The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-11
WHITE TRIES
SELF MURDER
PRISONER MAKES DESPERATE
ATTEMPT At SUICIDE.
SEEKS TO BRAIN HIMSELF
Batters His Head in Horrible Manner
Fearful Struggle With JaiIer
and Assistants.

and Assistants.
Since Wednesday afternoon it has
been found necessary to maintain con-
stant vigil over John White, the dou-
BILE murderer, to prevent him from do
ing harm to himself, as he is deter
mined to commit suicide, and as the
result of desperate attempt at self
destruction is now nursing badly
cut and bruised head.
Wednesday noon during the absence
of Jailer Harding, who had gone to
dinner, the prisoners confined in the
north end of the double cage on the
ground floor heard commotion in the
south end, in which White was keptl
The noi-te made sounded as though he
Was pounding on the table with some
thing. Finally they made out that
the blows struck by White were di-
rected against himself and they began
to call for help. Upon his return
Mr.. Harding heard thelr calls and en-
tered the cell room. Looking through
the door leading into the compartment
in which White was he saw the latter
alternately hit himself on the head
with the cover to the night bucket
and then step to the wash stand at the
farther end of the corridor and wash
the blood from his face and eyes.
Mr.. Harding called to him to desist,
but no attention was paid to the order
and White continued his self mutila-
tion.
Watching for an opportunity, Mr..
Harding slipped into the corridor and
secured the cover, which White had
momentarily rested on the grating
Of his cell. Having deprived him of
his weapon, Mr.. Harding thought the
fellow could no longer harm himself
In this, however, he was mistaken
White rushed into his cell and instant
ly reappeared with the bucket itself
and renewed the shower of blows
that he had been raining on his head.
Grabbing the bucket with both hands,
he would strike himself on top of the
crown with all his might and threaten
ed to brain any one that dared to
! enter the corridor
Fierce Struggle Ensues.
knowing that he was unable to sue
cessfully cope alone with the trenzied
man, Mr.. Harding opened the door of
the other compartment and asked
Frank Tobin, Eugene Foley and anoth-
er prisoner confined there, to assist
him. A man working upstairs was
also called, while Mrs. Hubbard, wife
of the sheriff, ran onto the street
and called Doctor Rinehart, who hap
pened to be passing
Brooms were secured and an at
tempt was made to reach White with
them by bushing them through the
bars and hit him with them to con-
pei him to drop the bucket. He
simply moved out of reach and con-
tinued to strike himself with the buck
et Finally piece Of board was found
and this was thrust through the bars
and proved long enough to reach the
fellow. Some well directed blows on
tho hands fnrcod him IN drnn tho
bucket, after which he went to the
wash stand and once more washed
himself.
Tobin Shows Nerve.
AS none of those with him under
stood the manner of manipulating the
door, the jssiler was compelled to
remain in charge, making it impossi-
BILE for him to enter the room in
which the would-be suicide was. Tobin
now showed his nerve by volunteering
to enter and make dash for the
bucket, Mr.. Harding to hold the door
SO that he could slip out, should White
attempt to assault him. Tobin man.
aged to reach the bucket before White
heard him, but had no more than
turned to leave before White, who
had now neard him, made a dash fol-
him. They reached the door at about
the same instant and Mr.. Harding
who had by this time divested him
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