Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-02-16
TIRED OF THE WORLD.
WEARY YOUNG MEN JOIN A
SUICIDE CLUB.
a CHASTITY Good Fellowship orgaaiIn-
tion Whose Members Are An in
Earnest--ciub Pays the Funeral Ex-
penses OF Each Crank.

There are a dozen young men living
on the edge of the New Jersey
marshes who sighed for something
more exciting in their lives than
battling with mosquitoes in an end
less warfare. II they could not have
the longed-for excitement in their
lives they were willing TO have il ont
OF their lives, even if they had to de-
part this life to obtain it.
1t was this longing for something
more stimulating than an ordinary,
prosaic departure from life that led TO
the establishment OF the New Jersey
suicide club, says the New York Jour
nal The idea was not wholly new
with the young men who were long
ing for something novel, even at the
expense of life. Robert Louis Steven
son had told the story OF his suicide
club and from all parts Of the country
Immediately came reports of other
suicide clubs, either made or discov-
cred. They were found in several
states. and even the blue-blooded
state OF Connecticut was found to be
splitting some Of its blue blood by lot
in the neighborhood OF Bridgeport.
So, wnen life palled upon one or two
Of the blase young men OF Jersey
City, they determined 10 follow the
example set by the rival state of Con-
necticut and the directions OF tho
poet-noyelist Of the South seas The
uncertainties OF life were not quite as
much Of lottery as they wanted.
and they determined to find some way
TO draw straws to see who should add
his name to the honored dead -even
if the dead were 10 be honored only
by the ones who stood together on
this queer and shaky platform.
There were some difficulties Ia the
way Of the new organization. 1t
seemed to strike the popular prejudice
rather than the popula, favor. But,
worse than all. it ran up against one
Of the laws OF New Jersey, which
made il an offeuso to couspire over
the death Of another. 1t was not
thought that a mutual agreement to
die by ones own hand. according tu
lot, could b. considered conspiracy
against life; but there we're one 81
two legal minds among those who
were seeking TO add to the lottery
aspect Of life. These legal lights pon.
dered over the matter. and then de-
I cided that because 90 the law they
could not come out into the open and
boldly announce their principles. They
were willing to face death, but when
il came TO fighting the law Is it IL adj
ministcred in New Jersey they stopped.
This was bad blow at the ambi-
/ tious organization. and it forced its
members to do PROSECUTING among its
friends without the aid OF publicity.
Il was much more difficult 10 secure
members who were willing to sacrt-
flee their lives in obscurity than Il
would have been in the fun blaze 81
newspaper glory. Few uuseltish
spirits could be found who were "a
tired Of life that they wanted to gcr
out Of this world for the quiet enter.
tainment Of their friends. A. d result
the membership grew slowly. and
even at this date. when the idea ha.
been abroad in the land for several
months, only twelve members have
been found willing to abide by an
agreement to die by lot.
Another drawback was that nf
method could be- found 10 enforce IN,
! agreement to die al the dictates of The
annual drawing. There were quite 4
number who were willing 10 join, bu'
when it came to actually obeying tho
agreement they were not 50 ready
The inability Of the club to organic
openly and TO, in some way bind il.
members was something that they
found hard to overcome.
II Is strange fact. but one of til,
principal objects Of this association
which is aiming at death. Is eating
While they all say that they are II
search Of death By their own hands
they still believe in all the gooC
things Of life that they can command
and while they arg on this troubled
earth they are going to get as mucl
melancholy satisfaction ont 81 il a
they can.
The principal event of the club
I S'Aot'aii1' - q IhpiAbAAly G1LIlGIlfi9 ant
dinner This occurs on the last da,
Of the month, the last day bein,
chosen because OF the objects 81 til,
club. 1t Is club which begins at tn,
end Of everything II must be con
fessed that the dinner. its quality
quantity and its location. is gOverne,
by the finances OF the club. II Is
club dinner. and is arranged by on,
member, who is selected at the pre-
ceding dinner This individual, VIII,
is called 1.-The Reaper Is expcctet
to care for the intellectual and gas
tronomic features of the evening
The drapings Of the table are all 4
black, and no color is allowed in an
Of The decorations. The members al
, wear black bands about their arms
and it is expected that in the future
& when the finances will permit, that
, black gown will be selected as Tn
) dinner uniform. It may even be tina
. the cafe Of death, that noted institt
ton in Paris will be copied to som
} extent in Jersey City, so that tn
? suicide club will drink from miniatur
=