The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-02-19


bis last call to the grim boatman seems
likely 10 attract old Charon's sullen a.
tontion. Cheeseman's persistence IN
seeking a ready exit from the stage OF
life Is consistent with the varied meth
DDS OF his lethal experiments. Some
OF his failures we're unique. notably
when he interrupted the circuit OF a
live electric wire and survived the
deadly voltage Of an alternating cir
cult Of innumerable ohms. He has
also swallowed poison and Jumped
from the promenade deck Of n Southern
Pacific serryboat. Last Saturday he
shot himself through the lungs. mar
rowly missing his heart. and the doc
tors diagnose his symptoms as fatal
Cheeseman's first attempt on his llfo
was sensational lie threw himself
from an upper-siory window In this
city. Involving himself IN two POSSIBLE
tiles OF successful suicide. he hoped
In the first instance 10 perish on the
wires Of an electric light intercepting
bis descent 10 the pavement. which he
imagined would mangle him sum.
eiently n the wire should break. Il
happened that the wire was tenacious
and Cheeaman was rescued.
His next adventure was a plunge
from a ferryboat, reckoning on the
chronic lethargy Of the Southern Pa
oihc TO achieve his purpose But Chess
man could not sink. Il ls the custom
OF the Southern Pacific officials 10 ar
rest people who jump from their ferry
boats and turn them over 10 the police.
This was the procedure on this occa-
sion. but Cheesman. while on bis way
10 the station. drew a knife from his
pocket and stabbed himself three or
four times Ia the neck. This time his
lack OF precision a. an anatomisi saved
him.
After his wounds we're dressed they
locked Cheesman IN a cell. and half
an hour later he was found hanging by
his suspenders to the grating In the
ceiling.
When he recovered his breath sun
GENTLY to explain Cheeaman said he
wanted 10 die because Enc Lambert
would not marry him.
A few months later the old craving
came upon him again and be poisoned
himself In the basement OF bis par
ents home 10 Lorln Again the doc
tors interferod. this time with the
pump. aud Cheesman came up smil.
ina once more out Of the valley OF the
I shadow
but CheeEman was stlll unsatisaed.
His desire FOR death may even be ~
garded a. inatiate A little while
after the poisoning episode be climbed
upon a windmill loiiier than those At
which his prototype Of Ia Mancha
tilted. and. probably imagining him
aeIf an airship or a thundcrhlrd. leap
ed head foremost into space Death
a. this time was inevitable. but a big
dos passed opportunely and Cheesman
landed safely on the animals back.
The object OF these evidences OF an
insane regard. thus cmphatically i'm
poriuncd. concluded about this time
that Checsman vas IN deadly earnest
and that be meant what be said when
he averred that be would not live With
out her. Consequently. on Sept %.
1892. Fr,nk ~ Checsman and Enc
Lambert were married.
In books the romance OF ne usually
ends az the altar. but In real lie Il Il
dinerent. and the Checlman tragedy
was no exception TO the rule % realism.
/ He began a new series of tragic
episodes BY trying 10 shoot his wife.
Failing 10 do - he kno,tcd a haudker-
chief about his neck and IN the pres
enco OF his wife tried 10 choke himself
70 death. Mrs Cheosman summoned
assistance and her husband made rec.
ord Of his seventh failure.
Hls wife then left him and Chees.
man came 10 san Francisco. where he
found a woman whose throat he tried
20 cut lie was arrested and sent 10
the uklah insane asylum. lie was
discharged six months later and ship.
ped on a man-oi-war, but deserted az
San Dieso and returned home.
he had a lucid interval Tor seven
months. during which he worked at
the trade Of house painter % Oak
land. he was paid on las, Saturday
nlEht and went to his home IN South
Berkeley. lie carried his suicidal ten
dency with him. and with a revolver for
the eight time attempted his lie.
Dr. Rowon was called and located tho
bullet tn Cheeseman's lung. The doc
tor says the wound Is serious.