The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
FARJBOu'S LIFE
WILL Be SAVED
The Concord "Sun" Ed
itor Fails to Kill
Himself.
His Attempt at Suicide Be-
lieved to Have Been Due
to Loneliness.
Mourned Constantly for His Chill.
dren, Who Had Gone From Him
Into the World.

CONCORD, CAL, July 29.-Solomon
Farjeon, editor of the Concord Sun and q
brother of the eminent English novelist,
B. L. Farjeon, who last Saturday morn
ing sent a bullet crashing through his
head in hopes that 1t would end his days
OF life, which he says are useless to him.
self, to those he loves and 10 the world, is
slowly improving. The bullet, instead of
tearing through the tissues of the brain
as was intended, pierced the lobe of the
right ear, ranged downward and fractured
the lower jaw in exit. The wounded
mans daughter, who is nurse, is attend
Ing her father tenderly and skilltully. If
her prophecy proves true her father will
still live many happy years-years much
happier than those which have passed
and left behind their sting OF i'll fortune
and sorrow.
The cause of the editors attempt at self
des truction is matter which greatly
mystifies the residents of Concord. All
kinds of rumors are going the rounds, but
those who are in position to know the
motive which prompted the act remain as
silent as the stars Some say poverty was
the cause, but this theory is dissipated
by the fact that the wounded man has
done exceedingly well in his business dur
ing the past year, and month ago ar
ranged for the purchase OF property in or
around Concord. The most generally
accepted opinion is that the old man was
lonely with no one to cheer him in his
declining years and decided to die rather
than exist longer in desolation.
His daughter, who is now nursing him,
and his son both went out into the world
some time ago to build up fortunes for
themselves. and he was left alone. He
worried greatly after their departure and
it is said, began to act peculiarly. 1t is
thought that he finally became at times
mentally unbalanced, and that he was in
that condition of mind when he shot him.
self.
The shooting was, for this little city, an
exciting affair and created no end of COM
ment. 1t occurred in the dark hours of
the morning. At 8 o'clock E. r. Ransom,
who is mployed as compositor on the
Sun, entered his office ana found the fol-
lowing letter on his desk:
Ransom: Inclosed find S3 So Take 90
cents OF 1t, and at 8 o'clock go to Randall s
store and send the following telephone mes
sage to Miss Irene Farleon, telephone East
498, San Francisco: "Your father died this
morning." Then go to Mahoney & Ivey's
stables and tell Mahoney to hitch up q team
and send to the ranch of Andrew Gehrfnger,
in and take charge of the house till his sister
arrives, and pay Mahoney 81 for sending the
team. The balance, So, is for yourself. Then
tell Clarke Jaquith OF the blacksmith-shop
near Lambert's that 1 want the Foresters TO
bury me. L have just simply shot myself.
Sleeplessness and neglect have made me think
l em of no use TO others or myself. Keep the
Office and house locked up till BERTHE comes.
Te II him there is letter Tor him OH my table
in his room. We settled up last till April 9.
since which time you have had $5S 10 for
three and one-half months. Your friend,
S. FARJEoN.
AS soon as Ransom finished reading the
letter he hurried from his office in search
OF Constable George Weidman and DIR.
Neff. He found them both and they re-
turned to the house and broke in the
door, which was locked and bolted. Far
ieon was found in semi conscious con-
ditlon on his bed, drenched from head to
foot with his own blood. DR.. Neff made
q thorough examination OF the wound
and found that the bullet had plowed its
wav out and an operation was not neces-
sary. He dressed the wound and then,
according to the injured mans instruc-
tions, informed his children of their
fathers act. They hurried home and he
is now under their care.