The herald., 1896-03-26
BENT ON SELF.DES1RUCT|ON
AN AGED GERMAN DROwNS HIMSELF IN
A POND
Tried Once Before to Commit Suicide
at the Same spot-Singular Cunning
OF Demented Man to Deceive His
Friend and Attain His End

Away out on First street. beyond the city
limits, there yesterday morning at o'clock
occurred startling and tragic suicide, in
which an old and partially demented man
took his life in the presence of his friend
who attempted to prevent the commission
of the deed.
About month ago William Mertens, a
man about 20 years of age. was sent to Los
Angeles by his relatives in Iutan, Neb.,
for his health. 1t appears that the old
gentleman was somewhat demented and |,
was thought that the climate of this section
would tend to cure him both in body and
mind. He was stopping with wealthy
rancher named Herman Newman, who re-
sides at Prospect Park. Newman has been
in the habit of driving into the city two or
three times . week, bringing Mertens with
him.
Near the end of the Temple street dunn
my line is large pond of water, which ac-
cumulates by seepage from the reservoir
at the Los Feliz ranch and the natural shed
from the mountains. The lake is some
200 feet wide and 500 long, and has a
depth of from six to fifteen feet. On the
First street side there is a steep embank-
ment, running sharply down to the waters
edge. A few days since, while coming in
20 town with Newman, Mertens sprang
from the buggy and attempted to throw
himself into the pond, but was prevented
from so doing. Since this display OF sui
cidal mania Mertens had been carefully
watched, but seemed to have completely
gotten over it.
Newman was again on his way city.ward
with Mertens yesterday morning, and had
reached the same spot, when the latter
told his friend that he had dropped his
spectacles from the buggy, and asked that
the team be stopped so that he could re-
cover them. AS Mertens had seemed in
buoyant spirits and was in apparently
good health, Newman had no suspicion OF
another attempt on his life. Mertens got
out and retraced his way about fifty feet
along the road looking for his glasses, but
only as means of deception, being really
endeavoring to ascertain where the water
was deepest.
Newman had meantime become appre-
hensive for his friend and got out and fol-
lowed him. OF a sudden Mertens made a
rush for the bank down to the water. New
man was at hand and grasped the dement,
ed mans coat collar, but he slipped out OF
the garment and sprang into the lake. He
sank at once and did not reappear. Stupe-
fled by the suddenness of the action New
man did not at once give the alarm. Tue
steepness of the bank also rendered assist.
ance difficult. even had the victim appeared
again after he once sank.
L. f. Mersch, who was some distance
away, had seen the whole proceeding, and
at once came to Newman's assistance.
The water was fully eight feet deep at the
point and nearly half an hour elapsed be-
fore they were able to drag it from the
water. Word was sent to the city and the
coroner was soon OIL the scene. The body
was taken to the undertaking rooms of
Kregolo 4 Bresee, where an inquest was
held in the afternoon. A verdict in accord
ance with the facts as above stated was
rendered.
Mertens was we'll preserved man for his
age, and was we'll off in this world goods.
He wore clothes Of fine finish and texture
and fine uudergarments. When he made
the previous attempt at self destruction
brother in the east was notified and started
out here to take care cf Mertens. He is
due to arrive in the city today, only to find
his brother cold in death. IT is probably
owing to the watchfulness of Newman that
Mertens has not before this found means
of putting an end to his existence.