Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-21
wM. ID. sHERER ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
IN CAPITOL SQUARE.
SAID He WOULD Die At 1 O'CLOCK.
Endeavorcd to Carry Out His State
ment, hut the Ball Caused Only n
ScaIp-Wound-A son-in-Lnw of Mr..
A. j. Berry.
A. j. Berry.

self in the head with a 3S-calibre Amerl-
can bulldog revolver. Had the range of
the weapon been an inch lower Mr..
Sherer would now be numbered among
the silent majority. AS it was, he is
only slightly hurt and Is at the residence
Of his father-in-law, Mr.. Andrew j.
Berry, No. 100 north Foushee street, this
city, whence he will early this morning
take his departure for the South.
The shooting caused a profound sensa-
tion about the Capitol and City Hall
buildings. Just prior TO the affair, Sherer
was in j. NJ. Campbels saloon, next
door to the corner Of Tenth and Broad
streets. and there he said that he would
die at 1 o'clock. He then walked over
under the shadow Of the Washington
monument and made what seems to have
been a bona fide. though futile effort, TO
make good his declaration.
ONLY SEVEN MINUTES TO LIVE.
Sherer had been in Mr.. CampbelPs place
for some little time before he went out
on his mission of self-destruction and
made himself friendly with the half
there. He was in cheerful mood, told
jokes, and seemed to enjoy those told
by others, related his experience on
the stage and at 1858 looked
up at the clock and In per-
fectly calm. self-possessed way, said:
Il have only seven minutes to live; l
die at 1 o'clock. All hands come up and
have a drink with me-" The young man
was well-dressed, and showed in every
feature that he was accustomed TO living
well. Those in the bar responded at
once to the Invitation TO have drink.
After moment or so Of jesting Sherer
was seen to put something in an envelope.
which he addressed, "F. A. Thomp-
son." marking it personal in the left
hand corner, and handed It over the
bar to be held until called for. He then
turned to the young man standing next
to him and said: "God-by, good luck
If don't see you again" He went out
through the rear door Of the saloon, as
he had done once before, laughing and
drawing on a pair of kid gloves.
1t was thought by those who heard
Sherer's remark that he was jesting, but
il was only few moments when a pistol
shot was heard from the direction OF
the Capital Square. 1t was reported that
some one had committed suicide at the
Washington monument, and those who
were in Campbelrs place with Sherer
thought he had attempted to carry out
his threat upon his own life.
THE YOUNG MAN RECOGNIZED.
Several persons who saw the strange
young man shoot himself rushed to the
spot when he fell, ana soon {. large
crowd had assembled.
The first persons to reach the side OF
the wounded man were Colonel John
Bell Bigger, Mr.. Sam. Bigger. and De-
tectives, Tomlinson, Hall, and Gibson.
He was Immediately raised from the
ground, and carried into the office OF
the Register of the Land Office, and
message dispatched for the ambulance.
Meanwhile. a crowd of excited people
gathered around the Registers office,
and anxious inquiry was made as 20 who
the man could be. One OF those who had
seen him in Canpbelrs said that ne
had given his name as +. A. Thompson,
and said he was an actor from Philadel-
phia.
Shortly afterward, however. he was
recognized as William y. Sherer, who
last September married Miss Ada Berry,
daughter of Mr. Andrew j. Berry, OF
this city. Mr. Berry was telephoned for
but before his arrival the ambulance
drove up in charge of Drs. Lyme and
Labenberg, the latter of whom. though
not on duty, joined his associate, and
helped to administer the proper treat
ment.
ONLY A SLIGHT WOUND.
The examination Of the physicians
soon revealed the fact that the wound
was not a serious one, unless the shock
had injured his brain, and there was no
indication of this. Had the pistol been
one of greater force the wound would,
perhaps, have been more serious. AS 1t
was. the ball tore away part
Of the sweat band to the hat,
ploughed through the flesh for
about an inch, and then passed
out through the crown Of the hat light
brown derby, which showed use more than
any other part of the young mans dress.
Sherer's head was bandaged, the wound
dressed, and he was soon perfectly ra-
tional, and almost as chatty as before he
fired the bullet.
MIR. Berry came UP while the surgeons
were at work on the patient, and recog-
nized his son-in-law HE married my
daughter, Ada, last September" said Mr..
Berry in answer TO inquiries. Where are
you going to carry himY' he asked, turn
ing to the physicians.
DIR. Labenberg. 1--WE will take him to your
house, If you say So"
mo" replied Mr.. Berry; you had bet
ter take him somewhere else. His wife Is
at my house, and is in bad health. 1t
would be bad for her to see him as he is.
NV wife is also very nervous. You had
better take him out TO the hospital"
CALLED FOR A CIGARETTE.
-, a.. cLoro,. ,.-... thoro,ohr.x xo
yiyed. and his tongue began TO run. Upon
opening his eyes and recognizing one OF
the young men with whom he had taken
q drink, he smiled at him. and, slightly
raising his hand, said: Give me a cigar
cite" which the doctor denied him. Then,
seeming oblivious of his surroundings,
he began to repeat a story of rather
uuestionably character which had been
told over in the saloon. The stretcher was
brought in and sherer was put in the am
bulance and carried to the hospital.
Mr.. Berry, accompanied by officer Hail.
then went over to Campbells saloon and
asked TO see letter that Sherer left there
lust before he attempted his life. Mr.
Berry declined to open the letter. but
asked MIR. Campbell to hold it until
further instructions were given him.
Sherer's light hat with the bullet-holes
in it, and his kid gloves were also left in
Mr.. CampbelPs care.
After Sherer had been taken into the
City Almshouse and was about TO be put
to bed he suddenly rose to his feet and
declared that ne was not going to stay
there. and that IL would be dangerous for
any one TO attempt to stop him. AS he
seemed 10 have almost fully recovered,
no one hindered his departure, and he
went out bareneaded into the storm. lie
soon surprised the family Of his father
in-law by turning up at the house again.
His condition was such that Mr.. Berry
felt that he should be placed under re-
straint. So the latter te.ephoned to the
c.,-i.f - policn's nfflca that his son -in-Iapn