The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-08-22
A TRAGIC SUICIDE.
A Man Who Uses a Pistol to Avoid
Rescue.
VERY STRANGE CASE.
A Nsw Yorker Weary OF Life
Puts Ball in His Brain
While Drowning.

The Yacht Filth, Captain Parker, lay
in her berth at the inlet at 5 o'clock.
Every day she makes several trips out
to sea. Always the Edith has most pas
sengers on her evening trip, for she
starts when the SUI is setting and re-
turns when the dusk is gathering.
Ooe of the first to 90 abroarl this ev-
ening was young uao who seated
himself in the bow He was short, slight
and weighed not more than 100 pounds,
Captain Parker thinks. There was
nothing peculiar in the young mans
bearing, 70, naturally, the captain did
not scrutioize him. But he noticed that
his passenger wore black slouch hat
and suit cf serge somewhat the worse
for wear.
YACHT SOON CROWDED
Parties of two or three, sveethearts
some, some people iLdustriously pursu.
ing, good health, soou filed the boat.
When there were about twenty. FIVE
aboard Captain Parker cast of and the
Edith put out over the calm, gently
rolling water, The passengers laughed
aud joked. chafed each other about be-
ing Dad or good sailors, or made unob-
trusive love or watched others make
love-
Dolly the young man, who wore a
black sloucn hat. sat alone iu the bow
He was quiet, the passengers say, but
he did not seem moody, respondent.
Now, silent, he looked out over the IL
limitable expanse, now at the men and
women from whom he was about to cut
himself of.
They knew after8ari he had made
up his mipd and but awaited the mo-
ment.
That moment came when the Edith,
having sailed seven miles, tackled pre-.
paratory to the run home. The man, SO
young, so determined, koew, or suppos-
ed, the water under him there was as
deep as he could hope for.
He arose and slowly and very care
fully, as if he feared to fa'l and hurt
himself, he picked his way to the very
bow. He took his hat from his head
and, with gesture more graceful than
violent, cast it overheard.
He turned for ap instant to those in
the boat.
"Good-by!' he cried, then leapedinto
the water.
The women OF the yacht shrieked,
seized the men, fearful, cluug to them.
''Save him, Captain! Put about!
Save him! We'll get him." yelled the
men, and two or three jumped off and
pulled of their coats.
Obeying the tiller, which Parker han
died, the Edith quickly came about.
The young man, SO weary Of life, who
had risen from his plunge, glanced over
his shoulder at the boat and vigorously
struck out, swimming away from her.
He swan we'll, strongly for minute or
two, even and again looking over his
shoulder at the Edith. as if he led in
race agiust her. The yacht gained on
him. But he won the race.
He was Dct more than twenty yards
away from the Edith.
Women with sgonized eyes were star
ing at him; others hid their faces. Men
on the boat were cursiag their helpless
ness.
This calm but determined young msu
ceased to swim; he appeared to tread
water strongly, for as he rocked and
swayed erect in the green rollers his
armpits we're above the surface.
With his right hand he drew pistol
from one of his pockets, whose car
tridges, of course, were waterproof. He
put the pistol to mis- bead. The people
on the boat saw a flash. in the thou
sandth of second heard report.
A little cloud OF smoke was lost in the
spray.
The most remarkable Of suicides dis
appeared in the calm, the life giving
ocean.-NeW York Journal.