The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-01-09
SOME QUEER CUSTOMERS
THAT GoTHAMs oUNDEALERs
HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR.

bctter 1uuge oil human nature, Salu n
Broadway gundeaer, ethan man in
my business. / can size man up the
minute he steps into my store, and if l
notice anything peculiar in his manner l
watch him as closely as a cat does a
mouse What for2 Why, because
don't want my place made the scene of a
sensational suicide if | can help it.
began business here in 1875, and during
that period some rather exciting in
cidents have happened in front of my
counter. ct me see, believe 1t was in
1896" and the dealer scratched his head
in a reminiscent manner, "that | was at
my desk one morning making out some
bills, when a gentleman fully six feet in
height and broad shoulders in pro-
portion, came in. will you let me see
some of your revolversP he asked, in an
ordinary tone; Il am desirous of getting
one for target practice showed him
several o the finest ! had in the case, but
they didn't seem to suit him. Then he
asked to see a derringer. This request,
coupled with an indefnable feel
ing that ] had already felt that
there was something wrong about the
man, aroused my suspicious. What on
earth can he want of a derringer for tar
get practice l said to myself but l
showed him one. He said he would
take it, and asked for quantity of cart
ridges to go with it. 4 am very par
ticular about my cartridges he said, as
] was about to do them up. 'Will you
kindly open one of the boxes so that |
may examine them The request seemed
reasonable, and did so. lie glanced at
the cartridges, took few from the box,
examined them, and then replaced them,
with the remark: Il guess they're all
right. You may do the package up.
His calm manner partially allayed my
suspicious and | started to wrap up the
revolver and cartridges, when the man
suddenly exclaimed by dove that's
funny thing, pointing toward the door.
| turned my head, and, seeing nothing
unusual, took a step or two in the di-
rection he pointed. Still seeing nothing
strange, | turned to ask him what he re-
ferred to. i didn't ask him anything,
though. but instead umped forward Just
ln~hme to prevent his brains beng scat
tered upon the floor. While my head
had been turned he had slipped cart.
rdge which ne had concealed in his
hand into the revolver, placed the muzzle
against his temple, and was about to
pull the tr gger as / sprang upon him.
My fingers closed on the hammer lust as
it was coming down, and broke its force
so that the cartridge was indented but
the least bit, not enough to fire it. The
man seemed as cool as a Cucumber, and
surrendered the weapon to me with
ont word. l put it back in the
case, and as l did so he looked at
me inqniriugly. Wont you sell it to
mel' he asked, and when replied most
emphatically in the negative he said /:
We'll, suit yourself, and walked calmly
out humming a fragment of a then
popular air. l have never seen the man
since, but for weeks l watched the
papers to see if gentleman of his de-
scription had killed himself. If he did
never found any account of it,"
''Do you think he killed himselfl"
al do not, for this reason. If you
have ever investigated cases of suicide
you must have noticed that a person
generally kills himself upon the impulse
of the moment. OF course there are ex-
ceptions to this rule, but they generally
occur among the lower classes. II a
man Of any intelligence yields to a sui
cidal impulse and is-f3ifed in his attempt
he is likely &c believe that fate has inter
vened and that his luck will change. 1t
is-nnlikely, therefore, unless he is crazy,
, shat he will again attempt to take his
life "
"Have you ever had any other strange
experiences of a similar nature2"
Il can't remember any just like that l
have told you about, but l have had
other strange ones. One morning a
woman who was refined looking and had
quite ladylike manners, came in and
asked to see some revolvers. l showed
some from which she selected one
zae-will do, she said, please load
--sasEr me- l told her that l couldn't do
that, as it was against my rules. She
urged me for some little time to
load it, but / still refused. Very
WELL keep it then, and sailed out
in an indignant manner. Hardly had
she passed through the door when a de-
tective with whom was well acquainted
came In. Did you sell that lady re-
volverP he asked. l told him l had
not. Very well, don't sell her one if
she should come here again, he said,
and rushed out after her. Either the
same OF following day she came in
again. I'll take that revolver she
said. I've got friend who will load
it for me- i am sorry, madame, / re-
piled, but i cannot sell it to you.
Can't sell it to me- she exclaimed.
That's strange. What's the reason you
can'tF / told her that l could give her
no reason, but | could not sell her the
revolver. She appeared very indignant,
and went out, simply saying she would
buy one somewhere else. A few days
after saw my friend, the detective, and
he told me that the lady was well known
in society, where she was great favor
lite. 'She has a fine looking husband,
who is devoted TO her, he said, but al
times she becomes insanely ealous OF
him for no cause at all. At such times
| she is really out of her mind, and unless
watched would do herself Or him some
injury. Every two or three months she
has those spells, which generally last d
day or two and then pass away. Al
such times am employed to watch her.
get well paid for doing it, or you can
bet I'd steer clear of such work. It's nc
picnic, can assure you"
Ibid you ever see the lady again"
eyes. Not long after she passed here
leaning on the arm of tall, handsome
gentleman, whom, l suppose, was hel
husband. She was chatting gayly with
him, and both seemed supremely happy
As they passed l saw her glance il
my direction, but apparently without
racnnnffion up6arstapH that cba :,