The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-19
SHE SOUGHT THE RIVER
Lottie Hayden With Blood
Streaming From Her Wrists
Rushes Frantically Screaming
to the River Bank.
Would Have Thrown Herself In, But
for Interference of Colored Man
Who Caught Her-Believed to
Have Been Dragged

Lottie Hayden, Is years old, the wife
of w. ]. Farris, an old soldier who keeps
a small stand at 527 North Kansas ave-
nue. became temporarily insane last eV-
ening about o'clock and attempted to
end her life. She plunged her hands
through a pane of glass in the door of
their stand, cutting the flesh and mus
cles of her wrists.
Her husband had stepped out of the
place some time previous to this. The
woman, who is rather good looking,
about 5:45 p. M began to rave People
in that vicinity heard the noise She ran
about in the little building in a delir1un
and suddenly she made dash for the
door There was a pane of glass elghl
inches wide and two feet high, and
through this she forced her arms She
continued to scream and rave. By
ISLANDERS saw her at the door, the blood
streaming from her lacerated Wrists
She then opened the door and ran as
fast as she could toward the river, which
is but a block distant. Those who saw
her were greatly alarmed at the sight
of the deranged woman She was but
a few feet from the river bank, when
colOred man, who was trying to stop
her, caught hold of her and held her.
She is small woman and slight, but
she broke away from the man and at
tempted to plunge into the river. Again
he caught her, and by this time Patrol
man GrOch had come to his assistance.
1t required the efforts of three men to
hold her until the patrol wagon arrived
She screamed and cursed in q shocking
manner. She was taken to the police
station where she was strapped to cot.
Even with this precaution it was nee
essary for four big policemen to hold
her to prevent her from taking her own
life.
20, take him awayiTIe made me drink
it, He made me drink it.'' she Shrek
ed Il married him last October. but
he has hurt me. o, take him away! He
made me drink itr
These sentences were uttered in
tone of voice denoting great fear. They
were accompanied with terrible oatns.
Her wrists had been bound up with
clothes. DR.. Sample was called in the b.
sence of City Physician Mitchell. He
dressed the wounds. In the right wrist
the main artery was severed, while in
the left the leaders We're cut in two.
The woman was given an opiate to
quiet her, and she spent the night in the
woman'S ward of the city Jail. This
morning she was removed to the Saliva
ton Army Charity hospital at Sixth
and Buchanan streets.
She lay on a cot today in a state of
mental collapse. Her eyes wandered
from one to another of those about her.
Sometimes she would catch sentence
which had been spoken and ask: What
did you say?" When it was repeated to
her she did not seem to comprehend it,
and to repeated questions she paid
attention whatever. Many times she
tried to say something and all she could
do was to move her lips. Police Mat
ron Thorpe took charge Of her. The I'M
fortunate wOman's tongue was raw,
either from her having chewed it in her
delirium, or from having taken a strong
drug
President ]. B. Billiard of the police
board, came over with the officers last
evening when Lottie Hayden was
brought to the police station He had
seen her acts and knew of her.
Il think that it was the result of an
excess of liquor or drugs said he to a
reporter.
Chief of Police Steele said: st think
she was drugged. Her husband says
that she has fits. but noticed that her
breath smelt strongly of liquor. On her
lips it looked like she had been eating
snuff. I figure out that she ate snuff
and drank whisky, or maybe something
stronger"
w J. Farris, husband of the girl-wife,
said to a reporter: She has fits.I mar
ried her last October. Yesterday she
had one of the fits and she broke a
glass with her hands. No sir, she does
not drink. If she drank anything I
| don't know it."
He was told that she had raved about
his having abused her.
II would swear before heaven that
she had nothing to drink. I never
abused her.