Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-06
SAVED FROM SUICIDE,
A Chandelier Used as a Glib
bet by a Woman
WHOSE MIND WENT WRONG
The Gas Fixture, Ceiling and Moose
ALI Give Way Together.
SORRY VEIN OF HALLUCINATION.
Application Made to Place the Lady in an
Asylum With Brother.
WHOSE MIND WENT WRONG
A SORRY VEIN OF HALLUCINATION.
SINGULAR SUICIDAL CONDOLENCES

A desperate and evidently well-planned
suicide was attempted by woman in Allie,
gheny yesterday morning, and to-day she
will dwell under the same roof with hel
brother, who is in the insane department Of
the Allegheny City Home. The case is a
very peculiar one, as the woman showed nc
signs of insanity until at or after her at.
tempt to end her existence.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Robert Bowles,
foreman at Bradley's Stove Foundry, called
on Major Hunker, Secretary of the Allie
gheny Poor Board, and asked that his wife
be sent to Dixmont, or some insane asylum,
at once. He was informed that Dixmont
was crowded, and that it would be i'm
possible to send the woman to the Home
until the proper certificate is made out,
which cannot be done until to-day.
Mr.. Bowles was overcome with grief over
his wife's action, and said that, although
her brother was at present insane, he had
not believed it was hereditary.
HIS FIRST STATEMENT.
Mr. Bowles told DISPATCH reporter
and had attempted to hang herself, but that
he had saved her life. He would not say
anything further; but to Secretary Hunker
he told the whole story. In an interview
last evening, Major bunker said:
"Mrs. Bowles did not show any signs of
insanity, according to her husbands story,
but seemed to be i'll. He left her in her
room at his house on Pike street, appar-
emily asleep. A few moments after he had
left the room he heard fall, and ran to the
room. His wife had tied the strings of an
apron around her neck, fastened the apron
to the chandelier and dropped to the floor.
Her weight had broken the strings and the
chandelier was torn away and the plaster
ing came down.
"When Mr.. Bowles entered..the room be
found his wife lying on the floor, trying to
strangle herself by Tightening the broken
apron string around her throat. He promptly
took it from her, and called in DR.. Easton,
who pronounced the woman insane. An
other physician will have to certify to her
condition before we can send her to the in
sane department of the Home. This will
be done to-day.
A REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE.
''There is a very singular coincidence in
connection with this case. Her brother
Hughey Graham, is an inmate of our insane
department. He has been there for fully a
y,.ar, and -thRre is no cause whatever for
their insanity, as neither Graham nor his
sister had any trouble. Graham was en-
ployed by d. A. Mitchell, the liveryman, on
Liberty street, Pittsburg, for number of
years, who committed suicide while tempo
rarily insane, on his way home in buggy.
1t was said, at the time, that he had been
murdered; but all the evidence produced
before the Coroner's Jury pointed 10 suicide.
We Will send Mrs. Bowles to the Home to-
morrow"
An effort was made to see Mr. Bowles at
his home, No. 5S Pike street, later last night,
but friend who responded to a ring at the
bell said he was not there. His replies to
questions were very contradictory, and at
one time he said that Mr.. Bowles had moved
to Penn avenue, Pittsburg, during the past
few days. He admitted that Mr.. Bowles
owned the house, and that the attempt at
suicide had occurred, as given above, but
for some reason desired no publication of
the matter.
Several persons in the neighborhood were
spoken to- and all of them said they had not
heard that Mr.. Bowles had removed, and
admitted that they had heard of the attempt
at suicide.