The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-17
GEO. |. Cliffs
DESPERATE DEED
Dancing Master Fires Three
Bullets Into His Body.
DRIVEN TO DESPAIR
BY PROLONGED ILLNESS
Physicians Express Belief That
He Will Recover.

In a fit of nervousness and despera-
ton brought on by the ravages of Ia
grippe, George L. Cliff, the well known
dancing master, attempted suicide at
1920 last night. After sending his
wife from the house on an errand he
rumaged about until he had found his
revolver. Then, standing before & mir
ror to make his aim the more deadly.
the man deliberately started to empty
the contents of the weapon into his
body. Twice he fired into the region of
his heart. A third bullet entered his
left arm and the fourth cartridge in
the cylinder was snapped, but failed
to discharge.
Cliff was found lying on his side With
the pistol still in his hand and appar-
emily lifeless, but shortly after receiv
ing surgical attention he showed en-
couraging signs of Improvement. The
bullets missed the heart by about one
and a half inches and at midnight it
was the opinion of the doctors that he
would survive
A Pathetic Story.
The circumstances surrounding the
tragedy are extremely dramatic and
pathetic in their nature. 1t was nearly
three weeks ago that Mr.. Cliff con-
tracted a cold which eventually turned
into a severe siege Of la grippe, con-
fining him to his home, q East Fourth
South street. His loving wife nurSed
him constantly and the patient was
daily attended by DR.. John T. White.
on Friday night Mr.. Gifts condition
was worse than usual, and 1t became
no better yesterday. He worried about
his inability to attend to business I'M
til he was weak in both mind and body.
The sick man had suffered two or three
nervous fits during his illness and ap-
parently was on the verge of insanity
last night. He was lying in bed, evil
IDENTIFY in great distress, when he called
to his wife and requested her to go to
Druehl & Franken's drug store. lit
tie over a block away, and telephone
for the doctor. She had just rea eh2d
the corner of Main and Fourth South
on her return when she heard the shots
and, fearing the worst, hurried towards
home.
Heard the Shots.
Deputy Sheriff Tom Busby, who was
standing near the city and county
building, also heard the reports and,
running towards the house, he was in
formed by some one on the outside
where the shooting had occurred. At
the door he encountered Mrs. Cliff,
who exclaimed, I'm afraid George has
shot himself
Busby rushed in and found Cliff iy-
ing at full length on the floor in his
night robe. He was on his side and
the gun was clutched in his right
hand. As no sound came from the
wounded man the deputy sheriff be
lieved him dead, but upon turning him
over discovered signs of life. A mes
stefan Mayo, who arrived on the scene
at about the same time a s DIR. White,
who had previously been summoned by
the wife. The doctors bent their eff
forts toward making the unfortunate
man as comfortable as possible and af-
ter a while he was able to speak to
those about him, complaining OF the
cold in his lower limbs.
Cliff talked OF his rash act to Del
Wilson. his brother-in-law
why did you do this, George?''
asked his relative