The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-05-10
Strauth.

"Preciaely, but in the case of the
successful suicide the law Is not asked,
1t says that you may not take your life
away but if you do it cannot compel
you to take 1t back again on punish You
in any way We can leave the law ont. "
"Thero is also the religious ohjee-
ton, said Streuth.
MANY very religious people, " replied
Mr. Blake, "have not found II cogent.
Take tho case, by no means an uncom-
mon one, where the death of one man
may be an inestimable benefit to many
to when he is really sincerely attached.
Is an act Of self sacrifice to be regarded
as a crime2 No; it seems TO Inc that
each suicide must be judged on its own
merits, taking into consideration the
motives and beliefs of tho person suicid-
ing. Any other opinionsT'
al know none, Streuth answered.
lin fact. | have not been thinking
much about 1t. / want to get cut Of
things. / don't ask myself if there are
any objections or not. don't care II
there are any objections. +"
"You surprise me, said Mr.. Blake.
"You are an artist, and yet it has not
occurred to You that the manner CT the
suicide il of essential importance. The
throat cutting is very dirty, and the
same objection applies TO the use OF
firearms. Have little foresight Imag
inc what you look like afterward, and
the state of the bedclothes, and all the
rest Of 1t. -
81 was intending, said Streuth. "to
drown myself
~ have here, said Mr.. Blake. "a
little work ON forensic medicine. There
are some interesting chapters ON the
signs by which You can tell the length
of time the body has been in the water.
Did You ever hear of adipocere? There
is an elegant little description of it in
this passage. Just read it. y
Streuth took it and read few lines.
81 can't stand this. he said; sit is too
nauseous. -
81 thought you would see it in that
light, Mr.. Blake replied. people
mostly do when put it TO them. You
really can't tell what rivers going to
do to you. 1t may give you back at
once, or it may keep you for a bit.
Even il it gives you back at once you
don't look pretty. Here's description
Of the face of man taken ont Of the
Thames on
You needn't go on with that. /
have given up the idea of drowning
myself. There is still poison A little
prussic acid and the bother is all over. 4"
Excellent, said Mr. Blake. eff you
know the right dose. you die almost
Immediately. But you've got an awful
moment. IL you don't know the right
dose, you have very bad time. You
will be found with your hands violently
clinched, your eyes glistening and your
pupils dilated, and you will shrek just
before your death Unpleasant. isn't
itf"
"Well. =" said streuth, 'there are
other poisons.
sAll are open to objections. Chloral
may kill you comfortably or make you
sick. Other apmsthetics may lead to
your being discovered while in state
of unconsciousness. but not dead, and
the treatment they give you then is not
pretty. Many quick poisons are pain
ful, very painful. and in any case you
leave yonr body about after SO untidy
such want Of neatnessl Every sui
eide Is anxious to wipe himself right
out, to get away from public attention
If he leaves that body about after. peo-
PIE sit on it and say that be was TEN
porarily insane. and one Of the jury is
rude to the coroner. and the coroner il
severe to one Of the jury, and the whole
thing gets into the papers and the fam
lily Is disgraced. and everybody feels
that the death was grossly inartistie, "