Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-26
SUICIDE By PURE WILL.
REMARKABLE CASE AT KANSAS CITY
IF TRULY STATED.

serted to Have Killed Himself by simply
Mate swore to-Commcnts of "a Ply
stefan on the AFFAIR.
OMAHA, Neb. March 9G-An unprece-
dented case Of what appears to he suicide has
Just occurred in this city, which is the topic
OF popular discussion, and which will prob
ABLY become of the most intense interest 10
general science, Three weeks ago n seedy but
| striking looking individual arrived here and
| registered at the Garfield house rs j. M. Aver,
| Wichita Kan He had for baggage IA small,
battered valise and, although it is not the
| unalterahle custom of the hotel to exnct pay
ment in advance from guests 50 poorly nc
coutered, he took out his pocket book Volun-
| tarily and paid his board and lodging for IA
week. Mr. Aver did not go to his room; the
valise was sent there and he fingered in the
rotunda moment and then passed out 10 the
street, He was never seen again at the hotel
On Monday night March 10, Officer Cor
| mack, of the regular police arrested, ON the
corner of Ninth and Farnam street, for va
| grancy, the same man, who made no attempt
| at resistance, and who, when brought into
| the city jail, quietly gave his name as j. NJ.
Aver. The prisoner that night slept in cell
| ., and on Tuesday morning was taken before
Police Judge Bcrka and sentenced TO five
days in the county jail Tuesday night he
slept among the other prisoners in the large
lower room Of the Jail, but on Wednesday
morning, appearing ill, he was removed to
one of the private cells, to share it with a
coIlsuinptve prisoner of the name Of b.
r. Shnnks, On Thursday morning he was
found dead on the floor near the cell door,
his body in "A kneeling posture, and his head
resting on the iron grating.
At the coroner's inquest the only witness
examined was B. f. Shanks, whose testimony
was of the most startling character my
name is b. +. Shanks, said the witness. my
home is in st. Louis; | have been in the
county Jail at Omaha for two weeks never
saw the dead man before Wednesday fore
noon, when he was brought 10 my cell about
II O'Clock. He seemed sick, but said nothing
addressed him several questions, but re
ceived no answer. At o'clock in the even
ing lay down ON my cot and invited him to
share it with me, but he did not reply, nor
did he accept the invitation. Some time in the
night was awakened by my companion pass
ing his hand across my face. rose, startled,
and called OUT What's the matterl Who's
thereP
"'Don't he afraid said low voice, Its
your cell mate My name is Aver. This is
the last time shall speak to anybody, and
"tIiu you 10 lIsuen am gong 10 XIII my
self tonight
81 made some protest, but Aver only
laughed. He said, You can't stop me. No
body can stop me. l have no weapon but |
am going to kill myself tonight
Then | thought he was crazy, and almost
gave loud alarm, but the next thing he said
made me smile
az am going to kill myself tonight, said
Aver, by holding my breath and suffo-
eating.
after this turned over and went to sleep
again"
There the testimony of Shanks practically
ended. He had heard no further signs of
Aver, and when he awoke did not remember
the conversation until, going over to the
kneeling man and shaking him by the Shout
der, he discovered that ne was dead
An autopsy was held on the body of Aver
Saturday, which was conducted 10y Drs V.
H. Coffman, w. o. Bridges, and S. d. Mercer.
Their report has not yet been made public,
but DR.. Cotfman told a reporter that the con-
dition of the viscera was exactly correspond
emit to that of Il man who had been choked to
death by gagging. Concerning tho abil-
ity of person to kill himself by
sheer force of will exerted to
prevent respiration, the doctor was some
what doubtful No case of the kind had
ever been recorded he had never read or
heard of such thing He would naturally
be of the opinion that involuntary muscular
contraction would force respiration, no mat
ter how strong the will This would be Unal-
terably true in the case of a man of normal
health, but one who possessed some function
al arrangement might, by refusing to breathe
for length of time, so shock his system as to
produce death. 1t might be that long CON
tinuance in the practice of the longest posi-
BILE temporary suppression of the breath
would so weaken the organs of respiration
and those dependent upon them as to make
an ultimate exertion of the will successful.