Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-26
A WATERY GRAVE.
Suicide From the Beach at
Santa Monica.
IDENTITY OF THE DECEASED.
Local News-Levine Starts for His
Twenty-Five Years Term at
San Quentin.
IDENTITY OF THE DECEASED.

At o'clock yesterday afternoon a
suicide occurred from the beach at Santa
Monica. The unfortunate who thus
threw up the battle with life was named
Pratt, and, according to the message ad-
vices that could be obtained last night,
has been a resident of Los Angeles for
some time past. He was also said to
have brother engaged as druggist
near one Of the railroad depots here, but
it was found impossible to locate this
relation last night.
Pratt. who by his appearance was a
well-to-do individual just in the prime OF
]ife-for he could not have been more
than 80 years of age-went down to
Santa Monica on the Friday evening
train. He was a little under the influ-
ence of liquor, and he told passenger
on the way down that he had been on a
big toot in Los Angeles, and in the hopes
of getting sober he intended to remove
himself from the temptations of the
city and pass few days at Santa
Monica. On arriving at the Ocean City
he proceeded to the Central House, on
Third street and Oregon avenue, and en-
gaging room, went straight to bed.
About O'Clock yesterday morning the
proprietress was awakened by him, and
he desired that she give him some bread
and milk. There was no bread in the
house, but he got the the milk, and ex-
pressing himself as satisfied, went to
sleep. Morning came and the breakfast
hour passed by without any indication
that he had awakened, and the
hours rolled on until noon and
still he had not shown himself At 2 p.
NJ. it was decided to invade his room, and
this being done, he was found in bed :,
evidently very sick. DIR. Folsom was
summoned, and treated the PROSTATE
man, who had evidently quite sopered
up, and was suffering severely from the
effects of the aftermath.
A few minutes after o'clock he came
slowly downstairs, and, saying that he
was going to take little stroll, he walked
over to the bluff, and descending the
steps reached the oceans side. There
we're only few people on the sands, and
he soon attracted attention, for he sat
down and removed his shoes
and stockings. He then pulled off
his coat, and, casting his hat to the
ground, he walked into the surf. Even
then no one imagined that he meditated
suicide, the supposition being that he
was either crazy or drunk, and intended
to take surf bath with his clothes on.
On and on he strobe, however, until he
reached deep water, and then the horri-
fed spectators were brought to reality
of the situation, for be lay down. The
waves dashed over him, he was
carried away by the retreating
waters and his head bobbing up and
down for few seconds, ushered in the
end. A boat, which was at once brought
to the scene, was hastily launched, but
there were no traces of him by the time
the oarsmen had weathered the breakers.
The City Marshal, who, with other Off
cials, was soon ON the scene, took charge
of the missing mans attire and the facts
regarding his identity will be worked up
to-day. The beach was watched until
late hour last night, with the
hopes that the sea would give up his
dead body, but no traces of him were
seen, and as strong current was running
to the north ii is feared that his remains
have been washed far away.