The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1898-08-27
A PAINFUL PREDICAMENT.

A PAINFUL PREDICAMENT.
Story of a Man Who Saved a Fellow Mar
From Suicide.
"Well, I would hardly be willing
to say" responded the physician to
an inquiry made by one of a group
of listeners, ''that man who COM
mitted suicide was insane, for I
know several persons who were new
er suspected of insanity before the
act, nor have they been since, who,
to my certain knowledge, have at
tempted suicide. One or two cases
have been public and have gotinto
the newspapers, but the great ma
jority of them are professional Sc
crets, and no one will ever know of
them except those few who know
now. That's one of the responsible.
ties that a physician takes upon
himself.
II recall one instance where l
saved a man from committing sui
eide, and, though he never showed
the slightest symptom Of it after
ward, am positive he was crazy as
a loon at the time Of the attempt. It
happened about six years ago in
western city, in hotel where was
the resident physician. had met
the man in the evening after dinner
and had played game of chess with
him in his apartments, the finest
suit in the house. He had arrived
at the hotel the day before alone
and had asked for the best rooms,
paying for them in advance. Then
he had asked for the house physi-
clan, and as one result of our &C.
quaintance we were playing this
game of chess. We had had one or
two mild drinks during the evening,
and after the game was finished he
turned the talk upon suicide, having
some very interesting and peculiar
ideas on the subject, chief of which
was his utter aversion to self MUIR
der under any circumstances what
ever. He was so firm in his opposi-
ton that he almost lost his temper
when ventured the assertion that
suicide might be almost justifable.
''In the midst of this conversation
he suddenly went into the adjoining
room and returned with two revolv-
ers, which he laid down on the ta-
BILE between us. I didn't understand
what they were for and asked him.
"'Well, he answered in the cool
est kind of fashion, the time has
come for me to die, and you have
got to kill me. My soul would be
damned forever if did it myself,
but if you do it my bloodwi not be
on my own hands. There are two
revolve1s. You take this one:-
handing me one-'and I'll take the
other. AS you see, they are both
loaded and in perfect condition. #
you do not shoot me within min
ute, shall shoot you.
HE took out his watch, and,
standing five or six feet from me, he
counted tie ticks and aimed his gun
directly at my head. saw by his
eye that he was crazy and that I
would have to obey him or pay the
penalty of disobedience with my life,
and still I did not want to shoot a
man, however I might be justified
in it. With this thought lifted the
revolver, and, taking careful aim,
he watching me narrowly, I drew
the gun square down upon his fore
head, and just as I was about to pull
the trigger threw it to one side and
shot for his pistol arm. My inten-
ton was good, but was excited,
and my shot only cut through the
flesh without disabling him, and be-
fore had time to move he had fired
at my heart. A case Of instruments
in my vest pocket saved me, and
the next shot I fred was more to
the purpose, and my host was dead
without having committed suicide.
F