The herald., 1894-08-06
AIR THROUGH A SILVER TUBE,
How Edward johnson Does His
Breathing.
He Half Cut His Head Off With q
Razor.
An Exciting Incident Which Occurred
on the Train From San Fran
cisco Yesterday
Morning.

His throat cut from ear to ear. Ed
ward Johnson lies upon q cot in the re-
csiving hospital calmly awaiting death.
He says he is going to die, for he can
never eat nor talk. The surgeons say
ne is going to die. because with such
gaping wound he can hardly live. Yet,
there have been more surprising
miracles.
But for delicate operation in trache-
ptomy Johnson would have been dead
ore now. He has the unenviable dis
tinction Of breathing through a silver
tube.
johnson caused his present condition
by cutting his throat with a razor. He
severed every vein, ligament and even
the traches, and alone missed the jugu-
lar, else death would have been instant.
His attempt at suicide was very sensa-
tional.
johnson left San Francisco last Satur-
day morning with the intention OF go
ing to Phoenix. Ariz., to see his brother.
Before leaving he seemed to have be-
come slightly deranged. He boarded
the overland train which arrived in this
city yesterday morning at Z 80 O'Clock.
Everything went we'll until the train
reached Newhall, about 40 miles north
of the city.
Shortly before 7 O'Clock johnson
awoke, and, unnoticed by his fellow
passengers, went into the closet. Shortly
afterward the passengers were greatly
excited by the sight of blood running
from beneath the door and slowly trick
ling across the floor. The door was tried
and was found locked. Conductor
Bowling was notified and, upon exam
ination, he concluded that terrible
butchery had been committed.
Breaking the door open, Conductor
Bowling found Johnson cuddled up on
The floor, with great stream of blood
gushing from gaping wound across the
throat. He was gasping for breath, and
soon became unconscious. An open
razor lay upon the floor in the pool of
blood.
The apparently dying man was placed
in as comfortable position as possible
and at the next station the conductor
telgraphed the facts to the Southern
Pacific headquarters. The police sta
ton was notified and an ambulance sent
to meet the train upon its arrival.
The train arrived at 7 80 o'clock and
ten minutes later Sergeant Smith and
Officer Ed Smith had the wounded man
in the receiving hospital.
Police Surgeon Bryant and Southern
Pacific Surgeon F. X. Ainsworth were
present and at once began to relieve the
sufferer. They inserted tube in the
trachea go that breathing was greatly
restored, and afterward sewed the
wound together. 1t was CHASTITY cut
and opened into the whole inside of the
throat. 1t gave the man the appearance
of having his head half cut off.
After the surgeons sewed up the wound
they gave the patient opiates to produce
sleep. He lay in cotamose state nearly
all day. At 5 O'Clock last night he
awoke and looked ss cheerful as one
could under the circumstances.
To DR.. Bryant he expressed-in writ.
ing-a desire to get we'll, but to Jailer
Collins he wrote that he was going to
die because he could never eat nor talk
again. There is one chance in q great
many OF his ever recovering.
When asked for statement az to why
he committed the act, he said that it
was because of hard work and but little
of that to do since coming to this coun-
try from Ireland.
To Jailer Collins the wounded man
wrote the following statement, thinking
he was about to die:
"In 1889 / came from Belfast, Ireland
to Los Angeles, where my father re-.
sided. l worked in Los Angeles for
about one yoar. I then went north to
San Luis Obispo, although 1 did not do
anything. called myself A. Edwards.
used to put up at the stables in San
Luis owned by Banker Andrews. The
stables were conducted by Charles
ODonnell. think he now lives at
Barstow, and he owns mining claims,
one east Of Victor and one near Bar
stow, which We worked with partner
named Patrick Lamb. Lamb and
worked for Kent, rancher on the
Mojsve river, and O'Donnell worked at
On English mine. He bought me out of
my horse. when / went direct to Tue
son. Ariz., where 1 stayed and expected
to 60 mining, but instead worked at a
smelter and on a survey. / then came
to San Francisco last May or June.
guess you can see the name in the Russ
house.
II stayed in San Luis about six
months. (This is when went to San
:, Luis from Los Angeles in 1890. }
O'Donnel and stayed together, which
will be remembered by an old Scotch
d. man, a gardener. O'Donnell bought a
horse from Sheriff Mcleod, and l put up
my peddling horse and wagon.
II committed the act of attemp pied sui
eide because since coming to the United
States l got nothing but hard work.
have been bunting work in San Fran
cisco and could get none. was ON my
way to Phoenix, Ariz., where my brother
is, and | seemed to become insane. A
few days before leaving San Francisco
my head seemed to get heavy. l could
not eat much and my head seemed to be
deranged. lave been told by several
people that l was crazy. | know l have