The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-16
ENDS HIS LIFE IN
POLICE COURT
Facing Wife and Cursing, w. j.
Carroll Slashes His Throat.
WOMAN FALLS IN A SWOON
SHE HAD BEEN GIVING TEsTI.
MoNY AGAINST HIM.
uIs LETT hand pointed threateningly

NeAiA AAiSsi iilS Oh MS lips, VII
liam }. Carroll. a drayman. 80 years
Old slashed his throat twice with A
razor in police court at $50 O'Clock yes
terday afternoon, and five minutes later
was dead from loss of blood. Death
came to Carroll before Mrs. Carroll
had completely recovered from the
swoon in which she had fallen.
Carrolls dramatic self-destructiou
occurred just after Mrs. Carroll, who
obtained a divorce from him last Nav.
had finished testifying against her for
mer husband. wnO was charged with
abusive language Mrs. Carroll. a
slightly built woman on whom care has
left its imprint, had told Police Judge
c. B. Diehl. in a voice so low that she
could hardly be heard, of the abusive
language which Carroll had used
against her She finished her testi-
mony and then the court said to the
defendant: DO you wish to ask the
witness any questions? ?"
Carroll arose from the prisoners
bench, and, staring at the woman on
the stand scarcely six feet away, said:
NO, II that woman wants TO make
tnose charges against me, let her do
it.
Razor Beneath Shirt.
Then, before any of the officers in
the court room could divine his pur-
pose, he reached beneath his shirt and
with hnal curse at the woman he had
lost through cruelty, and a reference to
MS oft-repeated threat to take his life
ne drew the sharp steel across his throat
The jugular vein was severed at the
nrst slash Again Carroll cut deep int1
the flesh, severing the carotid, the prin-
clpal higher vertebrate artery. His
arm raised again, but before the knife
could reach his neck, il slipped from
his clutch and the man reeled and fell
TO the floor On his side.
Even as he staggered and pitched
Ike log TO the floor. Carroll attempt
ed to take q step in the direction Of the
witness stand. His warm blood was
forced by his efforts in every direction
The press table and Prosecuting Attor-
ney D. o. Willey's desk We're sprayed
with blood
CarrOlls oath and what so quickly
followed occupied possibly ten seconds
time. OF the many physicians sum-
mOned, DR.. W. +. Beer was the first to
arrive, reaching the court room while
the man was apparently yet alive So
much blood had been lost, however,
that nothing could have saved mis- life.
Court Room IN Confusion.
Horror stricken in the face Of such
sudden, violent death, the score or more
Of prisoners and spectators in the court
room made it for d time the scene ~
great confusion. Court was broker. I'm
for the day. The woman whom Carol
had cursed lay on the floor only few
feet from the dying man. Any attempt
at raising the latter only opened wider
the wounds which were letting his life
blood out
As quickly as possible after ii had
been ascertained that Carroll was dead
the morgue wagon was summoned. Ter
minutes after the body had been re-
moved, Mrs. Carroll left police head
quarters for her home. 728 West First
South street, TO tell four little ones
that the man who had lost the rights
of father had taken his life.
Carroll was arrested Monday by Pa
trolman Charles Sperry on a warrant
sworn to by Mrs. Carroll. On three
previous occasions since the couple
were divorced May L, 1904. had the
man been in police court on a charge
of abusive language. In each irstance
had the charge been proved Carroll
had come TO be regarded as partially
insane by the police department
through the continued trouble-seeking
with his divorced wife.
Tuesday afternoon Carroll entered
plea of not guilty to the charge Of
using abusive language His attitude
at that time showed considerable
bravado. The case was continued until
Thu sday.
During Tuesdays hearing, and during
the entire time of Imprisonment, Car
roll had the razor with which he ended
mis- life concealed in a chamois bag
b,7pe orOr7nd his Dncfx
Sent Note to Mrs. Carroll.
Tuesday he is said to have asked
whether his former wife was present
Upon learning that she was not he eX-
pressed himself as satisfied with the
continuance The following mOrnins
he asked that messenger boy he
dispatched to Mrs. Carroll with
note The note warned the woman
that she would better be present al
Thursdays hearing, closing with
"You know what III do if you DON'T
Mrs Carroll, half-dreading the or
deal of going on the stand as wit
ness, which in the former cases sht
had avoided. would probably have ig-
nOred CarrOlrs request had not Shs
been subpoenaed by the court.
Before the case in which she was to
appear as complaining witness was
called, Mrs. Carroll remained in the
lobby She was sworn with Carroll
and other witnesses when the case was
reached.
Believe Carroll Was Insane.
CARROTS sense of the dramatic, hi,
desire to make his end as spectacular
as possible. are among the things
which lead the police 10 agree with
friends of the family that he commit
ted suicide while insane.
He laid his plans so that Mrs Car
roll should be the means of his car.
rying his razor into jail unObserved
1t was she who, on his request, few
days ago made the channels pouch u
hold the blade. This bag. hung abou
the mans neck, easily escaped notice
of Patrolman Sperry. who searched the
man carefully before turning him ovei
TO the city jailer.
CAROLS note to his former wife wai
worded throughout so as TO sugges
vengeance if she did not come, tragedy
if she did.
Since his wife was granted a divorce
Carroll had frequently forced his way
into the home where the woman sup
ported the four little ones. At thes'
times he would take one of -he chill
dren on his knee. and. drawing his IA
zor out of his pocket make as # e
cut his throat Then, turning 10 III;
wife. he would tell her that unless she
would Square things" he would XII
her and take his own life.
Showed Children the Razor
He often would take the cold stee
out of its case and whet il on his boot
threatening his divorced wife in thu
meantime. On nearly every occasion
he subjected her 10 great abuse. II
June, and twice since then. previou;
to his last arrest. he hsd been arrest
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