Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-03
TRIED HARD TO DIE.
Determined Attempt of Samuel S.
Mason to Commit Suicide.
THIRTY-ONE SLASHEs OF A KNIFE
Fail to Release Him From His Physical and
Mental Troubles
AWFUL SCENE ON A PULLMAN CAR

Samuel S. Mason, of No. 1877 Fourth
avenue, attempted on Saturday night to
commit suicide by cutting himself desper-
ately with pocket knife. The attempt was
made in sleeping car on the Western New
York and Pennsylvania Railroad, near
Cory.
Mr.. Mason left Pittsburg for Buffalo
Friday evening, arriving in the Lake City
Saturday morning. He went there to look
for two men with whom he had recently had
a financial transaction, which resulted in
the loss of about $1,000 to Mason. 1t is
probable that he failed to find his men, and
that he was rendered despondent BY the
failure. Mason left Buffalo at s:35 o'clock
Saturday evening, and would have arrived
in Pittsburg at 7:2O o'clock yesterday morn
ing. A telegram received yesterday by
THE DISPATCH from Cory gives the fol-
lowing account of the attempted suicide:
DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR.
As the train from Buffalo to Pittsburg
was approaching Cory last night, Samuel
S. Mason, who occupied a section in the
sleeping car, made a savage attack on him
self with q large pocket knife. He made
cuts in his throat in two places. stabbed
himself twice in the region of the heart, cut
his left wrist three times, and inflicted a
number of gashes in his abdomen. He cut
himself in 81 places on his body.
He was taken off the train at Cory. and
was conveyed to the Phoenix Hotel. The
physicians who were called said that they
considered the gashes in his abdomen would
render his recovery doubtful. Mason said
that his head had felt very queerly for some
months. He told the conductor of the
sleeping car, coming out of Buffalo, that he
ielt very strangely. He feared that he
might be taken sick, and he asked the con-
ductor to look after him. Attention was
called to him by his groans- When the
conductor drew aside the curtains of the
berth, he discovered Mason almost entirely
undressed, covered with blood.
BUSINESS TROUBLES IN IT.
The man was so weak from the wounds
and the bleeding that he could scarcely
speak. When asked why he had done it,
he said that it was on account of business
troubles. He did not want to live any
longer.
After the wounded man had lain at the
hotel, in a delirious condition, for about
three hours he apparently recovered his
senses, and asked of the attendants what he
had been doing. When told, he exhibited
great grief and anxiety. He said that he
did not want to die, and requested the pres
ence of a minister as soon as possible. Rev.
Mr.. Warren, of the Methodist Church, was
called and spent some time in prayer
with the unfortunate man.
A fellow passenger on the train with Mr..
Mason who came into the city yesterday
morning stated to DISPATCH reporter that
when the berths of the Pullman car were
made up last Saturday night on leaving
T,I. NJ -
spirits, and joked and laughed with other
passengers.
EVIDENCES OF ALTERATION.
He seemed feverish, and alternately in
dulged in bursts of laughter and fits of de-
preston. He retired to his berth at May
vile, and the first intimation of the des-
perate attempt at self-murder was the moan
ing of the wounded man heard by the con-
ductor of the train when passing through
the car.
The news of Samuel s. Mason's attempt at
suicide spread rapidly over the city yester-
day afternoon and caused great deal of
talk among his many friends and acquaint-
ances. Many of them had seen him and
talked with him last Friday before he left
town. His friends had noticed his illness
and depression of spirits recently and some
of them say he exhibited at times signs of
mental alteration. For three years he had
been afflicted with disease of the kidneys,
which appeared to be incurable. He was
constantly taking medicine, which gave him
temporary relief. He would leave his house in
the morning feeling comparatively we'll and
would return in the afternoon suffering great
pain and scarcely able. to walk. To his
friends he talked daily of i'll health and was
much depressed by 1t.
Lige Hall was with Mr.. Mason Friday |
afternoon, shortly before he left the city. |
Mr.. Hall said yesterday: "Mason was TAX |
ing medicine for pain in his stomach. He |
was to take one drop of it in teaspoonful |
OF water, and instead of that amount, saw
him take u or Is drops at once, Just before |
he left. would not be surprised if he took |
so much of that drug that it affected his
mind"
Others said that they would not believe
that Mason had tried to kill himself until
they heard the full particulars of the affair."
They thought it possible that some person
might have attempted to murder, him for
money, or that he had been assaulted by
some men with whom he had recently had
a financial difficulty.
Few men were better known about the
city than Samuel S. Mason. He was born
|
beyond Soho. He is now A years old. He
is son of the late John II. Mason and
Mrs. Matilda Mason. For many years the
family has lived in the Second Ward. Mrs.
Matilda Mason lives and keeps notion
store at No. 204 Second avenue.
WHERE HE RESIDES.
After Samuel Mason's marriage he bought
the large brick residence on the northeast
af rth md cfr |
where he has since lived. The property is a
fne one, occupying the angle between the
TWO wings of the Fourth Avenue Baptist
Church.
Some years ago Mr.. Mason represented
The Second ward in the Common Council.
His brother, William c., has just been
elected to thai body, for the same ward, for
MS second term. The brothers in early lite
we're rollers by trade. Recently Samuel S.
Kept pool room in Diamond alley, until
me selling of pools was stopped, about a
year and half ago. Since that time he has
rot been engaged in any business, his health
Tot permitting him to do so. He complained
of the amount of money which he
vas forced to pay for doctors bills.
Friday evening Mr.. Mason lett Pittsburg,
" the Allegheny Valley road, for Buffalo,
where he had some business affair to look
Ifter. Immediately after the receipt of
elegram from Cory, yesterday morning,
Mrs. Matilda Mason and Councilman. W.
;. Mason departed for that town.
JOINED BY HIS WIFE.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Samuel Mason was
It Monongahela City, having gone there
Saturday afternoon, to visit some friends.
message was sent to her at once, and she
eturned to the city at o'clock last even
ng. She Immediately took the Valley train
or Cory, where she will arrive this morn
ng.
After her departure last evening her sis
tloh |