The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-04
DID HESWALLOW A BUCKLE7
BURGLAR DAVIS SAYS HE ATTEMPT
ED SUICIDE.
IL Was Not Very Violent Attempt, and He
Is Not Getting Much Sympnthy-He Tells
About II with Apparent Enjoyment.

II Was Not Very Violent Attempt, and He
Is Not Getting Much Sympnthy-Ho Tells
About II with Apparent Enjoyment.
Frank Davis. alias Sinclair. tho Fifth avenue
burglar who was arrested OF midnight on
Wednesday. says he tried to commit suicide
shortly after ho had been locked UP in Police
Headquarters.
About o'clock on Thursday morning"
said Inspector Mclaughlin yesterday. Davis
told the Waterman that he had swallowed
several pieces Of tin. was i'm m ediately noti-
fed and summoned Police Surgeon Cook, who
made an examination OF tho prisoner. Ac-
cording to Davls's statement 1t was then i've
or six hours after he had swallowed the tin,
but the surgeon could find no indications from
his pulse or temperature that anything was
the matter with him. had him here for two
DAYS lie nte his meals regularly and had n
good appetite. Think his story was simply IA
ruse to get himself transferred to hospital
in hopo OF making nm escape"
Davis was seen In his cell in the Tombs
prison yesterday He gave the following ac-
count OF his attempt to take his life:
The moment I discovered on Thursday
morning that tho police were after mo l made
UP my mind to die rather than be arrested. I
had with mo evidence enough to convict me OF
at least three robberies. and knew that arrest
meant long term OF imprisonment. Only
one shot was fred after inc when | scaled the
fence, hut 1t was enough to inform me that
the territory was surrounded, To stay where
! was meant capture. so decided. to enter a
s the poec
were without. and I thought the shots must
only a matter Of a few m ON nts when would
be cnptured. determined to Kill myself In the
"As nut the pistol to my temple It occurred
to me that while there was life thcre was hope,
and concluded to venture into the street. Re.
Al IL IL Ia bat nnH
tho door "a. littls and look ed ont. 30 one was
IN sight. so went out aud walked slowly down
II had walked about. hnlf n block. when a
and. with a pistol loveled at my head. said; You
there. were others about and that his death
sei He Was too quick for me- "a" and wa. dis.
,%At Police Headauarters everything with
Then was taken to cell and n guardiwas sta
in to INA ss "a i
ever deiermiHed to m myself While un; ;
determined to omen an artery with them. 1
Tas forced to nsrndon that idea for
Other idea struck me sroRs s one Of the
I,manIHgsd to swallow two of the pieces but
had teeth on the edge. That stuck In my
throat. l called to the guard for n hit OF bread.
He gave me some. and with /; | MANAGED to
would lacerate my bowels and cause blood
poisoning. which would he certain death. Up
to the present time have been disappointed.
for beyond slight soreness in the throat and
ono or two slight pains in the stomach have
experienced no i'll effects"
Davis seemed to enjoy his recital There
was a merry look In his eyes when he said
that the police had been after him for four.
teen months. and he chuckled over the fact
that they had been unable to find his resi-
never associated with thieves or the lower
Davis Is known to the Brcoklyp police as
he committed about A dozen rnbberies in
the fashionable district on the HI. He was
mittipG midnight bureIary at the residence
At the same time he was accused. OF
breaking into, the premises of Mrs.
residence q tho late Charles ". Fratt Of tho
at Mr.. Pratt's house and shot at him. When
he was arrested n bullet wound was found in
his back. Davis gave the name OF William
Johnson: He pleaded guilty to the charge gee Of
and Judge Moore sentenced him TO Sing Sing
for ten years When. asked II he had anything
to say he said: Il know l have broken the
laws OF the state and deserve punishment but
/ beg your Honor 70 be ienent, and promise
On Aug. 20. 1876. Davis was arrested In
PHILADELPHIA for burglary and got four years.
He is knowp there as a. II. Sintah. alias Sim
clair: alias Morris Williams. alias Wilson. On
April Is. 1880. no was again arrested there for
arrested him. For that offence he got five
yearS.