The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-05
ATTEMPT At SUICIDE.
SAMUEL FIxkELSTEIN TRIES To
END HIS LIFE WITH A PISTOL.
The Pistol Fired So Close to His
Temple That His Face Was Pow
der-Burned. and Only the shaki-
ness of an unnerved Hand saved
Him-Lack of Employ the
Cause.

4 mysterious attempt az Suicide came 70
light last evening through an inves SsgatioIl
as 10 the meaning Of A pistol slot on Fist
avenue south, near the Old box fa2tery. IL
appears that a young man named Samuel
F.nkssstet2, who has been working Tor
jacob Berkm2H & Co. al the corner az
Washington street and Occidental avenue.
purchased q cheap revolver with the small
sum left IN his possession ami siose away
from MS friends 10 put an end 10 his ex-
is1ence. He walked along First avenue
south in 4 respondent and dlscouso.aie
manner until he came % the old box fac
tory, nearly opposite Aoran's. AS Z drawn
by some irresistible impulse. he walked
around the building until DC came 10 an
old shed. This ne entered and a moment
later pressed his revolver 10 his tempe
and fred The shaking OF his hard and
the jump Of the gun saved his Ife. and ne
stood trembling Ike leaf. but ready 10
fire another shot when the kindly Yet
wondering face OF an old man appeared 4.
the doorway.
Finkles,ein clutched the revolver and.
trembling from head 70 fcSt, spoke as fol-
lows:
For Gods sake. take this pistol from
NE"
Charles Waters. OF Al MADISON street,
for that vas his name. sprang forward as
If divsRing What had taken place. and took
The pistol. carefully placing it in his own
coat pocket.
Il hope you have not used 1t on your
SELF said Waters, in a tone tinged with
sympathy.
The young man seemed completely I'M
neTyed and without deigning TO speak he
pointed al his feet, where lay a black
fedora hat.
Waters picked it up. and in the round
hole he found through the bTim read the
story or an unsuccessful attempt to end
life.
The presence OF the Old man seemed TO
qAiet the young fellow and he almost un-
consciously walked from the shed and up
the street some distance. Suddenly he
stopped short. and in a determined voice
said:
Give ne back that pistol"
Waters demonstrated with him. but he
appeared determined 10 have the gun. Wa
tiers realized that he was not strong
enough 10 engage in a hand-io-hand en-
counter with his younger companion, and
was playing for time when he saw Police
man Moore coming toward them.
Waters put one hand back OF him, and
commenced waving wildly.
Il wonder what is the trouble With the
old gentleman" thought Moore as he
walked over 10 where the couple stood.
Waters lost no time in giving him Fin
kelstein's pistol. and explaining the case.
Il think in justice to the young man. as
we'll as myself | should do this" said Wa
tiers.
Finklestein made no objections TO going
with the policeman 10 headquarters. He
did not want TO talk much. but said that
he had been out of work for seven months,
ahiI ne obtained position al J. Berk-
man :. and that he was laid off las. Satur-
day night He intimated that he could
not bear the return Of his long siege Of
hard luck. The officer said that his fore
head vas powder-burned. but that he was
not wounded. more than scratch He
was shaky. however. At police headquar-
tiers the officials forgot 10 make any note
or Finkiestein's name, his arrival or de-
parture.
X was learned. however. by a Pos.-In-
ielligencer reporter that some OF F1nkle-
STEMS friends took him away, ostensibly
to place him in Providence hospital A
reporter went 10 the hospital and inquired
II a young man had been taken there in
the afternoon. The books were consulted.
but there was no clue 10 The would-be sui
eide. The sisters said that It was evident
he had not come. Inquiry was then made
at the Seattle General hospital No such
man had been taken there. y trip was
then made 10 the residence OF Paul Berk-
man. on fesler way. near South Eleventh
street He was away. His brother Jacob
Berkraan. Who lives al 201 South Twelfth
street, was out of town. and Mrs Bers-
man "as greatly surprised to hear mat
the young man who had been working in
the store had attempted suicide. She said
his name was Samuel Finklestein. AMI
that il vas true liz came from Tacoma
about three weeks ago When she was
asked II 10 was true tina. Finklestein had
been laid OF" Saturday night, a Young
man At ma house responded: "Ycs 81 Il
true, he vas let out SATURDAY."