Evening star., 1898-02-02
ATTEMPTS TO END HIS LIFE
waltsr Taylor, Treasury ulsrk, 0assd By
His Daughtsfs Ahliction.


Mr.. Walter Taylor. a clerk In the Treas
ury Department, aged ffty-three, who lives
at No 400 4th street northeast, attempted
suicide by hanging about 1880 o'clock this
morning The act was committed after
his daughter, Miss Lucy Taylor, had be-
come a raving maniac and had wrecked
the contents OF the parlor. In addition to
this. the unfortunate young girl had made
an effort to kill Mrs. Husbandman, one of
her nearest friends. who had been with
her for several days. Mrs. Taylor. mother
Of the unfortunate woman. it is said, was
insane at the time Of her death. and Lucy's
sister, Miss Bertha Taylor, is now under
treatment in some institution for q men,
tai aff1iction.
Miss Lucy destroyed nearly all the pic
lures and bric-a-brac in the parlor, and
she also smashed the front parior windows
and shutters. Then she jumped out of the
window. which is only short distance
from the ground, slipped over the iron
around the corner, turning west on D
street. A short distance from the corner
OF 4th street she ascended steep en-
bankment and fell in the snow drift from
exhaustion.
The excitement was too much for the
father. who had been sick for several days,
and about the time the daughter jumped
from the window he went to the kitchen
and when found he was suspended from q
pipe near the top of the water tank, con-
nected with the range, and was uncon-
seious. He was promptly cut down and a
ing man was soon afterward taken to the
Emergency Hospital, where the doctors
worked hard to save his life This morn
ing the physicians said he had regained
CONSCIOUSNESS 1 ba
recover.
Miss Lucy was picked up from the snow
drift and was taken to her home, where
she, too, was soon under the care of ply
5ictan.
Multitude of Ills.
The loss Of his wife, followed by the af-
Fiction Of his two daughters was a heavy
burden for Mr.. Taylor's mind to carry,
and it is thought 1t drove him insane. His
daughter Lucy had suffered similar at
tack before, but 1t was believed she had
fully recovered. A week ago, however,
she was taken sick and has since shown
signs of a return of the mental disorder.
Her friend, Mrs. Husbandman, remained
with her and was very fond of her. Miss
Nellie Taylor. sister, was also constant
attendant upon the sick one. Suddenly,
last night. however, Miss Lucy lost her
mind completely and Immediately turned
against those who had been her best
friends. Mrs. Husbandman was alone in
the parlor with the sick one at the time,
and when she heard the patient talk of
killing she thought it was time for her to
procure assistance. The unfortunate girl
first began tearing at her clothing, and
Mrs. Husbandman left the parlor. Just as
she closed the door between the parlor and
the hall, heavy clock that Lucy had
taken from the mantel landed against the
other side Of the door and split the wood.
Acts of the Mnddened Girl.
Mrs. Husbandman rushed to the street
and through the window she could see the
sick girl in a nude condition, tearing pic
lures from the wall and smashing them.
Then she attacked the china and glass, and
when almost everything in the shape of
an ornament had been destroyed, she ap-
peared at the window and smashed a
large pane Of glass. in addition to tearing
away the inside shutters.
Lucy was getting too near the front of
the house for Mrs. Husbandman, and she
ran to the door of the adjoining house.
where she could not be seen by the In
sane girl and where she yacould get assist
ance. Hardly had she reached the place
designated when there was another crash,
and the nude form of the girl landed on
the snow-covered grass. In an instant she
vas over the fence and on her way across
the street.
Omcer Hayden Renders Aid.
fortunately 1OT all cOncerI eQ, POllce-
man Hayden of the ninth precinct hap
pened to come along just when he was
most needed. and he went in pursuit Of the
girl. Two neighbors, Messrs. Hall and
Meyers. had come from their houses by
this time, and they went with the officer
and were with him when the girl was
picked up out Of the snow, where she had
lain without covering or other protection.
hn
and the overcoats Of the men were put
around her and she was carried to her
fathers house and made as comfortable as
possible. The father had been unable to
sleep for almost week, and during yes
terday he had said queer things, which
aroused a fear that his mind, too, was
giving way under the strain. When he
was missed from his bed search was made
for him and he was finally found hanging
in the kitchen, as stated. His head was
about on a level with the top of the tank
and his feet we're resting against the water
basin.
Sewers the Rope.
Mr.. Meyers was called in the kitchen as
soon as the body was found, and he cut the
clothes line with his knife. Mr. Taylor had
evidently been unconscious for some time,
and efforts to restore him were of no avail.
Finally, as already stated, he was removed
to the hospital.
Friends remained in the house with Miss
Lucy, after her father had been taken
away, and Miss Nellie Taylor, her sister.
who had been prostrated by the horrible
experience, had to be cared for at the
house of a neighbor. During the remain
ing hours of the morning the patient in the
house had to be carefully guarded and q
policeman was detailed there for this pur-
pose. She was very weak, and when she
had violent attacks her attendants easily
subdued her. Today scores of friends
called at the house and volunteered their
assistance, while many others, attracted
there because of curiosity, visited the
house to see the wrecked condition of the
parlor and windows.
Taken to Asylum.
Early this morning friends of the family
made move to get the young lady in the
insane asylum, and this was started by
calling on Sanitary Officer Frank and fling
a certificate of Drs J. B. Gregg Custis and
George w. N. Custis, which reads as fol-
lows:
This is to certify that Lucy Taylor is