The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-03-18
HE WANTED TO DIE
First Officer Fred Cooks
Rash Deed.
NO CAUSE FOR THE DEED.
While Temporarily Insane He Fatally
Shoots Himself in the Head at
the Residence of Friends.

Frederick Cook, first officer Of the steam
ship Arago, made an attempt to commit
suicide by shooting himself in the head
with a revolver at the residence of John
hey at $40 Fourteenth street last night.
The wounded man was at once taken to
the Receiving Hospital, where he lies in a
critical condition.
The cause of Cooks rash deed is I'M
known. The family in whose house he
shot himself claim that he was temporarily
insane, while others attribute his attempt
to- kill himself to dependency. owing to
obstacles to his marriage to Miss Belle Hey,
their pretty 1S-year old daughter.
The past few weeks of Cooks existence
were rather eventful.
The last time he came to port in his vessel
Cook. as usual, called at the Hey residence.
There lie spent the evening Of the 10th inst.
and was on his way home when he was
assaulted by Bob O'Harrel. at Stockton and
Otarrell streets, with whom he had a
quarrel
O'Harrel struck his victim over the head
several times with n heavy club. when the
police lnterfered and placed him under ar
rest. Cook was taken 10 the Receiving
Hospital in delirous condition from the
effect of the blows and never appeared to
thoroughly recover.
Contrary to the orders Of the physicians
he was permitted to leave the hospital by
the steward on duty the following morning
while still irrational.
He wandered along the water front and
several times attempted 10 jump overheard,
but was prevented by bYstanders. When
he reached the vessel he fell in a fit and
subsequently became so violent that his
brother officers had him taken back to the
hospital for further treatment, where he
remained for three days, where he remained
for three days, when he was discharged.
Wednesday night Cook called at the hos
pital and created disturbance, claiming
that some OF his property had been stolen
from him during his sojOurn in that insti-
tuition and left, vowing vengeance on the
steward His queer actions led to the
belief that his brains had been injured by
the blows Of his assailant.
Mr.. John Hey, at whose house the shoot
ing occurred, is member of the firm Of
Hey, GrauenhoIz & Co., wholesale liquor
dealers. at 215 Sacramento street.
He states that the family became ac-
quainted with Cook about year ago, when
they returned from pleasure trip to Ore
gOn on the vessel on which he was an Off
Ger.
Despite the objections of the other men,
bers of the family Cook was assdlOus In his
attentions to Miss Belle Hey, for whom he
professeG an ardent admiration.
Although Mrs. Hey objected to his visits
TO her daughter Cook always called at their
residence whenever his vessel came to port
Cook called on my daughter shortly
after o'clock last night" said Mr.. Hey to
reporter. Il was not present. but under
stand from my wife and daughter. who re-
ceived him, that his remarks were wild and
Incoherent. While they were talking In
the parlor Cook suddenly drew a pistol
from his poke: and fiourlshed the weapon
about.
when learned Of what he had done,
and fearing that he might injure my wife
and daughter, l summoned the patrol
wagon from the Seventeenth-street station
Before the police arrived Belle had sue
ceeded IN quoting him. however, and we
concluded not to cause his arrest and sent
the officers away
"rhey had gone but short distance when
Cook again drew the weapon, and placing
| the muzzle to his head pulled the trigger and
sent the bullet crashing into his brain before
any one could interfere.
HE fell to the floor without a word ap-
| parently dead and the officers who had
heard the report of the shot returned and
took him away.
II think Cook was crazy at the time and
| that he has never been quite sane since he
was assaulted by O'Harrel over week ago.
| HIS ACTIONS since then were queer and er-
rattle"
MIR. Hey later admitted that he did rot
| consider Cook an eligible sutton for his
! daughters hand, and that he would never
| have consented to their marriage He did
not know whether Cook had proposed mar
| rage to his daughter.
Whether or not Cook heard of this de-
| cision and became respondent, finally con-
| GLIDING to Kill himself, or whether he was
! mentally deranged as stated when he shot
| himself, can only be conjectured.
| Cook was unconscious when he arrived
at the Receiving Hospital. Drs Somers
and Samuels found that the bullet had PEN
! etrated the skull at the left temple and
ranged upward. finally lodging In the
brain.
The physicians entertain no hope of his
ultimate recovery. At late hour he was
still unconscious and sinking rapidly.
Miss Belle Hey. in whose presence Cook
shot himself. is completely Frustrated by
the affair aud could not be seen by re-
porter who called for that purpose.