River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-04-20

THE advertisement in the newspaper
ran as follows: Suicides Com
mencing. should write for APP
pointment TO Mr.. Rex Blake, -, Up
pingdon Gardens. South Kensington."
Herbert Streuth, artist, received an
appointment for 2:30 on Wednesday
afternoon He called at the South Ken
sington address, and was shown into
a solidly furnished library, where
podgy little old gentleman with white
hair shook him warmly by the hand and
babe him to be seated.
Il am very pleased to see you, Mr..
streuth. and | trust that l may be of
some service to you, in fact, that we
may be of service to each other. But
| must begin by asking you plain
question. which you will answer truth
fully and in one word. Is your intended
suicide connected in any way with Sc
we're poverty or overwhelming financial
losses?'
No" said Streuth: Il am considered
believe, to be fairly well Off
"Delighted to hear it, said Mr.. Blake,
rubbing his chubby hands together.
"Now we will proceed. tell you frank
ly that with me this thing is BUSH
ness. and nothing but business. If
you decide that can serve you, | shall
expect a moderate fee. Now, what are
The principal objections TO suicide"
THE law does not permit it,, said
streuth.
Precisely, but in the case of the sue
cessful 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 it back again, or punish
YOU in any way. We can leave the law
out"
There is also the religious objec-
ton" said Streuth.
MANY very religious people" replied
Mr.. Blake, "have not found it cogent.
Take the case, by no means an uncom-
mon one. where the death of one man
may be an inestimable benefit to many
10 whom he is really sincerely attached.
Is an act of self-sacrifice to be regard
ed as a crime? No: ii seems to me that
each suicide must be judged on its own
merits. taking into consideration the
motives and beliefs of the person sui
Gliding. Any other objections?"
Il know of none" Streuth answered;
lin fact. |. have not been thinking much
about it. | want to get out of things.
| don't ask myself if there are any OBJ
iections or not l don't care if 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 of the
suicide is of essential importance. The
throat-cutting is very dirty, and the
same objection applies to the use of
firearms. Have little foresight. J n
agine what you look like afterwards,
and the state of the bedclothes, and all
the rest of it"
Il was intending" said Streuth, ito
drown myself"
Il 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 adipoeere? There
is an elegant little description of it in
this passage. Just read it,
Streuth took it and read few lines.
Il can't stand this" he said. st is too
nauseous."
Il thought you would see it in that
Eight" Mr.. Blake replied; people most
" do when ! put it to them. You real
w can't tell what a rivers going to do
to you. 1t may give you back Mt once,
or ii may keep you for a bit. Even
if it gives you back at once you don't
look pretty Here is a description of
the face of man taken out of the
Thames on"
you needn't go on with that have
given up the idea of drowning myself
There is still poison. \ little prussic
acid and the bother is all over"
Excellent" said Mr.. Blake. "If you
know the right dose you die almost i'm
mcdiately; but you've got an awful mo-
ment If you don't know the right dose
YOU have very bad time. You will be
found with your hands violently
clenched. your eyes glistening and your
Pupils dilated. and you viii shrek just
before your death. Unpleasant, isn't
it?"
well. said Streuth, "there IRE other
poisons-"
"All are open to objections. Chloral
may kill you comfortably, or make you
sick. other anaesthetics may lead to
/ your being discovered while in state
/ of Inconsistencies. but not dead, and
| the treatment they give you then is
not pretty. Many quick poisons are
] painful. very painful, and in any case
! you leave your body about after. Sc
untidy such want of neatness!
Every suicide is anxious to wipe him
self right out. to get away from public
attention. If he leaves that body about
after. people sit on ii and say that
he was temporarily insane aud one
of the jury is rude TO the coroner. and
the coroner is severe to one of the
jury, and the whole thing gets into the
papers. and the family is disgraced,
and everybody feels that the death was
( grossly inartistic
II don't know said Streuth. IF you
imagine that by telling me these
things You can deter me from the end
which / have in view. If so. pray do
not waste your time and mine any fur
Their"
2 II had no such idea. sal, :. Blake
An | wish to do is to giyg you a
chance Of committing suicide in the
( best possible way. No main. no sean
+ dal, no untidy body lying about after
I wards. 4 simple, mysterious disap-
( pearanee, your own seif-respect saved
/ and the feelings ofycnr family spared.
well, sud Streuth, what IS IL.