The morning call., 1893-01-15
CUT HIS THROAT.
A Prisoner Kills Himself
in His Cell.
The Weapon Used Was Wooden
Knife Made From a Cigar-Box
Ida Strange Case.

In cell Z in the old City Hall prison yes
terday afternoon Patrick Hayden killed
himself with wooden knife made out Of
the lid Of a eigar-boX, plunging the crude
weapon clear through his throat and sever
ing the windpipe and arteries. 1t is the
most determined case of self-destruction
that has occurred in this city in months.
and the man must have suffered untold
agony while mangling his throat. although
he made no cutlery.
The man was a native of Ireland, aged
st years. He had been lettering around
the City Prison all day in a drunken c0ndi-
ton, but had made no disturbance. and the
police let him alone, thinking he would in
time wander away home. About O'clock
Sergeant Hotaling. who was in charge Of
the station, noticed the man acting very
queerly. and became convinced be was on
the verge of delirium tremens. He then
ordered Officer W. Warnock to take the man
into the prison and lock him up until morn
ing, when he would be sent to the Home for
the Care OF tie InebTiates.
WarnOek went up to the man and touched
him on the shoulder. Hayden turned and
followed the officer into the prison, stand
ing quietly until he was searched. Owing
TO his condition extra precautions were
y,
pockets being turned inside out and even
his shoes being examined. Then Hayden
was taken to the drunk cell and locked up.
There were five men already in the cell, and
the trusty who put the man away told the
other prisoners 10 look out for Hayden.
AZ the time one of the missionaries who
constantly Visit the prison was standing
outside in the corridor and preaching to the
men in the cells. He drew an awful pic
tuTe Of their wretehed condition, and Hay
don listened to him lntently for a minute or
two and then, turning, went into corner OF
the cell and stood with his face 10 the wall.
A second later the men saw him holding his
nose, and then he staggered over 10 q bench
and knelt beside il, keeping his hand up TO
his face. ALI this time Hayden had made
no sign, and it was not until prisoner saw
a stream of blood creeping across the cell
floor that they realized that anything was
wrong. Even then they thought the man
had merely the nose bleed" but as he fell
backward they saw the blood gushing from
! his throat and heard the awful sound made
by the air as it rushed through the jagged
holes In his throat. AS quickly as possible
Hayden was taken 10 the prison hospital
and physicians sent for. but he died in less
than ten minutes and before DR.. Bunker,
who quickly responded, could reach him.
Even bad | been Oh the spot" said the
doctor, after examining the wounds, Il
could not have done anything TO save him.
H6 uidH udOC SulS JUu VI "
Then began a search for the knife which
Hayden had used to kill himself The police
were puzzled because OF the extra careful
searching they had given him before locking
him up. and a most thorough search of the
cell failed to reveal a weapon of any kind
with which the man could have inflicted
the wounds. Finally one of the prisoners
noticed a sharpened piece Of wood on the
floor, and picking it up found it covered
with blood. The whole thing was then
clear. Hayden had taken the sharpened
piece Of wood and placing it against the
right side of his neck, just above the jugular
vein, had driven it with one blow clear
through his throat until it must have pro-
truded an inch or more on the other side,
all the while keeping his hand over his
mouth and nose, so he would make no
sound to betray himself. The body was
taken to the MOrgue.
II Is believed that Hayden. already on the
verge of delirium. became depressed by the
awful picture of degradation drawn by the
preacher outside and determined to end his
life. He had been in the cell less than ten
minutes when he committed the act Moth
ing is known of the man except it is be-
lieved lie had been working on the docks.