The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-21
TRIED FOR INSANITY
Henry Hooker'S Two Attempts
at Suicide Cause Alarm.
His STRANGE INFATUATl0N
For a Woman the CauSe--IS
Now in Jail.
His STRANGE INFATUATI0N

Henry Hooker, one Of the best known
young men about town, was tried for in
SANITY in the probate court yesterday, af-
ter having made two unsuccessful at
fempts TO commit suicide. The jury clear
ed him of the insanity charge, and Judge
Haymaker ordered him sent to the coun-
ty Jail for few days until he could get
over his peculiar SPELL His mother had
filed the information of insanity against
him, and she and some other members of
rhe family were present at the trial to
tell what they knew of his actions within
the last few days. 1t was shown that
The had Become greatly and strangely in
fatuated with a woman Of low degree
with whom he had been living. and it is
said that the cause of his wild attempts
upon his life was because Of the fact
that they had quarreIed.
The first attempt at suicide was at her
house on East English street last
Thursday night, when it is said
he took heavy dose Of morphine. Dr.
him in a fair way to recovery when he
reached the house. Friday Hooker was
seen in company with his friends and
apparently showed no sign Of the expert
ence Of the night before. He was al the
Santa Fe depot at o'clock and is said
no have borrowed 50 cents from a friend.
At that time he was in good spirits, but
late in the night it was reported that he
had made more serious attempt to take
his life by means of morphine. His
mother. learning of his strange actions,
had sent to the place on English street
and taken her son to her home on Corliss
avenue It was thought that he would
surely die this time, but the prompt and
efficient work Of the physician saved his
life.
There was read at the trial Of young
Hooker yesterday the two letters he had
prepared before taking the dose that was
supposed to rid him Of the cares of
earth. One was to his parents in which
he said that Babe" the woman with
whom he was infatuated, had not been
the cause Of his trouble. The other was
an excellently worded letter to his friends
and the public. In this letter he stated
that he was going to hell, and dwelt upon
the sins of his young life. He left the
best regards for his friends. The word
ing Of the letters sounded well to the ear
and made a great impression in the court
room.
Hooker did not show the least sign Of
insanity when Intercepted by Judge
Haymal1er. He was as genteeI in his
manner as he has ever been in his asso-
Citations among his chums and business
friends, and when asked by Judge Hay
maker why he persisted in acting the
way he did, he said: Il was just acting
the fool, guess" AT the conclusion Of
the trial Judge Haymaker gave Hooker
q good lecture, which seemed to do the
young man good. He then ordered him
haken to Jail. Mrs. Hooker was greatly
Interested in her son. She seemed to real
tze what a strange power the English
street woman had exercised over him,
and her great desire was to break the
force of that power, and then, she seem
ed to think, the young man would be
himself again. It was mostly for this
reason that he was sent to Jail. Hooker
seemed to regret his actions very much
after he got to Jail and said he was go
ing to live better life hereafter.
Babe" the woman who caused all the
trouble, is said to be a specialist in allur-
ing young men to her own way of living
She fishes for them and gets them in her
power before they have hardly realized
their danger She was arrested last night
and put in the city jail. The police think
they Will order her out Of the city.