The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-23
CHARLES l.. GUsTAFsON FOUND
HANGING IN A BARN AT HIS
HOME
WAS DISCOVERED IN TIME.
TO PREVENT HIM FROM DYING
OF CHARACTERIZATION, AS HE
DESIRED.
HOWEVER, MAY BE FATAL
Young Man Has Been an Invalid All
His Life, Which Prompted p
This Action.

Charles L. Gustafson, twenty four
years old and residing with his par
ents at 654 East Cook street, attempted
suicide yesterday afternoon at 1:3O
o'clock, and was only saved from
strangling to death by the prompt aid
rendered by his mother
Gustafson has been an invalid all
his life, and for the last three years
mas not been regularly engaged at any
employment. While at times seeming
ly In the best Of health, he would sud
denly be taken with severe pains In
his head. and for days would be unable
to get any sleep. He has been under
the care of physicians almost con-
stantly. but without relief. On Tues
day he grew much worse. and his
father took him for a drive and in
cldentally had DIR. Powell make an .ex-.
animation of the young man. All
tuesday night young Gustafson was in
half de1irious condition, and, required
constant attention. Yesterday morn
ing he seemed much better, and. after
being out driving with his father. came
nome about noon and told the family
that he would try and get a little
sleep. His father left the house at 1
O'Clock, and the son, as soon as his
Iather mad gone, went to the barn.
MIS-. Gustafson followed her son in "a
Few moments, and, not seeing him on
the Hrst floor, started up stairs to the
nay loft. She was Mortified to find that
the trap door had been nailed from the
inside, and at once surmised that her
son had taken this precaution soa that
ne might not be disturbed. Knowing
his mental condition. she was SIRE
that he contemplated suicide and for
moment she was completely prostrat-
ca. recovering, she climbed to the
nay loft through small hole in the.
floor which is used to throw hay down
to the horse, and found her son hang
Ing to wire which he had fixed to
the roof of the barn. Gustafson evil.
IDENTIFY intended there should be no mis-.
4 take about his successful exit. and
the TACT that he had nailed down the
door to the loft was evidence that he.
did not propose to have any one rescue
him. He had nailed a stout piece of
wire to the roof of the barn. made a
slip moose in the end. and then, put
ting his head into the loop. mounted
a,trunk and swung off into space. His
mother, when she had clambered into
the loft, grasped her son by the legs
and lifted his body so that the wire
which was strangling him was zoos
ened. She called to her sister, who
happened to be visiting at the house,
to run for help, and In a. few moments
"a number of the neighbors arrived,
and, breaking open the door to the
loft. assisted in cutting the would-be
suicide down and applying restoratives.
!. ,Drs. Robflliard and Sohlberg+. were
called, and Gustafson removed to the
house. There was not much that the
physicians could do except to apply re
storatiyes and give the patient an
1opfate.
a Last evening Gustafson was report
ed IN a critical condition, with = the
chances against his recovery. The wire
with which he had attempted to stran-
gle himself had cut into his neck SO
deep that his throat was almost
swelled shut To add to this eonges-
ton of the lungs set in, and DR.. Rob-
iIliard, who visited the house at mid
night, said there was little hopes of the
young mans recovery.