The Red Cloud chief., 1897-02-19

empteu TO Terry
the Styx and only
his last call to the grim boatman seems
likely to attract old Charon's sullen at
tention. 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 were 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 a Southern
Pacific ferryboat. Last Saturday he
shot himself through the lungs, nar-
rowly missing his heart. and the doc
tors diagnose his symptoms as fatal.
Cheeseman's first attempt on his life
was sensational. He threw himself
from an upper-story window in this
city. involving himself in two POSSIBLE
tiles of successful suicide. He hoped
In the first instance to perish on the
wires OF an electric light intercepting
his descent to the pavement, which he
imagined would mangle him sufR-
GENTLY IL the wire should break. 1t
happened that the wire was tenacious
and Cheesman was rescued.
His next adventure was a plunge
from a ferryboat. reckoning on the
chronic lethargy of the Southern Pa
cifc to achieve his purpose. But Chess
man could not sink. 1t Is the custom
Of the Southern Pacific officials to ar
rest people who jump from their ferry
boats and turn them over to the police.
This was the procedure on this occa-
sion, but Cheesman. while on his way
y the station, drew a knife from his
pocket and stabbed himself three or
four times In the neck. This time his
him.
After his wounds were dressed they
locked Cheesman in a cell. and half
IN hour later he was found hanging by
his suspenders to the grating in the
ceiling.
When he recovered his breath suffi-
GENTLY to explain Cheesman said he
wanted to die because Ellie Lambert
would not marry him.
A few months later the old craving
came upon him again and he poisoned
himself In the basement Of his par
ents' home in Lorin. Again the doc
tors interfered. this time with the
ing once more out of the valley of the
shadow.
But Cheesman was still unsatisfied.
His desire for death may even be re-
garded as insatiate. A little while
after the poisoning episode he climbed
upon a windmill loftier than those at
which his prototype Of La Mancha
tilted, and, probably imagining him
self an airship or a thunderbird, leap
ed head foremost into space. Death
at this time was inevitable. but a big
dog passed opportunity and Cheesman
landed safely ON the animals back.
The object Of these evidences of an
%portuned. concluded about this time
that Cheesman was in deadly earnest
and that he mean what he said when
he averred that he would o live with
out her. Consequently, on Sept. %,
1892, Frank II. Cheesman and Efie
Lambert we're married.
In books the omance of life usually
ends at the altar, but in real life 1t is
different, and the Cheesman tragedy
was no exception to the rule of realism.
He began a new series of tragic
episodes by trying to shoot his wife.
Failing to do so he knotted a handker-
chief about his neck and in the pres
ence OF his wife tried to choke himself
to death. Mrs. Cheesman summoned
assistance and her husband made rec
ord Of his seventh failure.
His wife then left him and Chees-
man came to San Francisco, where he
found q woman whose throat he tried
to cut. He was arrested and sent tc
the Ukiah insane asylum. He was
discharged six months later and ship
ped on a man-of-war, but deserted al
San Diego and returned home.
He had a lucid interval for sever
months, during which he worked a
the trade of house painter in Oak
land. He was paid Off last Saturday
night and went to his home In South
Berkeley. He carried his suicidal ten
dency with him, and with a revolver fol
the eight time, attempted his life
DR.. Rowell was called and located thu
bullet in Cheeseman's lung. The doc
Cor a y the wound Is serious.