise
Of this busy city lie is far of. Peace,
tranquility and rest reign all around. The
place is just made for life haters who.
you knew, are often capable of walking
miles in order 10 terminate their life in a
shady and green spot Along that very
shore | rescued about a dozen people, and
at least five Of them were would be self
Iolrderers.
During the many years ! devoted TO
this peculiar occupation Of mine-that is,
70 saving the drowHiuc-I observed that
not only place and time but also The
weather has q great deal to DO with the
occurrence Il drowninCs Those who
drown themselves in tho spring and
autumn usually have q weakness fer fair
weather. They ave Yi-.0na-es suffering
from inborn melancholy. aad c.ten poets
with rjiued. dissipltcd talents. The
great majority, however, are poor cr1a-
lures for "hOm sunshine is rather in-
yi-oratiar than productive of Q desire TO-
die. They think Of dying for long time,
but they do it as soon 2s the weather
changes for the worse. II the weather Is
too bad, if it rains or SHOWS heavily. they
will wait. They 90 not Ike 100 bad
weather
The days on which lcdrowniacs and,
suppose, suicides IN general aye most
numerous, are in most CAGES those on
which the Sky is enveiopod in cray clouds
Everything then seems gloomy and mel
anchoIy An ircxplicable heavy pressure
upon the breast makes tie blood flow
slowly aud mlls the brain into O. dull
5tuDor The thoughts get confused.
Deep sadness scizes tine unfortunate ul
fercrs, and whatever unpleasant end jit.
ter their past life contained forces lis way
out Of the depth of recollection. aud
bursts forth in one ag0nizine feeling Of
despair and disgust with the world.
Those who try TO plunge into tAo here
after on such DAYS offer rrim resistance.
when ono comes to their r. cue. and with.
out preliminary precautions to rescue
them is dangerous undertaking.
MANY of those who resolve lo Gc0wn
themselves often come to tie .nct they
select lcg the accomplishment 81 tH.'r re-
solve. long before taking tle Small acp
They walk up End down aju1r the shore.
gaze at the sky. lool, around s.-lr. ueu
they bccin 10 stare at tla ,,.tcr. en-
deayorinr 10 measure IT'S Gpnth when
thoy are about % make tn. 'fttli move
men; they Lett Suddenly c.I ls.au. Gnc
chiir az a bird. the splash at q f~h. the
whistle of steamer. aar sound. any
tr;.,mt matter unsettl,5 tisr resolve.
They ti.rn round an of p slileaani walk
quickly awav \ few devs sftorWa.j thcy
come iarl, and seem To- r,rrogch .th.,u.
selves f.r having been socowarIiv before.
Instead Of walking up a,.d down they now
remain standing on one spot They stare
at the water. Ia their eyes there is not q
spark * a thought. Tbcv base ;he APP
paaranco Of s0mnambulists. They can
neither see nor hearanvthing Suolenly.
il seems. somcihirg startie5 thea. The
hat flies from the head, the c1at from ihe
shoulders. and-thcro-tLey are slrug-
cling with the waves.
"liost of them arpear on the surface
before thew finally 90 down. 4 genuine
self killer will fold his arms, shut his
ewes and 10 down without any noise. lie
is half dead already before tho mavoid-
able apoplcxv strikes his brain. Those,
however. who go into death with some
hesitancy. 1T this dreadful moment are
overcome by powerful fordness Of life.
Thcv cry and Kick and tranple with their
arms and les. and when one comes to
their rescue they cling t. him like q polyp.
To die is not so easy a thing after al, and
he who attempts 20 take his own life viii
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 it
begins 10 grow dusky Only a small pro
norton suicide in the morning. 1t day
break. when only the street cleaners are
at work. in Chicago Us well is iii other
LARGE cities. Won can sometimes notice
people of all ages and stations Of life walk
down to the lake or to the river They
look pale and weary. their hair is con
fused. their clothes in disorder, they look
a. if they had lust come out Of their bed
They are gamblers who have lost all their
possessions in one night or ombezziers
who haye spent the money Of their en-
plOyers in ono great deb2pch. o. thieves