The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-02-21
ATTEMPTED SELF
DESTRUCTION.
II. A. Reed, Station Agent at Mar
kleton, Fires a Bullet into His
Body with Suicidal Intent.
ALLEGED SHORTAGE IN HIS ACCOUNTS
THE REASON.

egraph operator al Markleton made delib-
crate and probably fatal attempt at selfde-
siruction at seven O'Clock Monday morning,
With a revolver be had borrowed only a
few minutes before he retired to his room
in the Markleion Sauiiarium, and throwing
himself on the bed, shot bullet into his
body about an inch aud half below the
left nipple. The ball lodged under the skin
of his back where j: was afterwards discov-
cred by DR.. Marsh and removed.
Reed occ1 1pied a room on the third floor
of The Saniiarium. A few minutes after
seven O'Clock be entered the Office and as he
passed through to his room spoke in his
usual pleasant manner TO the manager, Mr..
Jordan, who wss behind the counter. Ten
minutes later a servant girl came running
10 the Office saying that she heard groans is
suing from the room occupied By Mr. Reed
and that he appeared to be in agony DR..
Marsh, the head physician of the Sanilari-
um, was summoned ffcm the break iast ia
bic and Fastening TO the room occupied by
Reed found him lying upon the bed, with a
revolver lying By his side and blood gushing
from wound in his breast He inquired
what was the matter and Reed replied that
be had shot himself and wanted 10 die.
The physician s'aunehed the aoy of blood.
When asked as to whether Reed would die
DR.. Marsh said that his wound was necessa-
rily dangerous one and would probably
prove fatal. The bullet pierced the boiy
about one inch below the heart.
No one in theSanitarium heard lhe report
Of the pistol. and it is believed that the
wOuld-be-saic.de was lying on his stomach
when he discharged the revolver.
When questioned IS to what prompted
him to commit the awful deed, Reed said
that he was short in his accounts as Station
Agent, and that he could not stand the dis
grace that would follow exposure.
The telegraph operator at Pinkerton. a
one-armed man named Stein. spent Sanday
evening with Reed in tae station house at
Markle on. During their conversation Reed
told Stein that he wasshort in his accounts
aud that he had resolved TO commit suicide
rather than faCe the disgrace exposure would
bring to himself and family His eompa1-
ion urged him not to attempt anything so
rash and volunteered to loan him enough
money to make up his deficiency to the rail
road company. Reed refused the proffered
assistance, subsequently, agreed that he
would not attempt selEdesIructiOn.
At 40 O'Clock Monday morning Reed sent
a dispatch addressed 70 his brother at Indus
try, Pa. saying Come on first train.' Then
he wrote three or four letters. One address
ed TO his brother another to an uncle aud
third to the manager Of the s -ila-inm. Ia
the letter 10 the latter he said that 4. had
determined to commit an awful deed, bai
before doing SO he desired to thank the
officers Of the Sanitarium for the many kind
nesses that had been shown him. The
letters addressed 10 his brother and uncle
were written in the same strain.
At seven 0 clock Monday morning Reed
went into the store Of Z. S. Weimer
few rods from the station, and asked
Mr.. Weimer for the loan of his revolver,
saying that Mr.. Jordan, manager of the
Sanitarium, wanted It 70 shoot a cat that
-AN- NI~A At-e e,A-S-Ao Vi bA-N CAM
tarium. Oh, tell Jordan 10 shoot it With
his gun, replied Weimer
Come on, Weimer; give me the revolver"
said Reed, coaxing.y.
Wsimer complied with The second request
and as soon Is Reed had secured the weapon
be left the store and walked leisureiy to
the Sanitarium. He chatted with NJ. Jor-
dan for few minutes in the hotel cffice
before retiring to bis room. Both Jordan
and Weimer say that they observed nothing
unusual in Reeds appearance and that he
did not seem at all depressed or low spir-
tied
The would-be suicide is about twenty
years old aud unmarried. He has been To-
Gated a; Markleton for the past eight or pine
months. Persons who know him well say
that he was never m0.ose or depressed, ard
was one Of the last persons whom they
would have ever thought would attempt
selfdestruc,ion. Reeds family reside near
Industry, Beaver county.
Il is not known how Reeds accounts with
the railroad company stand, but it is said
that his shortage amounts to about only one
hundred dollars.