Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-08-08
A CHASTITY DEED.
OLE JACOBSON ATTEMPTS TO KILL
HIMSELF TODAY.
The Swede Gives no Reason for the Rash
Act---Dr. Reed Promptly on II
---Some Clue to His
History.

Considerable excitement was caused in
the Manitoba railroad yards today when
it became known that Ole jacobson, a
Swede, had attempted to commit suicide.
He came in from Seco, station on the
Manitoba line, yesterday. He was sent
here as sick and was received by DR..
Reed, who placed him in the temporary
railroad hospital. His complaint was
light and he might have been well in a
day or two. Early this morning another
Swede who is in the hospital saw him
leave the place. He was not seen again
until about 12 o'clock, when Martin, the
hospital attendant, and others saw him
walking toward the boarding house. It
was observed that he was weak and that
he was cut about the throat. He was in
duced to return to the hospital and Mar
tin hurried over to inform DR.. Reed, who
had left there short time before.
DR.. Reed was promptly on hand and
examined the wound, which presented a
ghastly appearance. He found that ia
cobson had inflicted six gashes on his
neck at the right side. He had evidently
used blunt pocket knife and had hacked
away until he thought that he had in
tlicted fatal wound. The principal
wound was about half an inch deep and
an inch long. The knife had penetrated
he sheath of the carotid artery and if it
had gone the one-thirty-second Of an
inch further it would have caused certain
death. As it was, he had cut vein and
must have bled considerably. In short
time Dr. Reed stitched the wound, admin
istered sedative and placed him in the
care of an attendant, with strict orders
not to let him leave the place. jacob
son had evidently made the attempt
about 8 o'clock, but where he did the sui
cidal act no one can tell.
"Where were you; did you go over the
bridge?" inquired the doctor, through an
interpreter.
II do not know where went or where
I was going," replied jacobson.
"Where is your knifeT'
II lost it."
He would not admit, nor would he de-
ny that he had tried to kill himself, but
the doctor is positive from the nature of
the wounds and from the number Of
gashes that it was an attempt at suicide
jacobson continued to talk in rambling
way, saying that he felt all right last
night, but was now miserable. 1t was
noticed that this morning he must have
drank small quantity of whisky, which
was in flask on the table.
0Jacobson is tall, intelligent-looking
man Of light complexion. He has light
beard and mustache. He is stout and
probably weighs 200 pounds. He is
about 40 years of age. He has been en-
ployed as laborer on the railroad
Seco. He had about $40 in his pocket
book, which contained an American ex
press receipt for So that he had sent to
Laris Degner Hjoning, Copenhagen, Den
mark. This receipt, which was issued
June s5 and numbered E 7S4, I'D, disclosed
his name. He had also with him pass
book which had served as diary for
some one who knew English better than
himself. 1t had few entries in Jacob
sons own writing.
DIR. Reed considers that his condition is
still critical and deems it probable that
he might make another attempt to kill
himself. On that account the doctor
made close search for Jacobson's pocket
knife.