The Portland daily press., 1895-12-14
CUT HIS THoAr.
How George F. Ambridge Used His
Razor

But With a Nerveless Hand-EIeven
Stitches Taken-Probably Insane.
| George 7. Ambridge is an Englishman,
45 years old. who came to Portland
twenty-three years ago, and has been in
the employ of G. NJ Rice & Company for
ten years. He formerly lived at Washing
ton street, when his wife was alive but
she died last spring and he has been
boarding at Mrs. Tilly's at 10 Wilmot
street.
| Yesterday morning when boy of the
house came to Ambridge's room at 80
o'clock with some hot water, he found
the latter in bed with the clothes pulled
up around his head. He said that he was
sick and wanted to have doctor. The
boy went down and told Mrs. lilly. She
came up and Ambridge repeated his state
ment, but in such strange way that she
pulled the clothing away from his head
and found that they were stained with
blood. She could get nothing out of
Ambridge but that he was sick and
wanted doctor. DR.. Bradford was sent
for. He found that Ambridge had out his
throat with razor from ear to ear But
the hand that welded the razor was lack
ing in nerve and the cut was not deep
enough to sever the either windpipe or
jugular vein. DR.. Bradf ord sewed up the
woHnd and took eleven stitches.
The police station was informed of the
affair and Deputies Sterling and Hartnett
went over. Dr. Pudor, the city physician
was summoned and declared that he be-
lieved the man unbalanced in mind.
Ambridge was taken to the Greedy
hospital. When asked why he cut his
throat he said that he didn't know. He
had been i'll for a week. His head and
back had ached and he had been SO
nervous that he hadn't slept for several
nights. He also said that he was dis
couraged. Asked if he hadn't good job
and good pay, he replied in the affirma-
tive.
Mr.. Rice was very much astonished at
Ambridge's effort on his life and knew
Of no sufficient reason for it. He was
we'll liked and valued by his employers
and fellow employees.
Previous to his wife's death last spring,
little girl about twelve years old,
daughter of his wife's sister, had been
living in his family. At the death of his
wife. Ambridgs desired to get rid of the
child. having no affection for or interest
in it. The ohild's mother came to her
sisters funeral. She was a Portland
woman, but had been away for some
years. She came down on the Boston
boat and got drunk SO early that she was
taken before the court that morning and
sent to Jail. She was not considered fit
person to take care of her child, and so
tho little girl was sent to the Industrial
school.
Whether these circumstances and his
wife's death had any thing to do with
Ambridge's attempt ON his life is of
course problematical. His record was
! somewhat Investigated by the police last
spring and nothing found that was not
creditable to him.
When found in bed he had bled a good
deal, and the back of his shirt was
sopping wet. His injury is not very
serious, however,, and he will dou btless
recover. He said that he cut his throat
at O'Clock. He had bled one hour and a
half before the boy found him. Though
usually cheerful and fun loving man, 1t
has been noticed lately that he was
melancholy. He has been respondent at
times since he lost his wife.
Thursday afternoon he did not go to
work though he left his boarding house
at noon and did not return till CLOCK,