The herald., 1897-12-29
Mrs. Vogel's Desperate
Attempt at Suicide
SHE USED A BUTCHER KNIFE
FOUR STAB WOUNDS MADE IN
HER THROAT
Used Lau~anum Once Before, But Was
Saved-Her Injuries Not Nee i.
essarily Fatal

Wnlle Sunerlng from insanity result
ing from confinement, Mrs. Otto Vogel
made desperate and almost successful
attempt to end her life at the family
residence, Ill South Anderson street,
shortly before last midnight. The weap-
on used was sharp pointed butcher
knife and four deep stab wounds were
made in her throat, each Of them punc-
turing the windpipe and almost COM
pletely severing it. None of the larger
blood vessels were touched.
This is the second attempt to commit
suicide that Mrs. Vogel has made within
ten days, the first being by taking a
large dose of laudanum. Her husband
discovered that she had taken the opiate
almost as soon as she had swallowed 1t,
and DR.. Kurtz was hurriedly summoned.
BY the administration Of an emetic and
compelling her to walk for several hours
her life was saved. The physician told
her husband that her mind was affected
and that it would be unsafe to leave her
alone. Her mania was suicidal and she
repeatedly stated that she would take
her life whenever she had an opportun-
ity. About five weeks ago Mrs. Vogel
gave birth to a child which died at
birth. Her recovery from confinement
was slow and there was for a time dam
ger of puerperal fever. When she was
able to leave her bed she inquired for
her child and could not realize that 1t
was dead She conceived the idea that
If she took her life she would join her
child and repeatedly stated that she had
nothing to live for Her husband
watched her as closely as he could but
he was too poor to employ nurse. When
her attempt to poison herself was
thwarted he began watching her con-
stantly himself, never going out Of the
house unless there was some other per-
son there to keep up the vigil in his alb
sence. The unfortunate woman seemed
to be recovering and for the past several
days has been more cheerful than be-
fore, but the vigilence Of the husband
was not relaxed.
Last night the family retired at the
usual hour, Mr.. and Mrs. Vogel occu-
pying one room and their eight-year-old
daughter an adjoining apartment.
About 1880 Mrs. Vogel suddenly sprang
from her bed and started to leave the
room. Her husband followed and asked
where she was going. She replied that
she was going to the kitchen. He heard
her moving the small box In which the
kitchen knives were kept and fearing
that she would use one upon herself
lighted a candle and induced her to re-
turn to bed. She must have secreted the.
butcher knife in the folds Of her night
gown, for soon afterward she again
arose and passed quickly from the room.
She went to an outhouse and when her
husband followed her there as quickly
as he could he was horrified to find her
STOPPING over and stabbing at her
throat.
Blood was gushing from the wounds
she had already inflicted and when her
husband tried to disarm her she fought
him violently and made repeated efforts
to again stab herself. His cries for help
aroused his little daughter, who, when
she saw what had happened, ran to the
house Of neighbor, clad only in her
night gown. The screams of the child
aroused the neighborhood and several
men went to Mr.. VogePs assistance. Mrs.
vogel still held the knife while her hus-
band had her arms pinioned. One of
the neighbors disarmed her and SIAM
moned the patrol wagon. She was at
once taken to the receiving hospital,
where DR.. Hagan sewed up the wounds
in her throat. While he was dressing
the cuts she made repeated efforts to
tear them open with her fingers. The
wounds, while serious, are not consid-
cred necessarily fatal, and unless in
flammation supervenes 1t is thought she
will recover.