The herald., 1898-10-25
A PRISON SHAMELESS
CHASTITY SUICIDE ATTEMPTED
AT COUNTY JAIL
Bailey, the Alleged Assailant Of Little
Elsie Pratt, Fails to Effect
His Purpos,

j. w. Bailey, prisoner at the county
Jail awaiting examination on the charge OF
criminal assault on the person OF little Elsie
Pratt, attempted suicide in his bunk some
time in the early morning hours yesterday.
| So quietly was the deed attempted that
Jake Payton, colored prisoner, IN Tor
grand larceny, who occupied the bunk
above, had no knowledge of the long con-
| tinued efforts of the old man to take his
| own life there in the darkness, alone and
| desolate.
A small, well worn pocket-knife was the
| instrument by means of which the prisoner
sought relief from trouble. One blade, less
than two inches long, was stained with
blood, and the next smaller blade, tied with
a string to keep it from interfering with the
other, the spring being, worthless, was also
one side gone and the third blade broken,
was found in the bed clothes, where 1t had
fallen from the nerveless grasp OF the would
be suicide when he dropped fainting on his
bunk.
One of the wounds which he had succeed.
ed in making by long continued and painful
effort extended across his throat from ear
| to ear, second was in the left
breast, Immediately over the heart, and
| his left arm was hacked here and there in
| the tleshy inner portion above the elbow:
| From these CHASTITY seams the blood had
| flowed in rivulets, coaguating on the cloth,
ing of the bed and mattress, but no mortal
wound had been inflicted. The jugular vein
was too well protected by the muscles OF
the neck, but the determination of the old
man, as demonstrated by the ragged cut
made by no one can tell how many thrusts,
was terrible. Lying there in the darkness,
not uttering sound, though in the agony
of attempted suicide, he had hacked away.
striking wherever there seemed any hope
of accomplishing his object, regardless OF
pain and intent only on the success of his
desperate efforts.
How long he had been lying welterng in
| his blood no one can tell. The first that was
known of his attempt at self-destruction
was in the gray light Of the morning when
Peyton heard feeble call for help from
Bailey's cell. which is the second from the
west end of the north tier, in what is known
as the middle tank. Entering the cell, the
negro bent low over the miserable wretch
and asked what was wanted.
"Stoop lower gasped Bailey, 81 can't
speak loud.'
Peyton perceived that something out OF
the ordinary course of events had happened
and bent closer over the form of the poor
victim and saw that he was drenched in
posed in the dim light and the bed was seen
to be reeking with gore. The cell was wei
lillcned to the shambles Of a slaughter
house. The wonder was that the man was
! alive. considering the vital fluid he had lost
Rivulets, drying in their course, streaked
his pale features. Clotted blood appeared
in patches spattered over tho blankets and
even on the floor and walls of the cell. II
was sight well calculated to upset the
nerves of the most phlegmatic person, and
, the negro fled from the cell in panic OF
terror. Going to the latticed door h,
shouted and shook the gate, calling repeat
edly for the night watch.
i Deputy Sheriff Manahan,. who was on
1 duty, called Jailer White, and together they
4 went to the aid of Bailey.
\ Word was sent to DR.. j.. NJ. Smith of the
county hospital, who dressed the wounds
and the prisoner was removed to the lower
tank, in which quarter the ''trusties" have
their habitation.
From the nature of the wounds inflicted il
was impossible for the old man to speak
save with extreme difficulty, but he told
Jailer White that he was innocent of the
crime for which he had been arrested and
he could not endure the torture of offended
public opinion. This censure of the world
he felt was worse than death, and the relief
u contemplation. To reporter he said:
u "Why did try to kill.myself? will tel
YOU. I am innocent of this crime and can
Il not bear the disgrace. ! swear that / arr
, not guilty. My sole regret is that | have
not escaped prosecution, but must live to
face a false charge which am powerless tc
refute by direct testimony. My conscience
is clear. but I am the victim of circum
stances"
Bailey was arrested on Saturday night
October 18th, by Special Policeman Wilson
at Westlake park, where at 10 o'clock al
might he says he found the old man tampeS