The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-17
ARSON AND SUICIDE
ii. S. CRIPPEN, WHILE INSANE, Al
TEMPTS BOTH AT HIS ROSE
MOUNT HOME.
NEITHER WAS SUCCESSFUL,
AND THE UNFORTUNATE MAN WAS
SENT TO ROCHESTER, HOS
PITAL YESTERDAY.
NEITHER WAS SUCCESSFUL,
THE FAMILY WAS TERRORIzED,
The Sick Man Threatening to EX-
terminate the Entire Household,
But Spared Them.

Herbert S. Crippen, proprietor of the
H. s. Crippen & Co., trunk factory and
retail trunk store at $50 Wabasha
street, in a fit of insanity, fired his
home near Rosemount, Sunday even
ing, terrorized his family, and attempt
ed to kill himself by cutting two ugly
gashes in his throat with a razor.
Each act of the insane man proved
futile, and yesterday he was removed
to the Rochester asylum.
For some years it is said that Mr..
Crippen has been suffering from men
tai alteration, and on another Occas-
ion he is said to have tried to shoot
his wife. Sunday his insanity assumed
a violent form and he threatened the
determination of his entire family,
consisting of his wife, eight-year-old
daughter, and a sister-in-laW residing
at his Rosemount home. The women
were terrified by his actions and feared
every moment the insane man would
carry into effect his wildly avoWed
purpose. Finally the unfortunate man
suddenly ceased threatening the mem
bers of the family and rushed to the
bath room, on the second floor of the
house. Here he piled a lot of loose
papers in a corner and set them on
fire. The flames leaped toward the
ceiling and the smell of smoke soon
induced Mrs. Crippen and her sister to
make an investigation. Discovering
the fire in the bath room, over which
Mr.. Crippen stood guard, they at
cd To Itch
were set upon by the maniac. Selling
a lighted lamp Mr.. Crippen hurled it
at his wife and rushed upon his sister
in-laW, whom he struck a number Of
hard blows with his clinched fists. The
lamp aimed at Mrs. Crippen missed
it's mark, and when her sister sue
ceeded in getting away from her en-
ragged relative, both endeavored to eN-
tinguish the fire. Just as they sue
ceeded in smothering the blaze the ar-
flicted man drew a razor from his
pocket and wildly slashed his throat.
Twice he drew the sharp blade across
the flesh, when Mrs. Crippen courage
ously sought to disarm him. In the
struggle which followed she managed
to get possession of the razor without
injury to herself, but nothing could he
done for the would-be suicide. He
wildly refused to allow any one to APP
proach him, and it was feared he would
bleed to death. Word was ent to Rose
mount, however, and DR.. Nemminger
quickly hurried to the Crippen home.
He found the unfortunate man bleed
ing prOfusely from cash on either
side of his throat. but could not i'll
duce him to accept medical assistance.
BY strategic means, however, the ply
sician managed to get the afflicted
merchant under the influence of an
opiate and was thus enabled to dress
the wounds. Afterward Mr. Crippen
was kept under the influence of drugs
until arrangements were made to Sc
cure his removal to Rochester.
Lynch on Trial Again.
James Lynch is ON trial for the second time
on the indictment charging him with hold
ing up W. J. Booth on the Rice street bridge
last June. On the first trial the jury disa-
greed.