The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-21
HIS COFFIN
 BUT DID NOT DIE Man Attempts Suicide at Un-
 dertaking Establishment WAS SAVED BY PHYSICIANS P. w. Thatenhorst, lronmaker, While Under Effects of Liquor, Makes Ex-
 traordinary Preparations for
 His Death--Was Penitent.
WAS SAVED BY PHYSICIANS

After going to one undertaking estab- llshment yesterday and making every ar rangement for his funeral. F. W. rhaten- horst of 241 Eight avenue, went to second undertaker's place of business and attempted to commit suicide by drinking laudanum.
 The attempt to take his life proved failure, as the bottle was jerked from his hand before he could swallow enough of the contents to prove fatal He was taken to the city jail where Drs. Crockett Rittenberry and Charles Whelan worked on him for an hour In an effort to save his life.
 Thatenhorst is an Iron worker and stated he has a wife and several chil- dren. He begged pitlfully after he was carried to the jail for the doctors to fix him up and let him go home. He was detained at the Jail until he had recover ed sufficiently from the effects of the iaudanum and the medicines given by the physicians.
 Was Very Pentent.
 There was never a more penitent man in the city jail. He would give no reason for the attempt on his life except to say that he was in trouble. It is thought he had been drinking and that he was not responsible when he bought the poison. About o'clock Thatenhorst walked in- to the rear of Gaudin and company's un- dertaking establishment and asked the price of collins. He was told they ranged from s15 to $500, and MT Gaudin asked who the easket was for. The man replied that 1t was none of bis d. business and then ordered a $50 casket, the necessary robes, carriages and even made arrange ments for his body to be sent to St. Louis. Mr. Gaudin laughed at the man and thought he was merely on a drunk His eyes were bleared to some extent and he had the appearance of ! man who had been drinking.
 Takes Laudanum.
 A few minutes afterward Thatenhorst went into Lige Loys establishment and stood in the front several minutes as if hesItating what to do. Finally he pulled a two ounce bottle of laudanum from his pocket and held 1t up as if to look at 1t. Several people were sitting in the place and they noticed the bottle, but did not think about the man committing suicide. He walked towards the rear of the place and one of the employees followed him.
 As he reached the rear room where cas- kets are kept on exhibition Thatenhorst placed the bottle to his lips and seemingly took a swallow. The bottle was grabbed from his hand and the police were notified. Policeman Nix arrested him and carried him to the jail where he was revived.
 Laudanum Dazed Him.
 The laudanum seemed to daze the man more than to act as a poison. It Is thought that the whiskey he is supposed to have been drinking enumerated to some extent the poison, and that prevent ed it's having fatal effect.
 No one understands why the man made his arrangements at one undertaking es- tablshment and tried to kill himself at the place of another Both establish ments are on Third avenue and 1t is pos slble that he mistook the place after he had gone to Nortons drug store after the laudanum.
 While talking to Mir. Gaudn, Thaten- horst was very anxious that he should get the remains. He told MT. Gaudin that he was the only undertaken in the city who could handle his body and that he wished Mir. Gaudln to recognize him after he was dead and claim the body.