Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14
A PAINFUL PREDICAMENT.

me story OF Man Who Saved n
Feiio" Man From Committing Suicide
well. would hardly be willing to say.
responded the physician to an INQUIRY
made by one of group Of listeners. that
man who committed suicide was insane,
Tor know several persons who were never
suspected of insanity before the act, nor
nave they been since, who, to my certain
knowledge. have attempted suicide One
or two cases have been public and have
got into the newspapers, but the great ma
Jority OF them are professional secrets,
and no one will ever know of them. excent
tnose rev VINO know now. That's one of
the responsibilities that a physician takes
upon himself
Il recall one instance where I saved q
man from committing suicide, and,
though he never showed the slightest
symptom of 1t afterward. am positive he
was crazy as a loon at the time of the at
tempt 1t happened about six years ago
IN western city, In hotel where 1 was
in the evening after dinner, and had played
game of chess with him in his apart-
ments the finest suite in the house He
had arrived at the hotel the day before.
alone, and had asked for the best rooms.
paying for them in advance. Then he had
asked for the house physician, and as one
result OF our acquaintance we were playing
this game of chess. We had had one CT
two mild drinks during the evening. and
after the game was finished he turned the
talk upon suicide. having soma very inter-
estfng and peculiar ideas on the subject
chief Of which was his utter aversion to
self-inurder under any circumstances what
ever. He was SO firm in his opposition that
he almost lost his temper when I yentured
the assertion that suicide might be almost
tustifiabe.
I'm the midst of this conversation he
suddenly went into the adjoining room
and returned with two revolvers, which ne
laid down on the table between US. didn't
understand what they were for, and asked
him.
"'Well, he answered in the coolest kind
of fashion, 1.-The lime has come for me to
die. and you have got to kill me- NY soul
would be damned forever II did 1t myself.
but If you do it. my blood will not be ON
my own hands. There are two reyolyers:
you take this one'-handing me one-.and
I'll take the other. AS you see they are
both loaded and in perfect condition If
you do not shoot me within a minute /
shall shoot you
He took out his watch, and, standing
five or six feet from me, he counted the
ticks and aimed his gun directly at my
head. saw by his eye that he was crazy,
and that 1 would have to obey him or pay
the penalty of disobedience with my life,
and still did not want to shoot a man,
however ! might be justified in 1t. With
this thought. l lifted the revolver, and,
taking careful aim, he watching me mar
rowly, I drew the gun square down upon
his forehead, and just as was about to
pull the trigger. threw 1t to one side and
shot for his pistol arm. My intention was
good. but was excited, and my shot only
cut through the flesh without disabling
him, and, before ! had time to move he
had fired at my heart. case of instr J.
ments in my vest pocket saved me, and the
next shot fired was more to the purpose.
and my host was dead without having
committed suicide.
II told the story to the landlord, who
was my friend and relative, exactly as 1t
occurred. but to the world at large the
story went forth that the man had COM
mitted suicide while craxed. and the fact
that he had been In an asylum was sum-
cient guarantee that I was telling the
truth"