The morning times., 1897-02-11
CAME To THIS CITY To DIE
William Leming Attempted Sui
eide at Hotel Raleigh.
CUT ARTERIES In HIS WRIST
The Man Is New York Merchant
and Became Despondent Over
Business Troubles-He Is in
Critical Condition From the Loss
of Blood

William Leming OF New York city,
welI-dressed man about foTty-fiye years Of
age, attempted suicide 10y seyering tile
arteries OF his left wrist with razor
about 4:3o O'Clock yesterday afternoon
at the Hotel Raleigh, where he was a
guest. He was taken to tie Emergency
Hospital, where at an early hour this
morning he was resting quietly, though in
q serious condition owing TO the great
loss Of blood.
Little is known Of the man except that
lie came in Wednesday, February B, and
registered as u. V. Langdon, New York
city He asked TO be assigned to a room
at once and was shown to No. l65, on
tie third floor.
Before repairing to his room the man
toJk out a handsome gold watch from his
Io-ket, drew a large diamond ring from
his finger, and gave them 10 MT. Owens,
one OF the clerks, together with a scarf
pin, and one or two smaller articles of
Jewelry, requesting that they be placed IN
the safe, which was Gone. Nothing was
thought OF this, as very frequently guests
deIoSit their valuables at the office for
safe keeping during the night.
Leming oomplained of being i'll, and Mr..
Tally, the manager Of the hotel, summoned
the house physician, Dr. Thomas n. Nc
Ioughlin, of No. 1926 n street north
west, as is usual when guests are sick.
The physician visited the patient in his
room, aId found that he was suffering from
al oholiSm, and left him a quantity of
medicine. He called VI on him each day
efterward.
TIE mans act ,ons Were somewhat sus-
piCious, and Frederick Kemp. one of the
CoIored bell boys, was stationed in his
room 10 administer To his wants. He re-
mained in bed the greater portion OF the
time. and did rot leave Ills room for any
length of time.
The man converSed little with the physi-
clan, and did not make the nature Of
his business in this city known.
Yesterday afternoon, about 4 o'clock, he
expressed =. wish for some fruit, but III
stead of having it sent up from the motel
lie requested the bell boy to run across
the street and purchase some for him.
When the boy left the room his patient
was seated on the bed. He was gone
about ten minutes and returned with the
fruit. Upon entering the room he found
tie man lying upon his back on the bed
with the blood squirting from an ugly
wound IN his left wrist. The bed cloth
ing. as well as the mans wearing dp-
parel, were saturated. In his right nand
was Clutched a razor with which ne had
committed the deed.
Tie lad ran down stairs and notified the
c.eTks at the desk of his discovery, and
stated that he thought the man had tried
10 commit suicide. Upon going to the room
2 hat ha, 81 -
true, and that Leming was fast bleeding
10 death. A telephone call was ut once
sent for Dr. Mclaughlin, who arrived in
4 short time. In the meanwhile everything
possible was done to savethe man'sl life, and
his wound was roughly bound up 60 stop
rs much as possible the flow of blood. He
had succeeded in innicHng deep cash IN
his wrist and had severed all the arteries.
The cut was a clean one, nearly around
The wrist and TO the bones.
Upon the arrival OF DR. Mclaughlin, he
directed that the patient be taken to the
hospital, and the Emergency Ambulance
was summoned. BY the time the would
Toe suicide had reached the hospital he was
very weak from loss OF blood, but still
Conscious. He was placed on the operat-
ing table and Surgeons Lawrence, Turner
and Hooe did everything possible for
him His left arm was strapped TO pre-
vent the further loss Of blood, and a
TRANSMISSION operation begun. At one
time il was thought that he was dying
as he could not be seen TO breathe and
his pulse failed to beat enough TO be felt.
During the TRANSMISSION he revived, and
was able to speak, and urged the physicians
20 do everything they could to save his
life When asked why he had attempted
the deed, he replied that business troubles
had caused him to DO it. Further than
that he would say nothing except, too
much business"
IL the mans pockets was found an ac-
count book containing the name of William
Lening, which was turned over to the
police. 1t is believed that he came here
and registered as Langdon for the purpose
Of committing suicide and not revealing
his identity. 4 check of $50, dated New
York city, February 2, was also found,
drawn on the Central National Bank, OF
New York, and made payable to the order
of william Lening, and signed by Ellison
4 Lenling Upon the back was indorsed
the name of William Leming, in hand
writing similar to that upon the hotel
Register About S25 in money was also
found in his pockets.
There was nothing else to lead to the
mans identity, as no papers or letters
were found among his possessions, and no
note was left containing information as
TO himself or the cause for the attempt to
end Ills life.
Lening is rather large man, wei CHING
probably $50 pounds. with a dark mus
tache tinged with gray, and partly bald.
He was well dressed, wearing plain
black suit Of clothes, and appears to be in
good circumstances
Wien seen by a reporter late last night
tile would-be suicide, believing that he
was about 10 die, admitted that his name
was william LenIing, a member Of tie
firm Of Ellison & LenIing, manufacturers
agents, in New York city. He stated that
his home was in Trenton j., where he
has a wife but no children. He was for
nerly secretary Of the Cook Pottery Com
pany OF Trenton.
The Prohibitory Law Restored