The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-05-11
THE AGE OF SUICIDES,

THE AGE OF SUICIDES.
1t is not pleasant thing to tell I'M
pleasant truths; it is great deal easier
to float with the current and cheer all
follies and iniquities. We could increase
our temporary popularity by trying to
make the people believe that they were
prosperous, when in truth they are ru-
ined; but we should be afraid to face
our Creator with such a record behind
us.
The truth is, that despite all newspa-
per lies to the contrary, the people of
Minnesota, and especially of the Twin
Cities, are in a most deplorable condi-
ton. Property has almost ceased to
have any value. We are informed that
in the Lumber Exchange Block, the
finest Office building in Minneapolis, 60
per cent of the rooms are vacant. 1t
is, of course, much worse in the older
and less popular buildings. We showed
last week that in St. Paul lots in a
handsome part of the town had fallen
nothing.
Men will say, of course, flush! hush!
don't tell these things-you inJure the
town." But how are the people ever
to get out of their miseries if the facts
are to be suppressed, and the multitude
taught to be satisfied with these evil con-
ditions? While we are Growing and
hurrahing, property still falls, and
thousands are being driven out of their
homes, and made Migrants and paupers.
While the daily papers are claiming
great prosperity men are rushing out Of
life through the bloody gate of suicide.
Last Sunday, April 10, three persons in
Minneapolis killed themselves.
Who is there can paint the horrors Of
mind which must afflict a poor wretch
when he will escape from the evils Of
life by self murder, and face all the pos
sible penalties of another world?
The man who tells the truth about
causes and conditions is the real friend
of the people; the man who justifies
misgovernment by falsehoods, is the
enemy of the human race.
Read the following account from the
Minneapolis Times of one of these sui
cides:
The body of a man, supposed to be Tom
Flannlgan, was found in the lumber yard
adjoining the j. r. Clark box factory, on
the southwest corner of Nicollet island.
yesterday morning, with a bullet hole in
the forehead Flanagan had sat down on
the river bank with his legs in the water
and, leaning his head against friendly
post, he had placed a revolver to his fore
head and had sent his soul into eternity
A crew of boom tenders passing along the
river in boat found him sitting there
with the pistol in his lap, and they notified
the police.
Coroner Nelson had the body removed to
the county morgue. There were no papers
about the body by which to identity it.,
but sewn in one pocket was written upon
a name tag furnished by the makers of the
clothing the name: tom Flanagan
The laundry mark upon the shirt, stockings
and handkerchief also was tom F." The
police do not know who or what the man
was He is supposed to be one of the
floating population" The clothing was
bought in Chicago and bore the trademark
of Bohn & Co.
1t is thought that Flanagan first in
tended to drown himself, for his clothing
was wet to the arm pits as If he had waded
out in the water and then returned to the
bank and sat down and shot himself. He
had on a watch chain but no watch, and
the revolver found in his lap was a new
one of 3S caliber, with four loaded and
one empty cartridge Rigor mortis had
already set in and the coroner believes
Flanagan shot himself, early Saturday
evening.
The body is that of a man about AZ years
of age. The hair is dark and is tinged with
gray. The man wore a brown mustache
and a couple of days growth of beard The
clothing was dark, of good quality, but
worn. and the mans shoes were well worn.
The coroner decided that no post -mOrtem
inquest would be necessary. number of
persons called at the morgue, but no one
was found who was able to identify the
remains, although several thought the man
closely resembled man who had worked
in the -four mills some two years ago.
1t is thought that Flanagan pawned his
watch to secure money for the purchase
Of the revolver. No money or articles Of
any kind other than handkerchief. were
but is supposed to have been lost in the
river.
Observe the significant fact that not a
penny was found on the person of the
dead man; and that he had probably
pawned his watch to purchase the weap-
on with which he escaped from the DOM
ination of plutocracy. Does the God
in heaven take no note of these terrible
conditions? ~.
Then here is another suicide, the same
day in Minneapolis. Note that startling
statement, II am so hungry and tired. "
The cold waters of the Mississippi were
not 80 cold AZ the world from which he
led.
Or. Jesse L. Conner. whose home was ct
1S10 Nfcollet avenue. c6mmItt6d suicide
shortly after II o'clock yesterday morning