The evening world., 1894-09-21
SHOT HIMSELF HOURS BEFORE
A Physician Had Looked at His
Wound and Pronounced It
O Trivial One
TURNED IN THE STREET TO DIE.
Taken In by Another Woman and
Finally Sent to Bellevue
Hospital.

William Ripley, an actor, who be-
longs to Terre Haute Ind, but who. for
some time has occupied apartments in
the clearinghouse 261 West Thirty-sev-
enth street is lying in precarious con-
dition in Bellevue Hospital.
He Is suffering from pistol shot In
the head self-infiicted.
The physicians at the hospital regard
Ripleys case as one of the most re-
markable on record, for the reason that
the man has lived over thirty-six hours
with a heavy calibre bullet in his head.
Further that while he must have been
suffering untold agony, he was able to
wak e y and ea keep the
he was able even to conceal the fact
| that the bullet was in his head, from
az least one physician to whom he APP
The boarding house at 26l West Thirty
seventh street Is run by Mrs. Mo-
iSe ma, Ripley had nS been stopping there
went up to his room on Wednesday
evening, there was nothing unusual in
his demeanor to attract attention.
1t was about midnight, and nearly
| all the other boarders were In bed. she
| says, when she heard the sound OF two
pistol shots. fired about ten seconds
| floors. She thought that II came from
| Ripleys room. but was too much fright
s sns,, to make either an cutlery or in,
|
| up in her own room and awaited de-
velopments
They came next morning, when shortly
down the stairs. His face was covered
with blood and bandages. and his cloth
Ing was blood-stained. She evidently
| feared for the reputation OF her boarding
| house, as she at once ordered Ripley from
| the place. He was scarcely able to walk
then, but he staggered out into the street.
1t is not very difficult to trace the
| movements than
half an hour later he called at the
oftice Of DR.. Sullivan. at 266 West Thirty
had attempted suicide. He told Instead
a rambling story. He had evidently been
drinking heavily,( ind Dr., Sullivan d.
vous prostration, The physician also
noticed the wound In his head. but took
had fallen. An the time. however. the
bullet was in the actors head.
o.i He left the phSysisian,s office; and at 9
but she Mrs again refused
aganL
One block away from the house he
a boarder at Mrs. McKenna's. Seeing
that Ripley was injured and suffering.
she stopped him and asked him the cause
| OF the trouble. He said that Mrs. Nc
Kenna would not let him return TO the
house, and he wanted to lie down some
Miss o'Brien led him aroud to 2os
| West Thirty eighth street, where she
was known, and Ripley was given q
room. Even then, however. the fact OF
the attempted suicide and the mans
actual condition was not known.
| His appearance, however, started a lot
OF gossip. which in time reached the
ears OF Detectives Waitzfelder and
Brown. who began an investigation:
They called at DIR. Sullvan's office, and
then to Mrs. ,McKenna; They, found the
room which Ripley had occupied like
slaughter house" as they describe 1t.
when they had got through with their
facts acts' guarded. Then they called at 2os
West Thrty-eighth street and found
Ripley lying on his bed in a semi-eon-
been in his head at least twenty-five
hours.
Hastily ringing up an ambulance, the
m ar ,b was ars .ak fie RpIeYs real Condition
was ascertalned.
What convinced the detective that the
actor had really, attempted suicide was
the discovery OF this note in his room
at Mrs. McKenna's:
To Father and Mother:
There is no one to blame, am simply tlred
d. Claim y, WILL
Al noon to-day Ripley was still alive.
ance company he had taken out policy.
The police, will try and communicates
| with his relatives.
Mrs. Burt, who keeps the house 200
West Thirty-eighth street, when seen
to-day said that shortly after o'clock
last night Miss O'Brien was at her
house, and told her that Ripley probably
received his injuries in a fight, and she
wanted him kept quiet for day or two.
Then Miss OBrien started for DR.. Sulli-
vans office.
utes, she said, when Ripley got up and
wanted to go TO the Casino, where no
said he was engaged He did go out.
but she sent after him, and brought him
| back
after treating the man said he would
be all right. The physician again took
his departure and Ripley went out on
the stoop and for an hour or so sang
1.-TWO Little Girls in Blue"
Mrs. OBrien called at the Thirty
eighth street house again this morning
and was surprised TO hear OF Rlpley's
His relatives are said to be wealthy
and OF an old family.
Will Ole.