New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-07
DIR. KNIFFIN IN DESPAIR.
WOIyNDING HIMSELF AND TAKING AN OVER
DOSE OF POISON.
NO SOLUTION APPARENT YET FOR THE IhEN
TON MYSTERY - KNlFFIN AND @AsS
PURCELL BOTH WATCHED BY
THE OFFICERS.
THE OFFICERS.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUSEd


s,ourdod himself in the wrists and throat with
ragor to-dav and swallowed an ounce of aconlte.
rho dose of poison was so excessive that IL aceu
,s an emetic and the cuts were not at al SERIOUS
NV burden was too heavy to bear" was Dr.
Knifhn's explanation when asked why he soughV
aoo4b He was alone in his apartment, WITHIN
Cow, feet Of the bed in which his wife met her
death when. according to his own statement lie
,onclnded what he had better do. 1t was
o'clock in the morning. DR.. Palmer. oil New
brunswick, who is relative oil III.
Kniffn. and David Purcell. brother Oh
Emma Purcell, had been sitting up talking win
Knitfn. DR.. Palmer left the mouse luicei
retired for the night and Knihn entered the bath
room. There he gashed his throat and wrist with
a razor and then swallowed the acOnite. Before
attemptinq the deed he tackled up a horse blanket
over the window of the room, and then he ioided
another horse blanket, upon which he sat resting
his hands on his knees. In about half an hour
kninin arose. left the bathroom and crept INTO
his own bed In doing he aroused Purcell
The latter was horriied on seeing hnlihh
wounds and he dashed out of the house ior he'p'
Drs. Cooper and Shepherd were summoned
and they responded at once 1heS sooH
found that Nniflin was in no danger.
Dr. Cooper is one of Knifns lifelong iriehoS'
and be was greatly shocked by the occurrence
"Only Yesterday" he said Il sent Arthur d Hncs-
sage expressing my sympathy and thaU oil al 'ne
reichbors for him. and advising him not to oe
disturbed by the rumors coming TO his ears. Inv
neighbors all believe him to be innocent. lhiS 10
too bad 1t will give wrong color to the case
To Dr. Shepherd. Knifin said that every one hau
gone back on him, and he didn't care TO i've
longer Mr.. Purcell, in talking over the aI"lI
Ill a ronortcr said: DIS Cooper and Shepherd
1,atl OF atlT m =
an antidote the poison would have Killed NM
He lost a great deal of blood, too 1t dyed MS
shirt crimson. and a big pool was left in the bath
room Arthur told me yesterday that he was
tired of life. lie was deSpondeht' ana V'lNeu
goomily
".You must remember that YOU have your boy
Iennie 20 live Tor | said, thinking 10 cheer him
up -, J.,
IF were dead, know that he would he
propery cared for said he, and as | nave Ios'
ALL | have nothing now to live Tor. VIII not
like to look at Lennie and think OF the great loss
he and have suffered, and oil, my God, ID such
q horrible manner, too. That makes 1t all the
worse"
Dr Shannon. the partner of DR.. kni'n was
ol., Greatly aritated when informed the street.
,ust after he lett the breakfast table, OF the at
temped seIf-murdeT -
"Wbat's wrong? What has happened? Has
Dr Kninin killed himselff is this report UUe'
or not ~ he cred III one breath. justice Mathc-
con was in Knif!ins room, and he It'd the doctor
the report was true, but that Dr hhIibh Wo"i"
80 1Nr Gazing Tor Il moment at those IN the
roou shannon put both hands IN hls trousers
pockets and with lOng-drawn pIealh "heeIeu
and lett the place. lie went 10 the laboratory III
the rear OF the house. AS lie pdSse" lhIoua" 'HV
hall he was Aedrd TO say and, ,,s
Great Cod Dr. knliln attempted 10 emu "IS
own lie. " nat next
lie remained IN the laboratory only moment
ana then came rushing out ana bounded upstairs
three steps at d time 10 "AcIe III Nhi"H l'S
Ills face was deathly pale. Nhen he was sccH
next Shannon was more composed .
Arthur Will not die Thank God for that'
he exclaimed. .
Miss Purcell. pale and nervous. was IN the house
all the tlmc but had nOtulH~ L" say 10 any ".''
Guilty or innocent, the nerve sne displays al re-
NAMING III the house where she says hcI ne Wa
attempted before aud where Acr bosom lfienh hdd
Just been murdered. IS considered maj c4I'U9
The parents Of Dr. knIiln arrived IN Io"h
from their nome in Virginia last El-ht. IHeS "Ic
mucn ul.---.4 bY the sad news
DR. KnIflIn was at tie house OF Lawyer Barton
his counsel, last evening, and IL Il shu Ic!n"IHc"
closeted with him more than Two hours Ire shO"eu
no symptoms Of great disturbance tHeA' an"
yet the attempt al SuIcIIc OCc"4Ic" "I'i"' '''''
Drtectiye Leahy entered Kmnins house at
8 O'Clock this forenoon, and found nm ana HiIsa
Purcell cOnVeTsInG together IN low tones. Mss
Purcell sat al the foot Of knlihns bed. boih
rev excited wien tie detective said that Police
Justice MathesOn desired 10 see Miss FufceH al
id ike 10 know what this means, SAID
Kninin sitting up IL bed ana looking an-IAN
at the officer. The latter explained 'hat me
Police Justice in the house, taking VIVID
Miss Purcclls brother, and that no unplcdstHl
step was intended. Tie explanation S"'ihea
Tie coroner's inquest has been postponed until
"Wednesday. Several jurors, who are business
men. feared that by their acton, whatever 10
might be, they would incur the dlsPleasdir oI
a certain portion of tie pubic. ana DE mace 10
suffer in business way. This led them - maze
the suggestion that the inquest DE
held with closed doors: and ,. 5l@t re- re-,
pOrtcrs he excluded. Neither Prosecutor
St0ckton nor Coroner Bower favored the !Nca.
but one or two Of the jurors were persiS'eI' III ~
and the subject was discussed Tor IHI nom!
The coroner then decided upon pos'Poh'NH'I4'.
Intimate fr ends of DR.. knlihn say thai ne "'s
always Of a hi2hly nervous temperament ana t4aO
they dread the effect Of this cNcilemeh, Oh MS
mind. lie worked night and day al ms business
built uD large practice and accumulated money
fast. Ills prosperity was attained al ulff ~, TM T,-
pcnse OF his health. I'm a few years ne iald ng
enough 10 pay tor the building in which ms once
and home are and those cOnVersant WIN MS
circumstances say that he has S:5o0o besides.
lie sold halfintercst IN his business 10 III
Shannon about year ago. feeling the nccd on
relief from the strain OF business. II was ms Oh
ject TO retire altogether in another year ana i've
upon a farm.
Mrs. Kninin will be buried tomorrow al Mount
Pleasant Her husband and Miss Purcell Will
attend the funeral Two officers have been in
structed TO accompany them. and not permit
either TO get out OF sight Tonight the house
is guarded inside well ont, and Kuinin ana
Miss Purcell much under arrest ao if they
were in "A place Of police detention sharp eye
especially is kept on DR. Knin, who, il is thought,
NAV make more earnest attempt on his life.
rUyRLJyG WITH THEIR TRAIN INTO A CREEK
EInira y y Jan. 8 (Spcclal.-While wrccldng
train was passing bridge on the Fall Brook
Railroad near WesborO, Penn. last night the derrick
~ tho vrcckcr came in contact with the top Of the