Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-05
FIFTEEN SUICIDES
IN SIXTY DAYS
CORONER GIVES VIEWS AS TO
VARIOUS CAUSES
Race Track, Cheap Lodging Houses,
Failure of Many In III Health to
Secure Work and Alcoholism
Largely Responsible

Fifteen suicides in Los Angeles coun-
ty in sixty days is the record of the
new year.
The race track, cheap lodging houses,
failure of many in i'll health and desti-
tute circumstances to get work and,
worst of all, the saloon-these, says the
coroner, are responsible for the enor-
nous death rate due to the demon
called suicide.
With a population of scarcely more
than 250,000, Los Angeles county,
known throughout the world as "Amer-
ica's paradise" where the rose BIOS
SONS in all seasons and the climate
and beautiful surroundings bespeak su-
perior conditions, it is a puzzling prob
lem that there should be more cases of
self-destruction here than elsewhere,
figuring proportionately.
Nervousness Among Reasons
But Los Angeles is not responsible
for these deplorable figures, as shown
by the records of the coroners office.
The fact is, many persons come here
in i'll health. They are naturally suf-
ferers from nervousness and If, for
time, all does not go well with them,
they forsake hope and consign them
selves to death at their own hands.
Seventy-five per cent of the suicides
are due to insanity, according to DR..
George w. Campbell, who is consid-
cred an expert in cases of that nature,
while the other % per cent arise
through despondency, occasioned by
unfortunate surroundings, and desper-
alton, which is brought about by fast
living and the like.
Suicides usually come in bunch"
said Coroner Trout yesterday. 1.-THE
peculiar circumstances may be account
ed for in this way: One case will be
reported, and then those who are nat
urally of a nervous temperament often
times despondent or in i'll health, are
reminded of it and decide on the spur
of the moment to follow the same un-
fortunate example They cannot see
the bright side of life and plunge into
the mystery of the world beyond with
out taking a second thought"
Record of Suicides
The records of the coroner's office
show the following cases of self-de-
struction since the first of the year:
January 3-H. w. Caldwell aged rs.
morphine, Los Angeles city.
January Al. r. Allen, aged SO,
drowned. Long Beach.
January 5--A. Lee, aged 2S, gunshot
wound, Los Angeles city.
January 14-Unidentified man, aged
about 60, gunshot wound, Redondo.
January 16-Harry f. West, aged 27,
chloroform, Los Angeles city.
January 20-D. p. Wahl, aged As,
carbolic acid, Los Angeles city
January 2S-William Wooley, aged 35,
carbolic acid poisoning, supposedly
with suicidal intent, Los Angeles city.
January 24-Herman Herzog, aged
AZ, hemorrhage from knife wound, Los
Angeles city.
January 27-Ralph w. Macy, aged 21.
gunshot wound. San Dimas
January 27-Freda Rosenburg, aged
20, gunshot wound, Los Angeles city.
February 4-John McGahy, aged 5S,
gunshot wound, Los Angeles city.
February 16-Morrls Rothchild aged
AZ, gunshot wound. Los Angeles city.
February 27-Unidentiied woman,
aged about As, drowned, Ocean Park.
March 3-Mrs. A. l., Harris. gunshot
wound, Los Angeles city.
March 3-Mrs. o, B, steen, morphine,
Los Angeles city
March 4-Dr. S, Elwood Schrmer,
gunshot wound. Los Angeles city.
Most of the women who commit