Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-20
Col. William T.Wickham Attempt
to commit Suicide.
HIS CONDITION is CRlTlcA
Especial to virglnian- Pilots 4

>0l'SSisLi ~ NlIS flIOt.y
Richmond, Va, March 49, Colonts
William f. Wickham, a brother 4:
State Senator Henry r. Wickham, sd.
licitor for the Chesapeake and Ohf
railroad, and son of the late Gen. Wit
liams c. Wickham, one OF VirginiaA
most distinguished men, shot himseg
in the head ut his home In PowhataN
county yesterday afternoon. infiictinEs
a serious, but not necessarily fatas
wound S;;ifl
Col. Wickham was apparently h
good spirits yesterday prior to the Cd,
currence. but 1t is said by his frien6E
that he had been Respondent prior Is
that time on account of ill-health, ana
mad been drinking to a considerable ed
tent. physicians having recommends
whiskey as tonic TO build him up. g
About 1880 o'clock yesterday after
noon he was In his room with his WITS
when the dinner-bell rang. She leN
the room. thinking that he would .foH
low her, but had only gone few stelS
when she heard the report of a pistol
followed by heavy fall. ,N
Rushing back into the room sil$
found her husband prone on the flooE
the blood gushing from a wound in tfij
side of his head Just below the cheelH
bone, while pistol lay smoking on TIL
floor beside him. Nh
DR.. Bailey, Col. Wickham's familsI
physician. was quickly summoned, & anllts
he telegraphed DR.. George Ben. JohnI
ston. of this city, who Mt once went III
the wounded mans side. The physfA
clans found that the ball had enteres@'
the head below the cheek-bone, gonJ
through and ranged downward, lociess
ing In the neck OH the other side. ThSsss
patients condition at last reports wa#
regarded as very critical, and on ac!
count of his bad health the chances oil
his recovery are regarded as slight. a q
Owing to the illness OF Col. WickSi
ham the ball was not probed for. II{4
recognizes his acquaintance, buttis noA
conscious of the act of shooting. III ~
seems to think some one has strucEi
him and asks about his assailant sIi$s
family see no reason for his taking hiSl
life and assert that he was as we'll al:
ever and In perfect good cheer before
the accident. He was reported to- nigh Il
from Powhatan courthouse as restina
easily. Is
Colonel Wickham is a law partner az
his cousin. Judge +. Ashby Wickhanls
with offices on this city He also holf5E
the position of referee In bankruptcy liz
his section. q
fIe has long been Identified with thS
Republican party, and was prominently
spoken of as a candidate for the; sea-
frnni- the -Enurth- district laft va cam
by the death of Hon. Sydney III
Epes.
DIR. LEWIS DEAD. s.
DIR. Richmond a. Lewis. one OF SRichl
monds best known men, died. att
o'clock yesterday afternoon, aged az
years. ii
DR.. Lewis was one of the most prom
inent educators and physicians of Rich,
mond for almost half q century ss81
He was born In Spotsylvania county,
on April 4th, 1924, AT an early age. II
1882. his family moved to Kentucky
where he graduated at the Transylya.
mia University ut Lexington. ms fS5f
he returned to Virginia, where on No
yember 4th of that year, he married
Miss Margaretta Gilman Mitchell. Tshs
ceremony was performed by Rev. NDP
Moses d. Hoge. With whom he was & q.
ISOLATED for q number OF years as ed.
ucator, In a school founded hyS DIR
Hoge. ID
DR.. Lewis practiced medicine for tive
years in Kentucky before returndng Il
Virginia. K. s.. ISL
At tho beginning OF the ciyilrwarr 4,
Joined the Confederate forces. and wa;
assigued to the post OF assistant sur
geon in the Twenty first Virginia ReEt
ment. and later was promoted to III
position of surgeon of the same resi
ment and of the Third Georgia ReEi
ment. a a ri
He was In charge of Windsor Hospi
ia, and Stuart Hospital. both In Rich
mond during the war. and was after
wards q member of the State Board 4
Medical Examiners, "a IN,
After the war his time was devote
Continued on Page s I