The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-18
ALLEY CUT HIS own THROAT
Because The Woman He Loved Refused
10 Take a Walk With Him.
USED A RAZOR IN A DARK ALLEY.
DIR. Baughman Arrived Promptly ana May
saveihe Life of the Unfortunate Man.
The Police Acted Promptly-A
Mechanic by Trade

/ with these words on his lips. address
| ed to an old negro man. named Richard
/ Burke William Harvey Alley drew
! Lee, razor across his throat, and sank
10 the ground. bleeding profusely' IN
what is known as Theatre Alley, run
ming from Seventh to Eighth between
BROAD and Grace streets, about $50 o'clock
last night
Richard Burke was in his own little
room preparing to 90 to bed for. he has
IN rise betimes to go TO his work. but he
instantly opened the door Of his room'
which is I'm the rear Of PIG north Eighth
street and tried to find Mr.. Alley.
This he did, because the would-oe SUI
/ eide had often threatened, when IN ms
! cuns no take his own life, and Uncle
/ Dick had frequently watched him 10
see that no harm came to him, and sooth-
I cd him TO sleep having great influence
over the man.
"I-ncle Dick could not find him, though
| ne was only a few feet away, Tor the
alley was as dark as pitch, and so ne
ran into Eighth street and called lot
| policeman.
Sergeant G.. II. Talley, OF the Second
II.
/ from his club brought Policeman Bailey
on "A run. When they were told what
! the trouble was they instantly decided
| mat the man they sought was not iar
( of. and a groan OF despair from the
| blackness of the alley told theIa they
were right. -
\ CHASTITY WOUND
To get a lamp from the room OF IN
| Gle Dick" was a moments matter, ana
! midway in Theatre Alley they iound the
man who had tried sef-slaughter on the
! ,-round which was red with his blood,
| yelling from a ghastly wound hs ms
| throat.
Bv his side. where Il had fallen from
! his hand. was a razor. drenched in blood
| and. as the officers Of the law raised up
the man. he exclaimed against themy
| begging that they leave him to die.
4 he sergeant and policemen took him
| 10 2l0 north Eighth street Where Cncle
| Dick said he had lately lived. and MIS-.
/ Arabella Layne. who lives there. bade
| them bring him in and they laid him on
| "a sofa IN tho little dining room on the
| first floor. ,-,-.,- 49,
| Alley bled profusely and his clothes, the
! SOFA and the floor was soon red Win
| blood from the gaping cut.
Leaving Policeman Bailey 10 guatd
him. lest he make another attempt on
| his life. the sergeant quickly telephoneu
]
| minutes I'm charge Of DR.. Baughman.
| a Times man came along as Alley was
brought into the house. and despite ms
condition. he was recognized by the at
| tempted suicide and was addressed by MN
/ eat-inr.a trsf he meant to Kill himsch
I'm "a second Dr. Baughman's coat was
or and he stopped the How OF blood.
next sewing up tho wound deitly ana
quickly. the patient making no movement
'oiT roo FOND OF HER DAUGHTER.
All this time the reporter was nearing
the story Of the man In the surgeon
hands from Mrs Layne, win whom ne
had boarded AT PIG north Eighth street
She was much affected as she narrated
the incidents which led up 20 the at
tempt OF Alley 10 kill himself
"He has given me trouble, great
trouble" she said. "and my daughter mas
also suffered greatly IRON ms haDl's, a,,a ,,,s ,s
having always said he was In love WIN
her. but never respecting himself enough
10 try TO be worthy even OF her friend
ship"
been a widow for some time, and that her
daughter was named Mrs. Annie Sharp
and had been deserted by her husband.
! David r. Sharp, whose whereabouts are
unknown.
rcn. girls ElenOra. aged five. and Hester
! Belle. aged two" continued Mrs Layne
"and they live here With me- up stairs
over the little bar which | keep 20 make
a living which is hard 10 do these times.
Mr. Alley has always professed 10 be
in love with my daughter, but she has
| never encouraged him, saying that he
| was too fond OF her so fond as 70 be
foolish. and besides not having her di-
yorce yet. she could not listen TO him
Both Of us felt sorry for Alley and |
/ let him live here. and occasionally 1 let
him help in the bar. He has been known
20 as for two years, but he could not be
depended upon. and l had TO tell him
so. telling him. though. that TIL he could
get work he could stay here.
fe is a mechanic and twenty-five
years old and had worked at the Chesa-
peake and Ohio shops IN some way l
| don't know how. lately. He was very
Jealous OF my daughter. and II she spoke
to anyone. or If anyone visited her, he
would be very angry.
REFUSED TO WALK WITH HIM.
Lately he has been drinking. and
about an hour ago he came into the
| house My daughter was playing on the
| piano and he asked her 10 stop IL and
walk out with him"
ron her refusal he rushed out OF the
room and then / heard Uncle Dick call
for nolice and then you came along and
Mrs. I.ayne said that her daughter was
| upstairs with the children. and was pros
trated by the dreadful affair, declining 10
II was said by Mrs Layne that Mr..
Alleys people live in Southampton coun-
| ", Va and that they are prominent
| people but she did not know them.
| BY this time DR.. Baughman had dressed
and bandaged the throat Of Alley. and
he was quietly resting, only muttering
| once that he was sorry he did not sue
| ceed In killing himself
! Mrs. Layne said In answer TO Sergeant
| Talleys inquiry that Alley might stay
there and she would look after him. and
| she hoped IL would be a lesson 10 him 10
leave OFF drinking and forget his fancy
for her daughter.
And Alley was left there. weak and
al white from his great loss Of blood, and
al the vast crowd OF morbid people who had
al gathered IN and around the little saloon
MAY RECOVER.
Sergeant Talley took the razor 70 the
| station with him when he left the house
| and told Mrs. Layne to see that every
thing OF a dangerous nature was kept
away from Alley.
The latter said replying 10 the Ser
| geaut's questions. that he had borrowed
| The razor Saturday night from a barber
at Murphys Hotel
| often threatened 10 kill himself and the
| whole OF her household because her
| danghter did not care for him.
| The patient Will probably recover. Dr.
| psughamn said but viii carry scar
across his throat for life as the result Of
his slashing away at II
| Ally il A gOod-lOOking man. and *
! said 10 he pleasant and agreeable when
he chooses To be. lie Is about live feet
six inches high. black hair and eyes.