The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-23
FROM S. A. |. BRIDGE.
C. A. BUSH JUMPED INTO THE
RIVER TO END HIS LIFE.
WAS SAVED BY TWO MEN.
YOUNG MAN WAS SAID TO BE DE-
SPoNDENT OVER DEBTS.

cape Them-StoOd on the Bridge
and Tore a Letter Into Frag-
ments-These He Tossed Into the
Stream, After kissing Them, and
Leaped in Neutrality-suspicious. and
Another Man Saw the Rash Act
and Rescued the Young Man-Bush
Had Been Employed in the Pas
senger Department of the Central
Railway, but Gave Up His Posi-
ton.
Appreciating his mistakes in life,
Charles A. Bush. a young man not yet
out of his teens and recently
employed as a stenographer in
the Office of the general pas
senger agent of the Central of
Georgia Railway Company, attempted
suicide by jumping into the Savannah
river yesterday. The reckless act was
committed from the seaboard Air Line
bridge near the old water works, and
was witnessed by the Waterman and
another man, who rescued the would-be
suicide.
With mercury playing around the
Bush stood on the bridge and read a
letter from his mother in a neighbor-
ing city. rrhe watch nan saw the letter
pressed to the lips of the young man,
then torn into bits, kissed and hurled
into the water. The man on the bridge
followed.
The men who witnessed the plunge
mt ont in a boat. and
pulled the young man to a place Of
safety The lad who would have died
by his own hand was unconscious. He
was taken to the office of the Mill
Haven Company nearby, and the work
of resuscitation was begun. After hard
work signs of life were shown. Slowly
he regained consciousness and disclos-
ed his identity, and after his clothing
had been dried he was sent to his
boarding house. There he was cared
for, and will be kept until members of
his family reach the city. They have
beer notified by telegraph and until
their arrival he will be watched in or
der to prevent a repetition of his sui
cida attempt When seen by a Morning
News reporter he was in highly nerv-
Gus condition, and was bordering on
state of collapse. The letter he had
destroyed and which he had made flu
tile efforts to have friends read, he
said, prompted him to try to end an
existence that to one of his tempera-
ment he did not care to continue.
From those in the house. by whom
be is well liked. Bushs story of self
made misery was learned. He had
become dissatisfied at home, and left
to take position as stenographer in
this city. He had salary upon which
he could live comfortably and dressed
we'll. Naturally bright, and we'll edu-
Gated, he made friends. His arrival in
Savannah dates back several months.
and his actions during that time were
not such as would have made him al
together happy. For several days last
week he was in Respondent mood
and a letter from his mother appeared
to add to his melancholy. He had
resigned his position for the purpose
OF spending Christmas at his home
Something in the letter must have
caused him to change his mind. Bush
said that its contents expressed solicit
tude as to his condition. and that il
contained advice He asked the lady
with whom he boarded to read the let
ter. but she did not do so.
When he did not appear at
his boarding house Saturday for din
ner, and when he was again missing
at supper. his friends became appre-
hensive. They had noticed his condi-
ton. search was made during the
night and yesterday morning his dis
appearance was reported to the police
Not until he was taken to his boarding
house in the early afternoon was any
tPlhg known about what had hap
pened.
In his room he had left letter more
expressive of his nature than anything
ne could have penned; passage in the
Blole had been marked and the Book
mad been left open on his table. Joh
vi was used to express his sentiments.
70 those VINO knew him the Scripture
language exactly fitted his mood
Bush addressed a letter several DAYS
ago to the chief clerk in the passenger
department of the Central, saying that
ne had an offer of a better position in
augusta and wanted to resign. effective
Jan. l, IN order that he might accent
~ He was informed that his resigna-
tloh would be accepted The next dav
ne said that he had changed his mind
ana that circumstances had become
such as to demand his earlier. denart-
uie. The chief clerk tried to induce
MIN TO tell what was we'g Ching llpon
MS mind. as il seemed evident that no
mad troubles. Bush seemed TO nav no
particular attention and displayed no
especial interest in what was being said
10 him, so the chief clerk decided to
give over his efforts to bring him
about.
The young man had not thought wei
OF the intentions of the chief
clerk, as he told some of his fellow
employees that an effort had been made
TO pry into his private affairs. The
next morning he told the chief clerk
that he wanted a check for that portion
OF MS salary that he had earned and
transportation to Augusta. He was
told that the check would be given him
very cheerfnlly, but that no transpor-
tatiop would be given one who had
acted as he had. Bush then left the
office.
The next morning he appeared at
the office again. He had thought bet
ter OF throwing up the job, and so in
formed the chief clerk. He wanted the
position back. but was Informed that
the department did not desire to en-
ploy anyone who had acted as he had
Later Bush went to General Passenger
agent Halle, who saw that the
young man had some trouble
preying upon his mind and sought 10
discover what 1t might be. He asked
Bush II he had done anything of a
criminal nature, which the young man
oeniea. he then asked If he owed