Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-29
CAN'T KILL HIMSELF.
William Butler Makes Many PfuItlfN
Efforts to End Bis Life.
THROAT CUT WITH PIECE OF TIN.
He Almost sewers His Head from
His body and Then Jumps from
the Train, hut VIII Recover-Pre-
vious Attempts mt Suicide.

William Butler, well-to-do hucksteP
OF Washington, who In matters OF sui
eide is undoubtedly ord-breaker, 10
an inmate Of the Old Dominion Hospital.
whittier he was taken yesterday for treat
ment for a most desperate wound, which
he inflicted on himself near Quantlco yes
terday morning.
Butler is a native OF Richmond. and his
mother, an aged lady, now resides at No.
1919 Floyd avenue. He was found along
sido the Pennsylvania tracks near GUAM
tico yesterday morning with his head
nearly severed from his body. and near
him was found a rough piece Of tin, with
which he had mutilated himself.
He was placed on the Richmond, Fred
ericksburg and Potomac train, which ar
rives here at 2:3s. and brought to Rich
mond. but on the way he made another
desperate attempt to end his life.
He had been placed in the baggage-car
at Quantico, and was made as comforta-
BILE by the train crew as possible. No par
ticular attention was being paid him by tho
baggage-master. and when the train near
ed Milford, Butler arose from his cot. ana
with what little strength he had left.
dashed past the surprised baggage-man
to the open door and leaped out. The train
was then making about thirty miles an
hour. and 1t was thought that the man
must surely have killed himself by this
jump. but such was not the case.
DIDN'T HURT HIM MUCH.
The engineer was signailed TO, and the
train was carried back to where Butler
lay. He was still conscious, and beyond
a few scratches. was practically uninjured
by the jump, though his throat was torn
open somewhat more by the Jar he sus-
tained.
He was replaced In the baggage-car. and
a strict watch was kept on him until
Richmond was reached, when he was
placed In the ambulance and carried to
the Old Dominion Hospital. Here he was
attended by DR.. ). w. Long, who ascer-
tained that he had a ragged. lacera-
ted wound In his throat five inches long
and three inches wide. The cut went
through the throat just above the larynx.
severing the epiglottis from the iarynx
and opening the pharynx.
He could not, of course. articulate, as
his lungs were cut off from his mouth
by the wound. but he made known the
fact that he was thirsty. He was gwen
water, and the doctors stood by. curious
to see how he would succeed In drink.
ing IT, Butler. however. showed them
a trick or two. He reached over, got
towel and bound IL over the wound, and
proceeded to gulp the liquid down.
Naturally. the greater portion OF II e..
capped through the towel. but some oil
it-enough. at least, to quench his thirst
trickled down Buffers throat.
NOT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT.
Buffers wound was stitched up. and
as soon as the opening was closed he
found his voice. and began talking with
those around his bedside. He laughingly
stated that he was an old hand at at
tempting suicide, but in ell his cnorts
had failed to shuttle off this mortal coil.
This statement was subsequently veri-
fed by Buffers mother. who was visited
at her home last night by Dispatch
man. She said that William was an In
dustrious fellow, and made and squan-
dered a fortune. He is married, and lives
with his wife and family in Washing
ton. and his mother says he Is a hard
drinker. Whenever he gets drunk he
imagines some one is pursuing him, and
thereupor he tries to end his life
He has cut his throat twice before; has
thrown himself In front OF railroad
train. and been mangled; has jumped
from a pier onto pie OF stones ana beeh
badly injured, and has tried TO butt his
brains out against stone wall; but from
all these he has recovered. and he is now
a strong man. Certainly. he must bd
plenteously endowed with vitality for tho
doctors say he will recover from thd
wound he now has.
HAD NOT HEARD FROM HIM.
1t is not known how Butler got TO GUAM
tico His mother has heard nothing
from his wife, and she thought her son
was In Washington. until DR. Long called
upon her and informed her OF his latest
attempt at suicide
To a Dispatch reporter the Doctor said
the case was a most remarkable one, and.
while there was no reason 10 believe that
Butler would not recover. he had cer-
tainly gone through enough to kill thricea
over an ordinary man.