The Iola register., 1891-02-06
SUICIDE BY STARVATION.
From self-imposed Fast. An
Interesting Case.

In the little town of Newburn. twelve
miles from Alton, ILL.,, George Harris
lies on sick-bed from which he can
never rise. His fast has lasted
twenty-nine- days with the
determined man still alive, but he is
lingering in condition of the most
ghastly weakness, stupor, and emacia-
ton The entire community is wrought
up over the horrible features of the
case. and Harris friends and relatives
are moving heaven and earth to save
him from the awful form of self-destruc
tion he has so desperately chosen. From
his appearance tonight. however, HaT-
ris has passed beyond the hope of res
cue, and it is almost certain that he
must soon die from the frightful effects
Of combined starvation and incurable
disease under which he is now sinking.
When death does come it will mark the
close of probably the most grim and
stubborn march TO the grave ever made
voluntarily by man tired OF living.
and George Harris fast will break the
record as an instance of a deliberate
and prearranged suicide by new and
peculiar appalling route. Harris has
been hopeless invalid for some time,
and on December -, he announced his
determination to starve himself TO
death. and has not tasted mouthful oil
| food since. He first refused water also.
but was told that thirst would make
death horrible in the extreme. and he
has consented to drink a little water
daily. He has resided with his sister,
| Mrs. Mellow, for the past years, ana
despite threats Of self-destruction, 1f1e
| first intimatiOn had of his last ghastiy
resolution was when, on the morning
of December 2S, he ordered his break
fast sent back to the kitchen untasted.
Since that day not morsel of food has
passed his lips. Harris is OF good
| family, well known and has lrela-
tives in n standing in various parts
| of the state. He is a Tennesseean by
birth, having been born in that state IN
1S47. He will not reply to appeals, to
save his own life, and the scene
at the house of his sister, Mrs. Mellow.
where his terrible death fast is being
made was one that can never be forgot
ten. Friends of the desperate and OBJ
stinate man have been gathering about
Thin each day. He lies in a sort Of
strange stupor nearly all the time, a
condition of trance-weakness that keeps
him oblivious of his surroundings, and
of the sorrow felt by his relatives and
friends at the frightful fate he is bring
ing on himself. Occasionally, however.
the pangs of hunger grow SO keen that
his sufferings rouse him from his
| lethargy. Then begins struggle BE-
tween his will power and his cravings
for food, which is the most horrible
feature of his effort at self-destruction
The iron will of the man invariably
wins, and his condition is rapidly be-
coming such that the desire for food
will be lost in the fatal lassitude that
will procede his last hours. He is sink
ing rapidly and it will be impossible for
him TO last much longer.
Almost too late in the strange fast
his friends have determined to use force
| in an cndeavor to save Harris life. He
has always stubbornly refused to allow
a physician to be called and so far has
been suffered to pursue his suicidal
course without hindrance, save that OF
entreaty and supplicatiOn. There is
but little doubt that he could have been
prevented from starving himself to
death had means been adopted some
days ago to force him to take nOurish
ment in some form. 1t is now prscti-
cally too late to save his life, even
should he voluntarily consent to take
uourishment.