The record-union., 1897-11-29
A FATHERS COWARDLY ACT.
TRIES TO KILL HIMSELF BE-
CAUSE OUT OF WORK.
How Joseph Pfyffer Would Keep
His Family From Star
vation.

About Z o'clock last evening Joseph
Pfyffer, who resided with his wife ana
three small children at I'LL street.
placed the muZzle of a 44-caliber smith
& Wesson revolver IN his mouth ana
sent bullet crashing upward, IN
probably successful attempt to end MS
life
Pfyffer had been out during the after
noon with a party of friends who were
indulging in pistol practice. He re-
turned home in the evening, and after
finishing his supper walked into bed
room and placed a single cartridge IN
the large revolver always kept IN the
sleeping apartment He returned TO
the dining-room and crossing it, sat
down upon a lounge near the table
at which his wife was still sitting, not
yet having finished her supper. After
seating himself he said to his wife:
We'll, good-by!'' and Immediately
raising the revolver, placed the muzzle
In his mouth and pulled the trigger.
The ball crashed upward crushing
and splintering the frontal bone, and
coming out about two inches above the
left eye shattered a mirror hanging
above the lounge.
Pfyffer evidently realized that the
shot was not the success he had an
ticipated, and again raised the re-
volver to end the work, but as he had
placed only one cartridge in it, he low
cred the weapon.
The wouldbe suicide was taken to
the Receiving Hospital in the patrol
wagon, and on the way there told the
officers he was sorry to put them to so
fr.611 had 70 n
a better, surer job.
At the hospital Pfyffer was inter-
viewed by d Record Union reporter.
He was perfectly conscious, and an
swered all questions in a clear. rational
manner. In reply to a question as to
whether or not the shooting had been
accidental, he replied:
NO there's no use for me to tell you
a id lie about it. l intended to kill
myself, and if I had got it a little
farther back it would have been all
right.
What was 1 to do?" he continued;
''see my three children starve? I was
hungry and could not stand to see them
starve, and so l shot myself I've tried
to get work everywhere, but since April
last 1 haven't succeeded. In April I
worked for Captain Ruhstaller"
Pfyffer was attended by Assistant
City Physician Ogden, who found that
the bullet had passed through the roof
Of the mouth to the forehead, and shat
tered the frontal bone before making
It's exit. Pfyffer seemed TO understand
that there was not a chance in a thou
sand for his recovery, and gloated over
the fact. While he deplored that his
aim was not better
L know the skull is smashed" he
said to the physician. Il can feel it
give when you press it with your
fingers"
Pfyffer is about 40 years of age, and
has wife and three children, aged
respectively g, Z and 9 years. He is a
Swiss. and has resided in this city a
number Of years. At one time he con-
Quoted the 10 saloon at Ninth and K
streets, and for awhile another grog-
shop at Twelfth and 7 streets.
His inability to get work was un-
doubtedly the cause of his attempt to
end his life. DR. Ogden says that While
all the chances are against his recov-
cry, it is barely possible that the lobe
of the brain has not been injured. and
II such should prove true the man has
fighting chance. Pfyffer was quite
strong after the shooting. and walked
into the hospital from the patrol wagon.