New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-24
A PRISONER SEEKS DEATH.
HE CUTS HIS THROAT WITH A SHARPENED
NAIL.
RICHARD BARRETT, ACCUSED OF COMMITTING 4
MURDER IN ENGLAND, SERIOUSLY IN
JURES HIMSELF IN A CELL IN
POLICE HEADQUARTERS
POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

A prisoner who is entered upon the policA
record Richard Barrett, alias Sore-Eyed
Dick" locked up at Police Headquarters
Saturday afternoon by Detectives Crowley and
Mcknight. All that the police would say about
the cause Of his arrest was that he was a sus-
pcious person. 1t was learned last evening that
he was arrested for the murder of Edward Thomas
Williams at No. > Clifton Terrace, Finsbury
Park, London, on January 10, 1889. 1t was
known that he fed after the murder to this
country and description was sent TO Inspector
Byrnes two weeks ago. Crowley and Mcknight
have been since looking for him, and they re-
cciyed information on Friday that Barrett was
living somewhere in West Fify-frst-st They
watched in this neghborhood and Saturday
afternoon, while walking in Eighth-ave., near
Forty-second-st., they met man who answered
the murdcrers description They followed him
TO No. 545 West Fifty-frSt-st, where they found
that he was living with "A woman under the name
of Richard Collins. The detectives arrested Col
lins and took him TO Police Headquarters. lie
said that his name was Richard Collins, and that
lie was plastcrer, and had never been in Eng
land.
The prisoner was taken to jefferson Market
Police Court yesterday By Crowley and Mcknight
and he was remanded TO Police lIeadquarterS
until this morning, when the detectives sald
they would be ready to make complaint against
down for several hours, and then threw himself IN
the board bunk and went to sleep. lie refused
10 eat, and seemed 10 be moody and despOndent,
and would not talk
Last evening at 80 o'clock Doorman Burden
passed by Barrett's cell. and saw him sitting
on the bunk, with his head bowed on his chest
as if he had fallen asleep The dOorman passed
To- the end of the corridor, ana on his return
discovered a little stream of blood flowing under
Barret's cell door, out on the stone walk The
doOrman Immediately unlocked the cell and SHOOK
Barrett He was nearly UNCONSCIOUS, ana
had ghasty wound in the throat:
The doorman carried Barrett out OF
the cell and laid him down on the floor. lie
then sent word to the Detective Bureau. and In
spector Williams sent hurry-can for an amOu-
lance to ST. Nincent's Hospital
The weapon with which the prisoner had cut
his tsroat found in his cell 1t was long
nail which had been sharpcncd TO a fine point.
None of the large arteries were severed but the
hernorrhage was profuse. lie had also driven tho
nail into his left arm. He was searched before
he was taken 10 the cell, and where he got the
nail from is "a mystery.
Dr. Gldey came with the ambulance and said
that the wound was dangerous and would prob
ably prove fatal lie was still unconscious ara
was nut into the ambulance in the rear Of Head
quarters and driven rapidly 10 81. NincentS Hos
pital He was sinking rapidly and DIR. Beekman
performed the operation known as TRANSMISSION. An
openiug WAS made in the artery IN the patient
rm at the elbow, and several ounces OF a warm
saline solution We're pumped into the artery This
stimulated the action Of the heart, and the patient
revived slightly though he still remained lnsensl-
be from the exhaustion due 10 the hemorrhage
DR. Beckman said that the patient was likely 70
die AT any moment ,.
zion to-day into the facts of the attempt NJ sui
eide 10 SEQ who made the mistake Of putting the
prisoner into n cell with dangerous weapon con
cealed about him.