The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-14
PURSUED BY DEBTS
RUDOLPH DANNENFELSER WANT
ED TO TAKE HIS LIFE.
SALARY
WEEKS
HIS
WAS ONLY SUFFICIENT TO PAY HIS
BOARD.

sion of German Lad-TOOk Room
mates Pistol and Went to Gilbert
Square to End His Life Early In
the Morning-Reverie Disturbed by
Approaching PatrOlman and Dan
nenfeIser Lost His Nerve-TwO
Shots Fired without Harm.
Earning each week a paltry sum
sufficient only to pay his board, and
getting deeper and deeper in debt
each day, although only providing him
self with the necessities of life. Ru-
dolph Dannenfelser, aged 10 years,
determined early yesterday morning to
end his life by blowing his brains out.
But at the final moment the lad
lost his nerve and now occupies a cell
at the police station. He was made
a prisoner in Gilbert Square, on Per-
ry and Montgomery streets, shortly
before o'clock by Patrolman Cam
eron and was sent to the station house
for safe keeping. This morning he
will be formally arraigned before Re-
corder Myrick in Police Court on a
charge of firing "a pistol in the street.
That Dannerfelser really intended
to take his life the police do not doubt,
but at the critical moment he lost
his nerve and fried two shots that
did no damage and that, in the opin
ion of the police, were never intended
to kill. Lying on the grass in Ebert
Square and watching the heavy clouds
in the sky as they chased each other,
and from time to time obscured the
full moon. the lonely and dishearten-
ed lad thought of his dead parents;
his young sister at work in bakery;
his little brother at Bethesda. and
his own uselessness and misery.
officer Broke ReVerie.
The reverie of Dannenfelser was
broken by the sound of footsteps a
block away. The heavy tread of Pa
trolman Cameron, walking west on
Perry street, aroused him, and he was
panic stricken at the sight of the uni
that he had selected was a S2-caliber
revolver taken from the trunk OF his
roommate, and quickly he pulled it
from his pocket. Almost Involuntary
he pulled the trigger. His hand was
shaking like an aspen leaf and the bull
let went harmlessly in the air.
Like a fash the uniformed man
started for the square and young Dam
nenfelser fired a second shot through
his hat. 1t is the belief of the police
that the first bullet caused him to
change his mind, and that the second
was fired through his hat for the pur-
pose of showing that he really wanted
to kill himself, and that bad aim had
been all that prevented the accomplish
ing of his purpose. He made no eff
fort to fire a third time. and was
promptly disarmed by the officer When
searched razor and cents were taken
from his person. The razor he had
secured with tobacco coupons, and used
to shave himself with. The nickle was
all that was left of his weeks salary.
Dannenfelser's story can be best told
in his own words. He talked freely to
a representative of the Morning News,
and did not seem to care what happen
ed to him. He declared that he has
nothing to live for. but that he would
make no further attempt to take his
own life. He said:
Quarreled With Aunt.
Il was born in New York, where my
father was drayman. MY mother
died and then my father died, and in
1896 l came to Savannah with my sis
ter Eta and brother Frank Our aunt,
Miss Eliza Dannerfelser, who lives at
No. 139 Montgomery street, sent for US.
Frank was put at Bethesda and Eta
Went with Mrs. Quint. 1 worked in a.
blacksmith shop and lived with my
aunt. But she used to fuss with me
When l Staid out late at night with
any OF my friends and left her last
April.
Il was working for Mr.. Taylor and
got SO week. / boarded at No. SIS
Duffy street. west, and was charged
So a week. OF course l couldn't get
along that way and things got worse
and worse till 1 owe now about $40
But 1 didn't want to go back and ask
my aunt to let me stay with her be-
cause we couldn't get. on together. So
things kept getting so bad that l Just
decided to put an end to it all. / don't
know why l went to the square to do
it and don't know how 1 happened to
miss myself when l shot, unless it was
that l was scared.
When I got my SO Saturday night
/ paid a friend that l had borrowed
SO cents from, kept % cents myself,
and paid 1925 on my board. 1 took
my room-mate'S pistol and walked on
West Broad street for long time; just
thinking how it all would happen. L
didn't have anything to eat and l
spent twenty cents of the quarter for
something to eat. Then 1 walked on
down to the square where l did the
shooting and where the policeman got
me. No; amt going to try and kill
myself any more, but don't see what
there is in this life fer me-"