Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-25
Suicide of Charles Barlow, Inmate of
Soldiers Home.
BODY DISCOVERED At AVACANrHOUSE
The Rope Imbedded in the Flesh
of the Neck.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR BURIAL

Charles Barlow, an old soldier, inmate of
the United States Soldiers Home, COM
mitted suicide last night by hanging. Bar
low, who was about sixty-seven years old
had been an inmate of the home for a long
time, and. like many others of his COM
radss, he occasionally left the institution
and lived ut boarding houses. At some of
the "speak-easies'' within the mile limit
he was particularly well known, and it is
thought that "speak-easy" liquor was what
caused him to end his life.
The old man had been stopping tempo
rarily at the house of Michael Hackett,
No. 515 Scott avenue, near the home and
last night when ne returned to the house
he was under the influence of liquor Late
ly he had seemed despondent over some
matter. probably an imaginary ill, and,
like many others, is said to have resorted
to the flowing BOWL for the purpose of
drowning his sorrow. This condition of af-
fairs had existed for some time. but so
long as his money lasted there were those
who were willing to keep him company.
As already stated. he was considerably
under the influence of liquor when he re-
turned home last light, and it was neces-
sary for some one to assist him to his bed
room AMI get him undressed Mr. Hackett
left him about o'clock. He had made him
comfortable, and supposed nothing more
would be heard of him until morning. Bar
low left his room some time during the
night. and went to a vacant house in the
heighborhood and sent himself to eternity.
Missed From His Room.
When Mr.. Hackett got up. between and
o'clock. this morning. he noticed that the
room Of his guest was without an occu-
pant, but supposed Barlow was somewhere
about the house. His continued absence
Caused
with a friend named William Mccullough.
made an investigation. On a porch in the
rear Of a vacant house in the neighborhood
they found the lifeiess body of the missing
man, suspended from a rafter. His act
was evidently not premeditated, for he had
used a piece of clothes line he had found
In the yard at the back of the house
The unfortunate man had on nothing but
DIS trousers and underShirt.s He had made
an ordinary sipknot in the rope, which
came near slipping all the way over his
head His chin rested on the rope which
had become imbedded in the flesh Just be-
nind the ears, while the knot rested on the
top Of his head.
Died of Strnngulntion.
Barlow was heavy man, ana the weight
of his body had caused him to strangle to
death His feet were resting on the floor
of the porch, and his body had been thrown
forward. The body was permitted to re-
main hanging until the police arrived,
when 1t was taken down and removed ID
the raorgue with the rope still about the
neck
The deceased had been sergeant in
Company A, 9Th United States Infantry,
and at the home very little Is known abou.
him. Coroner Carr was sent for when the
body reached the morgue, and from the
facts stated he concluded that an inquest
was not necessary. The body will be re-
turned to the home and inferred in the
National cemetery.