The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-07
Mr.. TROTTER'S DESPoNDENCY,
Wife Dragged Him from in Front of a
Car.

The wife OF L. M. Trotter, living at No
800 Dorman street, reported to the police at
s o'clock yesterday morning that her hus-
band had attempted to kill himself. and
asked that they confine him at the police
station. Patrolmen Mackessy and Naughton
arrested Trotter at his home and locked
him in the police station on the charge of in
sanity A commission will investigate his
case tbs morning. Mrs Trotter told the
police that her husband had told one of his
stepchildren yesterday morning that he
would never see 1t again and babe the child
goodbye. The child ran to it's mother and
told her what the husband had said. and
Mrs. TrOtter hurried out of the house and
traced her husband to the corner of Michigan
and Noble streets. There she saw h m
standing on the street-rairoad track. A car.
its gong changing loudly, was coming a short
distance away. The woman caught her hus-
band by the arm and dragged him off the
track. He went home with her, but she
feared he would again try to kill himself,
and she called in the police
When Trotter was searched at the police
station piece Of wrapping paper was found
In his pocket, on which he had written a
letter to his children, who live in Johnson
county He began the letter Thursday morn
ing and added to it yesterday morning, just
before according to his wifes story he al
tempted to kill himself The tone OF the LET
ter is an index to the condition of Trotter's
mlnd the expression of his face and his
speech. 1t IS apparent in reading the letter
mat between the time ne wrote the part of it
dated Thursday and the part written vester-
day morning TrOtter's melancholia grew
much more intense. The letter is as follows
Dear Children will try to write n line
and hope it will find you all well. / hoDed
TO hear from you to-day, but | have re-
NlT IL
| am so desperate l don't know what will
happen. l have been having a. desperate
une Tor TWO days. | am nearly crazy; l
can't eat or sleep. have got my orders to
take my clothes and leave She threatened
to scald me and to cut my throat and knock
my brains out with a picket / don't know
what to do until hear from YOU. If if
were not for you children I'd put myself out
of the way mighty quick. My health is fall
Please let me hear at once. Love to all
Friday Morning
Dear Children-We have been having the
worst racket we have ever had / expect I
viii be in Jail or in hospital before you get
this l am desperate haven't eaten any
thing for two days and have only drunk
two cups OF coffee. I have been driven out
and am waiting for the consequences.
Ny mind is nearly gone. Please write at
once and tell me if you have written be-
fore this week. Direct to the general deliv-
cry God bless all. Goodbye From your
hedrt-broken and life-crushed father
When questioned yesterday about the
statements in the letter Mrs. Trotter de-
MED that she had ever treated her husband
badly He had been acting strangely for a
long time, she said.
Trotter gave no evidence at the police sta
ton yesterday that he was more than i'll
and respondent He acted like man who
had been stricken with the greatest of griefs.
When asked If his first wife were dead he
answered.
"Yes,. and my second, too. have been
married three tines
Did your present wife ever threaten to
kin you?"
Yes. and we have had trouble"
why don't you cheer up2 All that is the
matter with you IS that You have been brood
ing too much over your troubles"
yes. / know, but / suffer SO with my
head" and he pressed his hands to his tani-
pies. II don't know what they put ma IN
here for. was just going 20 work this
morning when i was arrested Il
Then he buried his face In his hands and
seemed not 20 hear further questions.