The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
READY TO DIE At
SIXTEEN YEARS.
Lansing Fuller Makes a
Desperate Attempt on
His Life.
PIQUED AT A SISTER.
Took Poison Because She Re.
fused to Work a Day
for Him.
HID HIMSELF IN A CLOSET.
The Desperate Youth Tries to Insure
the Drugs Work Being Not
Interrupted.
HID HIMSELF IN A CLOSET

Lansing Fuller, lad who has not yet
seen his seventeenth year, aggrieved at
what he considered unkind treatment or
the part of his sister and suffering from a
severe headache, made an attempt to end
his troubles yesterday afternoon.
1t was a desperate effort and was carried
out with cold nerve that the suicide sell
dom displays There was no swallowing
of poison and then hurriedly announcing
the TACT to friends and relatives that they
might haste for physician ana stom-
ach pump.
This youthful victim of melancholia
quietly wrote q note of farewell, then
swallowed something, the character of
which has not yet been discovered, and
sought quiet nook where there was little
chance of discovery until the drug had
taken effect.
Young Fuller has resided with his
mother at GA Bush street for the past two
months. For q much longer period he
has been employed as an office-boy in the
publishing establishment of the Town
Talk, conducted by S. B. Carleton. He
has been known as an industrious and
manly little fellow, and, save in moments
when the severe headaches to which he
was subject were upon him, he was IS
blithe and gay as most boys of 16.
Yesterday morning Lansing went to his
work as usual. Before going, however, he
complained of a severe headache. and
begged his sister to take his place at the
Office. The sister, little thinking how
much in earnest the boy was, refused his
request, and without much ado Lansing
went to his daily task.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon he re-
turned to his home.
What, you here?" said his mother in
some surprise, for Lansing was not due for
two hours.
eyes, mother" he replied; ''my head
hurt so l couldn't stand it any longer.
Then ne muttered something to the effect
that he would not be around there much
more, but his mother knowing he was
piqued athis sisters action in the morn
ing paid lit.le attention to him. The boy
sat down by table and commenced
writing. His mother left the room and he
was not seen for an hour.
About 5 o'clock Mrs. Curtis, the proprie-
tor of the house where the Fullers reside,
had occasion to open the door to closet
adjoining the room where Lansing slept.
Curled up on an improvised bed she saw
the lad, and believing ne was sleeping she
attem pted to wake him. 1t was in vain.
Then she opened a window to obtain more
light and was Mortified to observe the
pallor of death on the boys face.
Frightened as she was she had the pres
ence of mind to hurry for medical assist
ance. DIR. Mouser was summoned and by
energetic and skillful work restored the
lad to consciousness. The work of counter
acting the drug was seriously hampered
by the fact thai 1t was not Known lust
what the boy had taken. The lad vigor-
ously denied that he had taken anything.
MY head was hurting so I couldn't stand
it, }" he declared on being restored. $50
Just laid down where it was quiet and
went TO Sleep
The effect of the boys statement was
nulli6ed by a note which Lansing left.
This was evidently the paper he was seen
to write just before his attempt at suicide.
In it he declared himself tired of living.
The folks" were unkind to him, he de-
clared, and he wanted to get out of the
way.
The effects of the drug resembled those
OF laudanum though DR.. Mouser could not
state that that was what the boy had
taken. His friends are inclined to excuse
the lads rash act by the statement that
the severe headaches to which he was SUBJ
lect made him temporarily insane, or at
least caused him to suffer so severely that
it was almost impossible for him to control
himself.