Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-09-13
GAS FAILED TO KILL HIM
Former Martinsburger Tries Sui
eide in Washington.
He REGRETTED HIS RASHNESS
Unfortunate Man IS John A. iergershimer 4
Telegrapher Operator LET, Here Sunday
for Atlantic CITY,

teiegfapher Operator Lett here sunday
for Atlantic City.
After swallowing half pint of wnis
key to quiet his nerves, john a. Her
gershimer, forty years old. u telegraph
operator. OF Rodemer, W. Va. turned
off the gas in his apartment at the
National Hotel, Washington. "Wednesday
night shortly before midnight. with
the deliberate intention of ending
his life. The transom over the door
of the room was open. however, and
in a few moments the fumes of the es-
Gaping gas filled the hall and found
their way to the Office on he lower
floor The attention of the night
clerk was attracted. An investigation
was made and the would be suicide
was found unconscious on his bed. Mr..
Hergershimer was sent to the Elmer
gency Hospital, where the physicians
quickly restored him to consciousness.
Mr. Hergershimer who has relatives
in this city came Saturday night and
spent Sunday here. He went TO the B.
& O. station Sunday afternoon where
he bought Is day excursion ticket
for Atlantic City, where he intended
to spend his vacation. No 9 was late
that day and he decided to stop over
in Washington A sister, who Is q
school teacher, lives at Sir Johns Run
When Mr.. Hergershimer was boy
he stayed with his aunt in this
CITY aud was messenger boy at
the B. a. @. telegraph Office in this
city. While working here he attempt
ed to board caboose and losing his
hold fell beneath the wheels and lost q
limb. Later he learned to be an ope-
rator and has been working for the b.
a. O. road. He has been working at
Rodemer short distance west of Ter
ra Alta.
The Washington Post of Thursday
has the following account OF the
ATTEMPTED suicide.
''Mr. Hergershimre came to this
CITY from Martinsburg, W. Va, Sum
day evening, and went Immediately
to the National Hotel. He had been
to the hostelrv many times before and
was well known there. He is employ
cd by the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road as telegraph operator, and fire.
quently comes to this city to spend his
leisure time When Mr.. Hergershi-
mer arrived here he was very despon-
dent, and the people at the hotel state
that he has been drinking heavily
ever since his arrival He went to
his room last night after III O'Clock.
Before going to his apartments the
man purchased a pint bottle of whis-
key As soon as he removed part OF his
clothes he drained the bottle and then
turned the gas out and on again before
getting into bed, The night clerk of
the hotel detected the fumes Of the es-
Gaping gas shortly before ~ O'Clock
and sent the night bell bows 10 discov-
er the source of the odor. Not con-
tent with this, the clerk made an i'm
vestiagtion personally and fund that
the gas came from over the trasom OF
the door of the room occupie by Her.
gershimer. He knocked on the door,
and receiving no response broke the
door open. Hergershimer was lying ON
his bed partly dressed. in an uncon-
scious condition.
While waiting for the ambulance,
the clerk opened the door and window
in the room and brought the uneon-
scious guest out in the hall near a
window that opened on the street.
Hergershimer was hurried to the hos
pital where he soon regained con-
seriousness. He told the surgeons that
he had turned on the gas deliberately.
with the intention Of ending his life.
He said he was unmarried and that he
had been drinking heavily ever since
he came to Washington.
Hergershimer was put TO bed. and
released this morning. He seemed toll
regret what he had done, and promis-
The surgeons TO make no more at
tempts III the mans clothing at the
hotel were found gold watch, NUNS
Der Of railroad passes bearing hi
name, and large sum of iaonev. The
papers in lis possession identified him
as a telegraph operator Of the Balti
moe aud Ono road and HergeI
shin I himself tald the surgeons his
ocdhl alton
MARRIED..