Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-06
FAILED IN HIS ATTEMPT.
Gus Thicikuhl Shoots Himself on the Grave
of His Dead Son, but May Recover.

of His Dead Son. but May Recover.
Gus Thielkuhl is at present occupying a room
in Garfield Hospital, suffering from the effects
of a bullet wound of the left lang inflicted with
pistol held in bis own hand, and while the
wound is . serious one the patient may re-
cover.
There is warrant in the hands Of the police
for the arrest of Thiekuhl for alleged false pre-
lenses. and in order to escape publicity in his
alleged crooked transactions, as WELL perhaps,
as for other reasons. he resorted to the use Of
the pistol.
Maj Alex. d. Anderson, at present stationed
In New York in connection with tire worlds
fair commission, called Oh Maj Moore yester-
day afternoon to have the police department
Institute search for a photographer who had,
II was claimed, swindled several dealers in pho
toSraphlc supplies, and ii was believed that
lhIslAuhl was the man wanted.
Tnielkuhl. it appeared, had been employed
In the treasury Department and Smithsonian
Institution as photographer, and according to
complaint he was representing that he had
been appointed photographer for the worlds
falr commission, when, as q matter of fact
there Is no such position.
lie had printed cards containing his name
and position. as already stated. and upon the
strength of these, it is charged, he obtained
from dealers In baltimore and this city several
uunureu uOilarS worth OF supplies.
The police learned that Mrs. Thielkuhl was
in the city and was stopping at the Hotel
Langham, but they we're unable to find the
husband, and until last night they we're Under
the impression that he had left the city.
DECIDED TO USE PISTOL
Thielkuhl had been drinking, SO it is said,
and it was stated last night that he had car
ried a bottle of poison in his pocket, to use in
case OF an emergency. He, however, decided
upon a British bulldog revolver as the
weapon Of self destruction, and the place Sc
lecied was little knoll just beside the grave
OF his little son in Prospect cemetery.
He reached the cemetery o short while before
the time for the gate to close. The last rays of
the setting sun had shone upon the grave Of
the dear departed. and the father taking the
ugly Weapon from his pocket pointed il, as he
supposed, in the direction of his heart and
pulled the trigger. The bullet entered his left
chest, and the would-be suicide fell to the
grassy mound the weapon was thrown some
distance from him.
The sexton who has charge of the little city
of the dead heard the report and FASTENED to
tho grave, where he found that the man bad
failed in his attempt to take his life. He was
lying there perfectly conscious of what he had
done and he expressed regrets at not succeed.
lnS In his undertaking.
he WANTED TO DIE.
The poor man begged piseously for the
weapon, which he could not get, as he WAS too
weak to crawl to where he had thrown it. He
insisted that he wanted to die as he said his
heart was in the grave of the one who had gone
before him.
Sergeant Slattery, with the eighth precinct
patrol wagon, reached the cemetery in few
minutes in response to telephone message
and the wounded man told his name and also
told where his wife was
He was removed to the hospital, where DR..
Snyder made an examination of the wound and
pronounced it a serious one.
Mrs Ihielkuhl was at the bedside of her hus-
band later in the evening and she remained
with him for two hours. Two photographs of
the dead boy were found near the grave and
there Is no doubt that they were left there by
the father before he fired the shot.
Mr.. Thielkuhl is about thirty-eight years old
and is well known here, having been in the de-
partmen.s for a long time. This morning the
doctors at the hospital said that the patient
seemed better than he did last night, although
his condition is still serious.