The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-25
WAS A DAY OF SUICIDES
TWO MEN TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES
AND A WOMAN MAKES ATTEMPT.
One of the Unfortunates Was James c.
Wood, of AndersOn-A Col
Ored Mans Act.

Two suicides and one unsuccessful attempt
was the record for yesterday. One old col
ored man took his life by jumping from
third-story window at the City Hospital,
and a white man killed himself with NOR
phine at a saloon on South Capitol avenue.
A colored woman tried to end domestic
trouble with morphine, but was prevented
by City Dispensary physicians.
Leonard Grafford, colored man seventy
four years old, before the first of the month
lived by himself in a room at 351s Kentucky
avenue. He worked about town as janitor
until disease overcame him. Then he lay
alone in his room. The City Dispensary
physicians were notified of his condition,
and went to the old mans room to take
him to the hospital. They found him half
dead in the midst Of filth and wretched
poverty He protested fiercely against being
sent to the hospital, and 1t was only by
force that the physicians managed to get
him in the ambulance. He would rather
have waited for death in his ROOM This
was on July 3. Since then he had been un-
der treatment at the hospital. An ugly ulcer
on his leg refused to heal. Yesterday morn
ing at S:15 o'clock a nurse was with the old
man in his room the third floor The
nurse brought a glass of water preparatory
to giving him his medicine. While she was
measuring the dose he made a dash for the
open window. The nurse reached him be-
fore he could jump out of the window. She
threw her arms around him, and then be-
gan a desperate struggle. The old mans
strength was too much for her, however,
and slowly he drew himself toward the
window. One heavy lunge and he fell to the
cement walk below. When he was picked
up and examined it was found that his skull
was not fractured, though he had struck
on his forehead on the hard pavement In
half an hour he died from the nervous shock
of the fall The doctors decided he had
made the determined and successful effort
to end his life while in a fit of insanity.
ANDERSON MAN TAKES MORPHINE
James c. Wood, another unfortunate, was
connected with the Anderson Dressed Beef
Company, Of Anderson. He was fifty-five
years old. He came to this city last Thurs
day and went to the saloon of J. A. Shee-
han, at 500 South Capitol avenue. Sheehan
was an acquaintance of Woods. AT the
saloon he cashed check for $40. Men who
saw Wood afterward say that he plunged
into wild spree. At different times on
Friday and Saturday until o'clock in the
afternoon he was seen by those who knew
him. Then he disappeared. At II o'clock
yesterday morning Sheehan went into a
room above his saloon and there found
Wood dead BY his side was a box marked
Morphine Pills-h grain" The police were
notified, and the body was taken to the
city morgue and then to Blanchard's I'M
dertaking rooms. In the pockets of Wood s
clothes were found some papers, gold
watch and chain, a pocket knife and 10
cents. There was nothing to indicate why
he had killed himself. Friends in Anderson
were notified OF the death of Wood and ar
rangements were made TO ship the body TO
his home In Anderson. The following dis