Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-07-07
PUT A BULLET IN His BRAIN.
A Newark HTIeeIwrisht Tries to End His
Life and WIN Probably Succeed.

attempted to commit suicide this morning
by shooting himself in the head. The
wound seems like fatal one and the man
| will probably die.
Just what caused Shippers to take his life
Is not known, but the act was probably
the result of business troubles. Simpson is
d wheelwright, but of late years his affairs
have not been going on swimmingly. To-
day is discount dHy ut Newark National
Bank, and ms Sinners had a note for a
small amount falling due tomorrow the
bank officials sent 4 message to him this
morning TO come to the bank and see
them about his paper.
Instead of going to the bank Shippers
went home, and, remarking to his wife
that he felt sick, went ut once up stairs.
An instant later his wife heard a shot,
and going to tine room where her husband
was, found him lying upon the floor, with
the blood trickling from q wound in his
head. He had shot himself in the left
temple.
DR.. II. NJ. Kollock was instantly sum
moned. He probed the wound and located
the bullet in the interior lobe of the brain,
but did not attempt to remove it. Sim
pers was conscious, and on being ques-
toned said he did not know what induced
him to commit the deed
Shippers is about 40 years old and has a
wife but no children. He has been quite
prominent in business and social circles,
being leading member of the Masonic,
Odd Fellows and A. o. U. w. fraternities
NEWARK. July 6.--IeSterday afternoon
William u. Simpers, who, attempted to
take his life by shooting himself in the
head, was taken by DR., IL. q. NJ. Kollock
to Philadelphia, where the operation of
trepanning his skull to dislodge the bullet
will be performed at one of the Philadel-
phia hospitals. This was considered the
only. means Of saving the unfortunate
mans life, and as the operation is a most
delicate one it WAS deemed advisable to
have it done by trained surgeons.
All day yesterday Shippers was perfectly
conscious, but when questioned as to his
motive for self-destruction was non-cum-
municative. His trade is that Of wheel
wright, and he has successfully piled his
business here for the last ten years adjon-
ing J. b. Lutton's blacksmith shop. He
has always borne n good reputation, but il
is known that he has lately had resting on
him heavy obligations incurred in sustain
ing mentally weak brother in Philadel-
phIa asylum. lie has staggered under this
together with an accumulation of bad
debts, for some time, until yesterday,
when there came day Of reckoning with
him at the National Bank, which held
| some of his paper.
Yesterday being discount day there was
meeting of the directors and circum-
stances made it necessary for the board to
send messenger to Shippers, to request
his presence before the board to explain
about certain note which was then due
The message was delivered to Shippers but
he never met the board. Instead he went
directly home from his shop and COM
mitted the deed about which the whole
town is still talking. Before the directors
| adjourned word was brought to them that
| the banks debtor had repudated his life
as well as his paper.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT EDGE MOOR.
Miss Margaret Toole, aged "a years,
| attempted suicide, on Tuesday, at the
residence of William Mercer, at Edge
Moor, where she was employed as a
servant. When hired man left the
house and started down the road with
some milk he found her outside. Her
throat was terribly hacked, her wind
pipe was cut and blood gushed from her
wounds. The man rushed back to the
| dwelling and notified Mr.. Mercer.
| Together they ran outdoors and when
| they approached the woman she babe
Mr.. Mercer to not touch her. The knife
| with which she had attempted to take
her life was sticking in the ground and
when the hired man endeavored to
secure il she tried to prevent him.
| While Mr. Mercer was at the stable
| getting team to take her to a doctor,
she Obtained q table knife but it is not
known whether she cut herself with it,.
10 wrest it from her grasp the full
strength of two men was required.
She was led into the house and then
it was discovered that she had attempted
self-destruction in Mr.. MERGERS room.
She had committed the deed while
standing in front of mirror. While
the room was being examined she lay
on the bed, and when the examination
was concluded she arose and ran up
stairs 10 her room, where she seized q
razor and began hacking her throat
again. To get possession of the instru-
ment Mr.. Mercer had To knock it out of
her hand. Immediately afterwards he
brought her to town. On the way they
stopped at the Office of DIR. Shortlidge,
who said nothing could be done to save
her life and ordered that she he con-
veyed to Delaware Hospital AT that
institution she stated that she intended
to kill herself, and that she will make
another attempt at the fist opportunity
Miss Toole is Il native of Ireland and
before going to Edge Moor resided in
Philadelphia. Mr.. Mercer has three
men boarding with him. At the time
Of the attempted suicide they were at
work and Miss Toole was the only
woman at the house. No reason for
her act is given,
Soon after being taken to Delaware
Hospital Tuesday Miss Margaret roole,
who cut her throat at Edge Moor, with
| suicidal intent, seized q bandage during
| u brief absence of her attendants ana
tried to choke herself.
The severed pieces Of her windpipe
were removed and q tracheal tube was
inserted, after which the wounds in her
throat were scwcd with five stitches.
After she had attempted to choke her.
self she was tied, but her hands were
left loose. Next she endeayorGd to pull
out the stitches which had been put in
| her throat and after that her hands
were tied.
Subsequently, bythrowing her weight
on one side, she tried to upset the oper-
ating table upon which she was lying,
| but in this endcayor was frustrated.
Then she was securely strapped to the
table. by throwing back her head she
sought to dislodge the tube which had
been inserted in her throat, but did not
succeed.
Immediately after her admission to
the hospital she was visited by priest.
While he was leaning over her she
attempted to choke him. She also
grabbed his stole, and he had to depart
without it.
That night she did not rest well, and
yesterday her condition was un-
changed, She had become quiet, how
ever. ..-.
Z! Yesterday afternoon Dir HUGHES of