The evening times., 1897-05-28
TOOK PARIS GREEN AND DIED
Suicide of Mr.. Jesse Sherwood
at South BrOOkland.
HAD BEEN DEPRESSED In MIND
He Told His Wife of His Intention.
When She Tried to Prevent Him
He Seized Knife and Threatened
to Kill Her-Expired Before She
Could Sumnsrs Help.

Three suicides md tfIruu attempts ut
sci r-destructton isO the record for the
District Of Columbia during the past four
days. These direfnl Stats tics caused
Coroner Hammett to remark this morn
ing that the suicide swaye which was re
Gently central over New York city had
moved sGuthward and was now lowering
over Was hington-
TIE latest suicide was that Of Mr.. Jesse
Sherwood, wealthy gentleman farmer,
about fifty-five years Of age, who ended
his life about 3 O'Clock last evening by
swallowing a big dose of paris green d t
his home on the Brentwood road, in the
outskirts OF South Brookland.
Nr ShCI wood was a man Of convv vial
habits, and yesterday about noon lie came 10
this city and met "a number OF friends
At first lie appeared to be in a j0viaI
frame Of mind, laughing and Joking with
his companions, but later in the day be-
came depressed ana complained of feeling
i'll.
1t was presumably while under this do
preston that he conceived the purpose Of
IN tie afternoon he was noro>e and talked
to his wife atout Committing suicide
Mrs. Sherwood did not AT first pay much
attention u his threats Of Self-destruc-
ton. as On three previous occasions, while
similarly depressed, he had made the same
kind Of threats, without attempting TO
put them into execution.
This time. however, Mr. Sherwood proved
to be in carnestand his wife was horrifi"d
Il few minutes before 3 o'clock when he
entered her room carrying a package OF
paris green in one hand and a tumber
half filled with water in the other.
II am going to end nay misery he said,
by taking this poison
Mrs Sherwood, greatly alarmed, sprang
forward ana knocked the parcel Of poison
from his hand. his appeared TO enrage
the husband, and an eNC'ing scene fol-
lowed He seized sharp knife at the
same time picking up the package OF
paris green from the floor
Then. turning toward Mrs Sherwood.
he defied her To make another attempt to
prevent him from swallowing the deadly
stuff. threatening TO use the knife on her
il she did
The badly frightened wife uttered sev-
eral riercing screams for assistance, but
before other members of the family
reached the room. Mr. Sherw God had
placed the poison in he glass and quickly
swallowed the contents
In a few moments he fell to the floor
writing i'll agony. a messenger was
dispatched for nr street, hat when he
reached tie room Mr Sherwnod was dead
Coroner Hammett was tplnDhoupl fpr
and reached the Sherwood home about q
O'Clock last evening. After viewing the
remains and listening to the story Of the
tragedy. as told by Mrs. Sherwood ne
gave the usual suicide certificate, his
opinion being that Mr. SHERWOOD was
temporarily insane when he committed tile
deed
Deceased was connected with an OLD AMI
historic Virginia family. hut had resirled
IN the District about twenty years, p-in-
Cipally on his South BToOkland farm, which
comprises about forty acres of the most
fertile land in that section Of the country.
He is rrputcd to be quite wealthy and
has kept up in his picturesque home many
Of the quaint <ustous and arrangements
NJ tie old-time Virginia aanors His
farm is one Of the most picturesque in the
District and lis friends always met with
a hospitahle reception when they called
upon him.
MI Sherwood was magnificent spec-
men Of Southern manhood, well educated
and talented A widow. three grown
sons, well known in this city. and daugh
ter, survive him Arrangements for the
funeral ale in progress this afternoon