Evening star., 1898-08-17
WOUNDS WERE NOT FATAL
Miss Blackford Regarded by Physicians as
Certain of Recovery.
The Young Lady Fired Two Shots in
the Effort to Commit
Suicide.

Miss Lucy Landon Blackford, the young
lady who attempted suicide by shooting
herself near Chevy Chase Circle yesterday
is not SO dangerously wounded as was at
first supposed. When DIR. ]. Ford Thomp-
son reached Garfield Hospital and exam
lned the wounds of the patient he soon
found that vital spot had been touched
by either bullet. There were only two
shots fred, and not three, as was at first
supposed. Both bullets were easily ex-
tr&cted. and the patient is doing remark
ably well.
The experience of Miss Blackford yes
terday is described as terrible one.
" cighted down with the cares of life she
believed she could endure the struggle no
lo1ger and concluded that death was her
only remedy. She is the youngest of three
sisters. One is married, and lives at Rap
idan, Va, while another, who is an invalid,
lives in Alexandria
Miss Landon as her friends knew her,
remained al her fathers home on Q street,
Georgetown, and kept house for him. AS
stated in yesterdays Star, she graduated
from the Normal School last spring and
had been assigned to duty as a teacher, her
appointment TO take enect next month. Be-
ing desirous of earning her own living and
rendering assistance to others, the young
lady applied Tor a position as clerk under
connection with the bond issue Her apph
cation was tavorably received, and 1t was
her ntCntion to remain in this service until
the opening OF the school year. She had
drawn half months pay Monday. The
succeeding Gay she entertained company AT
her home III Georgetown. Sne had q large
circle of friends. with whom she had al
ways been feVorlte.
Father Noticed u Change.
There was nothing in her conduct at that
time to indicate that she was Respondent
or that she contemplated Il rash act. Until
yesterday morning her father had not no.
ticed any change in her demeanor, but
then ne observed that she seemed Il little
despondeHt
Sne partook sparngly of breakfast, and
later got on a street car and came over to
the office. Her father accompanied her.
She went to the ofTlce, whicn is in the new
post Office building, and alter being there
for about an hour she told Mr.. K. F. Heck,
in charge of her section, that she felt i'll
and was going home. He readily assented
to her request and would have sent one OF
the other clerks with her, but she preferred
to go alone, 1t was after leaving the office
that she bought Il little 22-catiber revolver
and box of cartridges and started out 10
find q lonely spot where she might end ner
existence.
From Chevy Chase circle she walked
north as far as Kirk street and then turn
ed west. From the end OF the street she
woods and there, where there was nobody
to interrupt her, She placed the muzzle of
the little weapon to the back of her head
and pulled the trigger, hoping the leaden
missile would pierce vital organ. Instead
of penetrating the brain the bullet found d
resting place between the scalp and the
skull. When she had recovered from the
shock of the first, second bullet from the
weapon was sent, as she supposed, in the
direction or her heart. This bullet, it was
at first thought, had entered the abdominal
cavity, but, as already stated, it struck a
rib and glanced off, only to be imbedded in
the flesh.
Became Disheartened.
Her failure this time disheartened the
young lady, and she made an effort to get
back to the road. Her clothing had been
disarranged and the blood on her head,
hands and clothing made her a sad-looking
object. When she reached the neighbor-
hood of the house of DR.. ]. Dudley Morgan,
jr-, she fell on the parking. Mrs. Morgan,
who found her there, had her taken in the
house. While DR.. Ray was on his way to
the house from Tenleytown Miss Blackford
was we'll cared for by Mrs. Morgan, who
washed and bandaged the wounds. All this
time Miss Blackford was perfectly con-
scious. and she thanked those about her
for their kindness Once again she desired
to end her life and requested that she be
given dose of chloroform.
Justice of the Peace Claud. who is also
postmaster dl OltNy IHaSe, also rendered
assistance. 1t was through his efforts that
a special car was secured, in which the
young lady was brought to 18th and l.
streets. where DR.. Morgan in waiting
with the police ambulance. Her father
Mr.. B. Lewis Biackfcrd and his partner
General Robinson, were also there The
former, who was very much overcome with
grief, entered the car and kissed his beiov-
ed one as she lay there on the seat, weak
and pale from loss of blood. A few minutes
later the patient was in the hospital and
Ut. Thompson soon extracted the bullets
MISS Biackford will probably remain in the
hospital for several days