The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-05
ATTEMPTED HIS OWN LIFE.
PATRICK SMITH, MAD FOR LOVE,
FIRED TWO SHOTS INTO HIS
BODY.


heart and liza Her Presence-Smith
Said Tie Tried to XIII Himself He
cause lie Loved Jane Waters ana
She Did Not Love Him-The Girl
Rendered Almost HystericaI by
the Attempted Suicide of Her Low
er-FIis Chances of Ultimate Re-
c0Very Given as About One in
Hundred.
Patrick j. Smith. young man of q
years, attempted suicide at 10 o'clock last
night by shooting himself in the breast
with a 3S-calihre revolver. The ATTEMPT
was made at the home of his sweetheart
Jane Waters. and in her presence. The
chances of his recovery are not one in a
hundred.
The girl lives with her mother. Mrs.
Ella Fielder, at No 554 Pine street Young
Smith had been visiting her for some time
and manifested for her desperate fond
ness, that knew no bounds. and would NOT
brook a rival. Recently he lost his posi-
ton at the works of the Southern Cotton
Seed Oil Company, and this. combined with
his affection for the girl, that he thought
was not properly and adequately requited
rendered him moody and Respondent For
several days he had been making repeat
ed threats to take his own life, aud seems
to have carried constantly the weapon
with which he finally did make the suicidal
attempt
Last night he came TO see the girl and
with her was sitting on the steps of the
house, leading into the yard at the rear.
He talked gloomily and complained to her
that he could not live longer, stating that
he had lost his position and her love and
that there was nothing in life that render
ed il pleasant. He continued in this strain
for some time. while Jane. with affection
ate words and endearments, endeavored to
Danish the contemplation of the rash de-
sign from his mind.
With a last goodby he drew the revolver
from his pocket and told the girl he would
kill himself then and there. She hung
about his neck and tried TO wrest the
weapon from his grasp. In the struggle
a pane of glass in the window near'whieh
they had been sitting was broken and a
chair overturned The strength of the
man was too much for that of the girl and
throwing her aside, he sprang out into
the yard, and, placing the weapon against
his breast, fired twice. The first shot
penetrated and pierced the shoulder above
the claVicle; the second entered the left
breast just above the heart, and lodged in
the lung. Smith fell to the ground and
the girl ran shrieking into the house aud
to the door, where she continued her loud
calls for assistance.
Patrolman j. A Woods was in the vicin-
ity at the time the shots were fired and
heard both reports. He hastened to the
door of the house from which they seemed
to proceed and saw Jane Waters stand
ing in the doorway. She told him that a
man had killed himself in the yard and
the policeman rushed through the hall
way and to the spot where the shooting
had been done. He found Smith lying
upon the ground, with two bullet holes in
his body, and the revolver resting near
his hand. whence IL had fallen. He was
conscious, and though he was not able 10
speak, indicated by motions that he had
shot himself and that he alone was to
blame
Hurried calls were made for physician,
and Dr.. Sullivan responded. SoCAl after
wards DR.. George M. Norton came up and
took charge of the case. Under the minis
tratons of the physicians and the effects
of an injection of strychnine, admins
tered by DR.. Norton, Smith rallied and
was able to give some intelligent account
of the manner in which he had attempted
his own life. He said that he had shot
himself for love of the girl, and because
she did not love him. He called her 10 his
side, and in answer to her questions told
this, but would tell nothing else. He lay
then, and until he was removed in the
ambulance to the home of his father, on
the ground, where he had fallen, with
only a pillow under his head TO render
him comfortable. The boy was gasping
for breath and presented pitiabe sight.
The revolver with which the attempt at
suicide was made Is a cheap affair of the
bulldog pattern and of nasty aspect. 1t
is of SS-caliber and answered but too
well the purpose to which it was put.
II was taken charge of by Patroman
Woods, and will be kept for a time at
least by the police.
Under the direction of the physicians.
the police ambulance was called and in
il Smith was removed to the home of his
ia Their, William Smith, at $50 William
street. Here his wounds were dressed and
a system of artificial drainage establish
ed for the wound in the lung. 1t was
not possible to extract the ball as probing
would have resulted inevitably in the
death of the patient DR.. Norton could
give but slight hope of the lads recov-
cry, though he stated that there remained
a chance In a hundred Of his pulling
through.
The case combines all the elements of the
romantic. Smiths unfortunate attach
ment and his apparently unwarranted be-
lief that IL was not returned led TO the
attempt al sef-destruction, The immedi-
ate surroundings. the glare of lanterns in
the yard, the crowd of curious onlooSers,
the almost hysterical girl and, the central
figures of the picture the boy lying pale
and bleeding in the midst of ALL would
furnish theme for the pen Of the novel
list. And yet 1t Is by no means uncom-
mon episode in the lower walks of life
and when stripped of the garb of ro-
nance Is futile and prosaic enough. Only
the element of sadness fingers still.
IN THE RAILROAD WORLD.