The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-29
TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF.


WIZ ueuporalely StaDDe0 TO Qeatn MS
fellow prisoner, John Showers, and who
was recently convicted of murder in the
| first degree and ordered to appear be-
fore Superior Judge Hughes at 9 O'Clock
yesterday morning for sentence, did
not appear as ordered.
Instead, when the hour arrived, MUIR
derer Pullman was stretched out in
a barber chair in the large room of the
County Jail, with Drs. Wizard and Hart
above him, taking up arteries and sew
ing up great gash-self inflicted
which extended from his left ear to
the windpipe.
| Pullman had taken advantage of the
chance for which he had waited, and
/ attempted to pass into the great be-
yond by a route other than the hang
mans.
| On Friday last Pullman was ar
raigned for sentence, but was given un-
til yesterday on his plea that he had
statement to make TO the Court which
| would take an hour to deliver, and
which he was at that time too Ill to
make.
After granting the delay Judge
| Hughes was inclined to believe that
Pullman was only playing for time
in order to find an opportunity to de-
stroy himself The Judge so informed
the Sheriff's officers and suggested that
a close watch be kept upon the con-
victed murderer.
| Before appearing in Court it is the
rule to give prisoners a clean shave,
! but owing to a misunderstanding of
1 the hour set for Puttman's sentence,
the Deputy Sheriff in charge had no
time to summon the regular prison bar
Der. Instead Ed (alias Peggy Daw-
son, who is a constitutional vag, and
who has spent most of the time for the
last half dozen years in jail, was or
dered to shave Pullman so as to make
him presentable in Court.
The week before, when Pullman was
being shaved, he paved the way for his
attempt at suicide yesterday. He cau-
toned the barber to be careful not to
i cut him, as he would rather be hanged
than have his throat cut.
So it happened that Pullman was
/ allowed to take his seat in the bar
ber's chair yesterday morning with his
| hands free-an unusual proceeding in
the case Of a convicted murderer.
Dawson, who is occasionally rung in
to shave prisoners, proceeded to his
work and Day Jailer Hilbert went to
the office adjoining the Jail. From this
point the story told by Peggy" Daw-
son to Record Union reporter fills
| in the gap.
81 was shaving down the side of his
face" said Dawson, land when I got
to his chin he reached up to his neck,
saying, I'll tuck thdz apron down out
of the way He fumbled with the
apron for a minute, his fingers within
| a few inches of mine, and then quicker
than flash he jerked the razor from
my hand.
II made grab for the razor, but
Pullman raised up in the chair and
swung the blade at me, saying. Get
back, - YOU
Il saw it was all off and starting to-
ward the Office yelled for George (IIil-
hertz. Pullman walked back to the
small mirror hanging against the wall,
and raising his head slashed his throat.
think he made three or four slashes.
by that time George HilberD came
in, and Pullman turned from the glass
and tossed the razor to him, saying
| Come on, won't hurt YOU
Such was the story told by Peggy
Dawson, and while he seemed to be sin
| cere in his statement there are those
who believe he deliberately gave Putt
man the razor.
! Pullman evidently made only single
slash with the razor. The wound was
smooth and even and extended from
the ear to a point under the middle of
the chin. It was deep, but it was not
deep enough. The jugular vein was
laid bare so that the pulse beats could
be counted, but it was not severed.
And doctor was hard to find. The
Assistant County Physician could not
be located, but finally DR.. Wizard was
met by one Of the Deputy Sheriffs, and
attended Pullman. He examined the
wound and stopped the flow Of blood
from the minor arteries which were sew
cred. A half hour later DR.. Hart was
called in, and between them they tied
the arteries and stitched up the wound,
and while the wound was severe, it was
not serious.
When the physicians stripped Putt
man they found that he had already
made a feeble attempt to suicide. A
small cut was found on the inside of
the right elbow, two on the inside of
the left elbow, and a rather severe cash
across his left wrist.
! Putnam said he had made the
wounds the night before with a piece
of glass, but after that statement he
shut UP like a clam, and would say
no more. A search of his cell revealed
nothing If he used a piece Of glass
he had hidden or thrown it away
| Pullman is not what is known as
/ ''nervy." He WINGED under the needles
when they passed through the lips of
the wound, and the distortion of his
features showed that he was unequal TO
bearing pain like a man. The surgical
! implements were allowed to lie on his
breast while the surgeons worked, but
the cowardfy murderer made no attempt
to seize one of them, when one we'll di-
rected stab, such as he administered to
his victim, Showers. would have placed
him beyond reach Of the hangman In
stead, he seemed to be perfectly willing
| that the surgeons should save his life
He was pale from loss of blood, but
was evidently alert and alive to every
thing that was going forward.
| Murderer Oppenheiner, when shaved,
was handcuffed and his hands wrapped
in gunny sacks to prevent his attempt
ing to seize the razor and destroy him
self. The Sheriff's officers took no such
precaution with Pullman. Instead Of
that they left him alone with Peggy"
Dawson, confirmed petty criminal,
and that he was spared to grace the
gallows was due only to the fact that
| he eased up on his slash-probab bly,
when it began to hurt. The opinion