Evening journal., 1891-06-15
STILL ANOTHER VICTIM.
Schmidt, Too, Belonged to the
Bridgeport Suicide Club.
TEN MEN HAVE DIED.UP TO DATE

A History OF the Famous Organization
That Fairly Rivals the Mythical Organ
ization Conceived by Novelist Robert
Louis Stevenson.
BRIDGEPORT. Conn, June 15.-The dis
covery that Landlord r. +. Schmidt. OF
Birmingham, who twok his life last week,
was member Of the famous Bridgeport
Suicide club, has again brought thSSsyrew-
some organization into prominence The
history OF this peculiar club dates back
some six years As originally organized
its membership was limited to six. Upon
their death the club was 70 become ex-
tinct, and It was not intended that there
should be any deviation from this plan,
but incredible as il may seem, as soon as
the existence OF the club was known they
were besieged with applications for mem
bership, and as the members could not
stand the pressure they were obliged to
let Others in until the original six grew to
eighteen. None but the initiated have
ever known all the qualifications for mem
bership, for the rejected ones were bound
by fearful oath before they were allowed
TO even start In on the examination.
Two Must Go Each Year.
Il is one OF the rules OF the order that at
least two of the members shall shuttle off
the mortal coil each year by their own
hands, but IL had never been known to
outsiders whether lots are drawn to de-
eide who the sacrifice is to fall upon. or
whether the members are sworn at initia-
tion 60 destroy Themselves within stated
time The latter theory seems the most
probable inference from the fact that the
mortuary record OF the club has always
been kept up with fearful regularity, as is
attested by the following list OF suicides
OF its members.
The List OF Suicides
First Year-August Heisterhagen found dead
In cellar with bullet hole in his head and a re-
volver IN his hand; Joseph Kopp, shot himself
IN bed at Water and Bank streets
Second Year George Leavenworth. died in
Cases hotel from laudanum. self administered
William Meckel, cut his throat with razor IN
his room on Bank street.
Third Year-John Kienzy, shot himself
through the heart with rifle IN the cellar OF
the saloon on Main street. John Schneider,
threw himself In front Of locomotive on South
avenue but said by some TO have been an acci-
dent.
Fourth Year-John Mattern, hung himself In
shop whore he worked on Bank street; Wendell
Baum. cut his throat with iackknife while in
/ New York,
Fifth Year W II. Maby, sent bullet into
/ his brain from a revolver; Y. r, Schmidt blaw
his brains out with shotgun at his hotel in
Il Birmingham.
by Shooting or Cutting.
This remarkable chronological record Is
pretty conclusive that two must die q
year, and that the year In which the hor-
rible deed must be done is fixed at the
time that they are admitted TO member
ship. IL Is also pretty well established
that another cardinal rule OF the Suicide
club Is that the death penalty must be in
hicted on ones self in the most painful
way by shooting out the brainsRor cutting
the throat, These most excruciating meth
DDS OF death are made mandatory at the
outset, as II is considered effeminate 10 die
by poison, asphyxiation or other similar
methods. 1t will be noticed from the above
list that Of the ten members who have
paid the awful penalty OF membership in
the club six have fulfilled the obligation
by bullet, one by razor, one by locomotive.
one by iackknife, one by hanging and only
one by poison.
Poison Is Prohibited.
Although poison is strictly prohibited
| anu AAAAAA HAhtHnhltIA - rAlDtntl 10 ibl-
low any member who violates his oath and
dies by poison, yet there is just one in
stance when it is permissible TO die by
poison or gentler means than the oath
requires. When the time arrives for a man
to die, and for some reason he wants 60
live short time longer, he may 20 to a
member whose time TO die is later in the
future, and propose to him that he die in
his place. II the person with the longer
| period TO live is willing TO act as a subs,i
tute for the person who has TO die at once
he may do so, aud as a compensation for
the sacrifice he Is allowed to die by poison.
The member who gets an extension Of
| time must die by the most excruciating
form, aud he can have but one extension
| of time
Applications for Membership.
It will be noticed that OF the ten suicides
half lived on Bank street, aud one who
lived elsewhere committed suicide in a
hotel there. Three lived in the same house,
and two suicides were committed in the
same room. The organization now has
worldwide reputation and recently the
secretary received two applications for
4 ,I..,as n