Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-07
Richard CHASER Committed Suicide
Early This Morning.
was DESPONDENf FROM DRINK
Made a Previous Attempt on His
Life.
HIS WIFE IN FO r M E D

Richard Glaeser, young white man. the
proprietor of a little saloon at 1926 14th
street, shot and killed himself instantly this
morning shortly after o'clock. 1t would be
hard to find a stronger moral for a temper
ance lecture than the story of the last year
and the ending of Glaeser's life. Just be-
fore he killed himself he started letter to
his wife. This is as far as he had gone when
he decided to fire the shot:
Tuesday, January Z,
washington, DC.
Dear Vic:
"Give all the blame to the business we
went into unadvisedly.
MY affections to you were of a sincere
nature
The business that he went into unad-
visedly was that Of salconkeeper. 1t was
a fairly prosperous one in other ways, but
in 1t he contracted the liquor habit, and 1t
was while in a state of utter dependency
after night of heavy drinking that he de-
ctded to end his existence.
Glaeser's wife, with whom he is said to
have been on the best Of terms, was in Bal
timore on a visit Last night when he went
upstairs to his bed room over the saloon he
was in bad condition from too much liquor.
That he was very drunk was shown by the
appearance of his room today. The window
glass and some of the pieces of furniture in
the room were broken, and when he came
downstairs this morning he complained that
the gas had been escaping full head all
right If this was so, the open window re-
moved all signs of 1t and probably was the
only thing that kept him from being asphyx-
lated. When he entered the saloon a little
before o'clock this morning he said to his
barkeeper:
Charlie. who put me to bed last night?
Whoever it was he did not make a very good
job of II, for when woke up found had
teen sleeping in all my clothes. Now feel
rocky and L wish you would mix me a
bracer."
The barIteeper mixed him cocktail, and
en- top of that Glaeser took a hot whisky,
but the barkeeper made the second drink
very light, as he thought the boss had had
enough Charlie" said he, you've always
been a good friend of mine and 1 wish you
would do me a favor. I want you to write
to say.
The Fatal Deed.
Getting paper and a pen, the barkeeper.
NJ. L. r. Miller by name started to act as
amanuensis. He IVES standing behind the
bar, with Glaeser in front. He was lean
ing over at his work, and did not notice
GIaese- as the latter took a pistol from his
pocket The unfortunate man put the muz-
z,e of the revolver in his mouth and pulled
the trigger without another word. He fell
back, with his feet against the bar and his
held touching the opposite wall. for the
place Is rather a narrow one. There he lay
in a pool of blood until after the coroner
had completed his investigation, several
hours later. Death must have been in
stantaDeous, for he did not move or utter
a sound after falling.
Glaeser was not quite thirty-three years
of age. He was a native of Germany, and
came to this city with his father when he
was boy of three years. As young man
he lived N Baltimore, where he was en-
ployed in a jewelry establishment on Bal
timore street He was married in that city
in 1886, and shortly afterward came to this
city again. securing employment with 9TH
street jeweler. Last June he bought the
saloon on 14th street, and had managed 1t
since. According to remarks made to
friends recently, he dated his troubles from
the time he went into the business, for he
soon became rather hard drinker. He
was granted a new license yesterday, but
evidently planned to quit the business, for
the license was to have been transferred
today to 7. F. Whalen.
The dead mans wife was telegraphed for
this morning. and his father was soon on
the scene. The coroner decided that an in
quest was not necessary, as 1t was clear
case of suicide. Two other men were in
the saloon at the time, and their stories
agreed with that of the barkeeper.
A Previous Attempt.
A couple of months ago Glaeser tried to
commit suicide, but his efforts were frus-
trated. He was drinking with some friends
at the bar, and was somewhat under the
influence Of liquor. $3.50.
Boys" he said, this is my last night
on earth, so you had better make the best
of it, It's rear closing time, and when the
clock strikes II it will mark the end of
me. You may think I'm fooling, but I'm
in dead earnest, SO let's have another
drink"
They did think he was joking, and no
attention was paid to him when he went
into little hack room, which is separated
from the par by couple Of heavy por-
there's. One of the men happened to glance
that way just In time to see the gleam of
a revolver, and, rushing back, with a cry
TO the others. disarmed the wouId-be sui
eide. They led him into the bar. He
caught sight of a big bread knife in cor
ner of the room and managed to get hold
of that. and it was only by sheer force that
he was prevented from cutting his throat.
When the excitement had cooled down q
bit and he was left alone for moment he
took a penknife from his pocket and tried
to sever his jugular vein. In this again he
was unsuccessful, and he was at once
turned over to the police. who kept him In
custody until his suicidal mania had had
time to cool down. Since then he had not
spoken of his intention to kill himself and
no motive for his suicide Is known oth.r