Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-25
SUCCESS AT LAS T
Charles Henry's Second Attempt %
Commit Suicide.
HANGING TO A TREE LIMB
Searched for Death and Found It
Last Night.
THE STARTLING DISCOVERY

The body of a man, supposed to be that
of Charles Henry, printer, of 1925 New
Jersey avenue northwest, was discovered
this morning about o'clock hanging from
the lower limb of sycamore tree few
rods from the tracks of the Glen Echo
Railroad Company and about 300 yards
from the union station just outside the
District line on the Tenleytown road. When
found the body was stiff. having evidently
been dead for some hours. and 1t was per-
mitted to hang in it's original position until
after noon today.
The disco, cry was made by Lily Wood, a
Glen Echo railroad, and who was walking
place in Tenleytown. She had few bun
dies in her hand, ard the sight of the
body against the tree SO frightened her
that she dropped everything and ran away
screaming.
She notified other people of her discovery,
and in a very short time the story of the
suicide had been circulated through the
whole village of Tenleytown. Word was
Immediately sent to Mr.. Dennis Claude, the
justice of the peace for that section of
Montgomery county, Nd. In the meantime
the mounted police force of Tenleytown had
y,
proceeded to investigate. In looking
through the pockets Of the dead man he
found a pawn ticket for an overcoat given
by Heidenheimer at 1236 Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. one dollar being advanced for the coat.
The ticket was dated November "a, and on
the back of 1t in a scrawling hand, written
in lead pencil was the name c. Henry, 122o
New Jersey avenue. The inscription was
hard to read. and at first it was thought
the street was New York avenue, until a
piece of wrapping paper was found upon
which the address was written.
Found Hanging.
The body was in very lifelike position
and was hanging close to the tree. The
limb from which the rope was suspended
was less than six feet from the ground and
only about an inch and quarter in dame
ter. The unfortunate man was in an almost
standing attitude. The right leg was
slightly bent. the ball of the foot resting on
the gnarled root of the tree, while the left
foot was stretched out and within frac-
tion of an inch Of touching the grassy slope
leading from the root of the tree. The head
was thrown down upon the breast, and
from all indications death had been pain
less.
There was no sign of a struggle, and the
face of the dead man bore a perfectly
serene look. He had on pair of steel-rim-
med spectacles. and even these were in
place. He was dressed in a small cloth
frock coat Of plain pattern, vest of the
same material, both apparently new, and
a pair of black serge trousers. The crown
of the derby was dcnted in. caused evident
ly by coming in contact with the limb over
head.
Every preparation had been made for the
hanging, and the details We're perfect
that many people were of the impression
that the man did not commit the deed
himself. An ordinary clothes line was used.
about twenty yards long. 1t was bent
double. and a loop made in the middle
through which the man placed his neck.
The upper end of the rope was securely
wrapped around the tree in such manner
not to become loose. the suicide evident
ly looking after this in careful manner.
The ends of the rope reached out to near
the end Of the limb, and then dropped
Down. touching thu ground, the rope pass
ing through the left hand of the man. The
moose was tied in sort of bungling man.
ner, and came together just back of the
neck at the base of the brain. pressing the
skin up and swelling it considerably.
Seen Alive.
Nobody seemed to know anything of the
dead man, and the first that any one ever
saw of him was last evening at the union
depot above Tenleytown. The motorman
of car No. of the Georgetown and Ten
leytown railroad was positive that he car
ried the man up the line in company with
two others shortly before l o'clock yes
terday afternoon. This may have been So
but the first seen of the man was in the
evening about o'clock. He had been
drinking and to some 1t was apparent that
he had just come off spree or was en-
tering upon one. He stopped at the union
depot End had talk with Frank Shorty,
the Italian who keeps a small confection-
cry and eating stand at the place. He
spoke in a general way on poultry and hog
raising. and his talk was quite irrational.
He said that he had lived in Rockville two
years ago, but since then had moved to
Washington. He gave his age as ffty-six,
his next birthday being on inauguration
day. He was inQuisttive about the car
lines and wanted to go to Rockville. Find
ing that he could not do this he wanted to
go to Chevy Chase. and as he would have
to walk distance. according to the iii
formation given to him, he decided to go
over to Glen Echo. Storty cautioned him
about walking along the railroad tracks,
stating that n man in his condition would
be apt to fall through the trestle work and
hurt himself The man replied that he did
not care about this. By way Of parting
jest Shorty yelled to him to look out for
Eight doctors. and the reply was, with a
mixture OF profanity. that man in his con-
dition was not afraid OF night doctors
After the man passed down the track
nothing more was heard of him. This was
about . o'clock In the evening, and Just be-
fore going the man pulled out half-nint
flask containing about a pony of whisky
and threw 1t away. He shifted his pockets.
and the spectators observed that he had a
newspaper In one pocket and a small round
bundle in the other. The blaze in Washing
ton attracted the attention of the people,
and they knew nothing more of the man
until his body was discovered this morning.
The suicide was evidently premeditated,
and the ran got himself in condition tn
look neat after death The face had but
recently been shaved. and the only adorn-
ments were mustache and goatee, mixed
with gray. He had no jewelry on what
ever. The small round bundle in his mock
ct which the people at the union depot
saw contained the rope with which he
hanged Il himself and had evidently been
identity would be discovered he wrote he
address In a scrawling hand on the naner
in which the rope had been wrapped tha
writing giving the indication that the man
was either nervous or quite drunk.
No Inquest.