The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-25
EX-SOLD|ER DIES
BY HIS OWN HAND
William De Van Tier Drinks
CarbOlic Acid.
ILL; OUT OF EMPLOYMENT
Efforts to Find Work UnavaiIing He
Determines to Get Out of
Cruel World.
ILL; OUT OF EMPLOYMENT

Don't tell mother, boys She is old
and this would kill her.
With these words William De Van
Tier, of 1853 Ninth street northwest, who
had just drained the contents from a
two-ounce bottle of carbolic acid, fell
back on his cot in the Georgetown Uni
yersity Hospital shortly before u clock
last night and died.
True to his prediction, his mother was
almost shocked to death this morning
when she learned of her sons act. She
was compelled to take to her bed and
the family physician was summoned. At
noon today she was still in a highly
nervous condition, but it is not believed
her illness will have a fatal termina-
ton.
Arrangements for Funeral.
Arrangements Were made for the fun
eral this morning by brother-in-law
of De Van Tier. The funeral services
will in all likelihood be held at the home
of his mother. Interment will be made
in Arlington Cemetery, to which place
the remains will be escorted on Monday
by detail of men from Company K,
First Regiment, District Of Columbia
National Guard. and the H. W. Lawton
Command, Spanish War Veterans.
With his wedding day less than a
month off, and without prospects of OBJ
tanning a place of employment, De Van
Tier who had been i'll with fever since
the Spanish war, went to the Aqueduct
bridge last night about 1890 o'clock and
prepared to die. Stopping at a drug
store in Georgetown, he purchased the
carbo1ic acid with what is believed to
have been his last penny. With thunder
roaring and lightning flashing about
him. and while other persons hurried
and scurried to get out of the wet. the
respondent man was in the act of swal-
lowing the contents of the bottle when
several soldiers on their way to Fort
Myer rushed to his side and attempted
to knock the phial from his hand They
were too late, and as he reeled and fell
he said:
"oh, don't bother me, fellows! I want
to dieI
Carried to Hospital.
An ambulance from the garrison was
passing across the bridge. The driver
was hailed, and against De Van Tier IS
verbal and physical protest he was
placed in it and theshorses driven to the
Georgetown University Hospital. Not
withstanding the dispatch with which he
was placed on the operating table and
the heroic efforts of the physicians to
save his life, De Van Tiers determine
to die by his own hand was successful.
He did not become unconscious until
he talked of his mother and the effect
his act might have upon her. Writing
from one side of the table to the other
he implored the physicians 20 cease their
endeavors to save him, as he had every
reason to die and none TO live Restora-
tives were used, but to little avail At
ter talking in a rambling sort of way
for some moments, he made a supreme
effort to get off his cot to stay those
who talked of informing his relatives
and then died.
In 1893 De Van Tier was member OF
rirst xyh I
Cuba in command of General Harries.
While lying in the trenches outside OF
Santiago he contracted the yellow fever
and remained in a hospital for many
weeks. When mustered out OF the SER
vice at Montauk Point. he was physi-
cal wreck. and despite the work of doc
tors he employed he was never able to
eliminate the disease from his system
This preyed upon his mind and, made
him low spirited.
In September last De Van Tier OBJ
tanned a temporary appointment In the
Navy Yard. Several months later a re-
duction of the forces resulted in his
name being dropped from the rolls
While he had his position he saved some
money and courted q comely brunette
of nineteen who lived at 1853 Ninth
street, where he boarded. They were
engaged to be married. Among his eff.
fects which were taken in charge by
Policemen Moffett and Edwards last
night was a small kodak photograph
of the attractive girl. When he lost
his position his plans for the future
were upset and his disposition changed
perceptibly.