The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-21

Attempt at Suicide by Accused
japanese Murderer.
NEW MODE OF srRAnouLaTlos.
jim ssksmarss Tries safefde VIA .
Ready for second Attempts

jim Sakamario. the japanese in the
county lail accused Of numbering another
japanese named Zengo Mayeds IT AGhaFn
On September s. aitsmpts1 to commit
suicide In his cell By . novel mode Of SLOW
strangulstson yesterday morning. and e1t
Tor the accidental discovery OF his co1di-
tlon By one Of the prisoners be would have
succeeded. As il vas. he vas nearly as
phyxiatsd, and was unconscious for On
hour after the attempt.
Jim NAkaFnxrio vas TO have been taken
to Auburn yesterday morning 70 stand
preliminary examination on the charge OF
murder. and as the evidence against him
IL said TO De pretty conclusive. is - pre-
sumed that be determined to save the
hangman iob and the county some ex-
pense. Nine O'Clock yesterday morning
had been fixed as the hour for removing
him 20 Auburn. Jim knew that. and
everything indicates that he nas been for
several days trying 90 nerve himself 10
commit the deed. and only made up his
mind finally as the hour OF departure Vas
rapidly drawing nigh. Had he made the
same attempt during the night he would
have been neither heard nor seen, and
only his stiffsned body would have been
found in the morning.
Jailsr Munros opened the cells yesterday
morning al the usual tine, 7 o'clock. and
found everything all right At 80 be
was getting ready TO feed the prisoners,
when be heard great commotion and
several voices shouting and calling bis
name. He ran In aud was directed TO the
Jspaness's cell, being told that he was
committing suicide. There he found Joe
Cavanaugh and another prisoner unwind
ing strip from the laps neck and leg
and stretching out the limp and inanimate
body On the bench.
The method Of suicide was novel in
character aud is not known ever TO have
been tried before. jim had two japanese
lowered sashes. one white and one bue.
These he knotted together, forming q
strong rope about eight feet long. and by
means OF these ne attempted to end his
existence. tie first seated himself on his
bunk with his knees drawn up close to his
body. He thea fastened one end of the
rope around his right leg Just below the
knee, passed the long end twice around
his neck aud then back 10 and under his
knee, which end be held in his right hand.
caught in BY the bend of the knee. Thus
harnessed aud having first covered
himself with his blanket, head and all, he
commenced his slow strangulation by at
tempting to straighsen out his knee.
Every pound of such pressure tightsned
the double twist around his neck and
brought about gradual asphy xiation.
He had just about succeeded and was
evidently In the last throes of suffocation
when his qaiverings under the blanket
and the fact of his being covered up at
tracted Cavanaugh's attention. The dis
covery and the release followed rapidly.
DIR. K. NJ. Eames. the county physician,
was sent for and after working over him
for an hour declared him out Of danger.
All day Jim showed the evidence of his
attempt on his life; his face and neck were
swollen, eyes bloodshot and his breathing
was severely affected. He remained silent
all day and refused to answer any ques-
ton, and he evidently contemplated an
other attempt al strangulation, for about
1 80 p. m. Jailer Munroe. found that he
had twisted 8 sssh into r rope about IS
thick Is his finger and eight feet long.
This was taken away, but 1t 10 probable
that he will yet succeed in evading justice,
as there is nothing preventing his strip
ping his blankets and doing the same &C.
during the night.
The hearing At Auburn had. OF course,
10 be postponed and another date fixed by
the justice.