Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1902-12-26
Suicidal Mania Causes Three Red
Lodge Citizens to Long for
Deaths Embrace.
sOLGA WANTED TO DIE
But Cruel Prevented the Rash Deed.
Ferguson Frightened by Grim
Shadow Of Death.

Believers in the science OF tele- |
pathy, thought transference, influence |
Of mind over mind. or whatever you
choose to call it, would have found
much to corroborate their theories i'll
the apparent suicidal mania which
prevailed in Red Lodge last week.
During the dark hours between twi
light and dawn, last Friday night the
utter weariness Of life was in the
hearts of three well-known Red Lodge
men, and III is almost certain that
there would have been for The Picket
to chronicle this week other stories
of attempts to rend the veil which
separates mortality from the unknown
| Beyond. had it not been for. the fact
| that faithful friends thWartea the de-
signs OF self efacement which filled
the minds and hearts Of the three re-
ferrrd to.
II seems that Robert Solga the
wellknown blacksmith, was one who
despondently longed to throw off the
burden OF living but was preserved
from death by his friend, G. =. Cruel
The latter told The Picket he did not
want to talk about the affair at all.
"Solga has been kind to me-. said
Cruel "and will not give out any
Of the details oT the unfortunata ar
fair for publication
It was learned, however, that the
circumstances were about as follows:
Solga and Cruel were in their
room at the Central hotel, when the
former produced a gun, with no un-
certain intent, and in fact declared
that he was tired of life and meant to
end it all with bullet. He had been
drinking and had one of the despond-
ent fits which have come over him
frequently of late. 1t is claimed that
he has heretofore threatened self-de-
struction.
But Solga unwittingly gave his
friend Cruel an opportunity to pre-
vent the rash deed when he laid the
gun down on the table. Cruel Is q
cripple at present, having suffered n
broken leg when horse fell on him
about a month ago He is Obliged to
use crutches. But the fact that h.
could not travel fast did not deter
, him from carrying out the quickly
formed purpose. He also knew that
in his crippled condition he was nc
, match for the brawny blacksmith il
, it came to a tllssle for the possession
of the gun.
But, quick as though, Cruel seized
!, the revolver from the table and has
y tened from the building and, in spite
4 Of his condition, almost ran 70 the
:. Silver Dollar saloon, where he placed
h the gun in the safe keeping OF the pro
- prietor, Barney Hart.
Soga was angry at Cruel Tor tht
atter's interference, and Cruel Wa'
afraid to return to the hotel room
alone. Accordingly Mr.. Hart accom-
panied Cruel back to the hotel, ant
f George Miller agreed TO spend tn
y night with Solga, to prevent the lat
= ter from carrying out his fell dcslgl
J. against himself.
J. The same night Tom Ferguson, VIII
J. has been employed cleaning out sa
J. oons and doing other odd jobs abOn
If the city for long time, started TO
G home with the declaration that h
would not live to see the dawn OF al
n other day. But he did.
r 1t appears that Ferguson, neve
II having met the grim monster, hardl
T. knew what Death looked like. Blu
on his way home the night which wa
to be his last on earth, the shado7
of mans last enemy fell across hi
~ pathway before the scheduled tim
~ for the curtain to rise on eternity. !
~ other words Ferguson fell and nearl
~ killed himself The next day he wa
W a sorer but wiser man. His nea
~ approach to death had made hi
more fond of life.
The third Would-be suicide was or
of the prominent citizens OF Re
III Lodge, whose name is withheld out {
ly respect fer his family and friend
lr- 1t is almost certain that he too owe
lr- his present lively condition to II
n kindness of friends.
In this case also dependency W;
induced by oyer-consumption of bs
whiskey, which seems to have bee
us imported in inferior qualities but II
in diminished quantities of late. TIL
et man openly declared that he had d
RS cided to make away with himse
ey But he had good friends near at hal
in his hour OF need. They took OK