Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-12-15
A CURE FOR SUICIDE.
Commission to Whom Those contem-
plating Death May Tell Troubles.


before declared Mayor Tom L. John
son, of Cleveland, Ohio, in speaking OF
the anti-suicide commission, which he
has just appointed.
The commission is what its name
lmplies-it aims to prevent suicide. It
will investigate all cases that are
brought to its notice People who
have become melancholy or despond-
ent are visited and their needs or
wants attended to. A few kind words
or deeds make life appear brighter,
and better and the thought of self-de-
struction soon fees. Scores of cases
have already received the commits
slon's attention"
The commission is composed of
Frederick c. Howe, State Senator
elect; William A. Greenlund, real es-
tate dealer and former probation Off
Ger of the Juvenile Court, and the
Rev. Harris R. Cooley, member of the
Board of Public Service"
The commission has received num-
erous letters appealing for aid. One,
from a society woman, reads as fol-
lows:
I wish you would tell me what
might do to arrest an impulse toward
suicide which comes upon me every
once in a While, more frequently now
than in former years.
when I was sixteen foolish love
affair and the influence of a novel
wherein the heroine had died from a
self-infiicted wound inspired me to
stab myself in the throat. | must tell
you that the wound hurt me little, SO
little, indeed, that ever after when |
am discouraged death seems no more
serious a matter than making a call
across the street.
"In my heart suicide has the proml-
nence of a virtue. No people do l ad-
mire more than the japanese VINO
slew themselves when they had been
derelict in their duties, or who were
simply weary. Yet | ana bound by the
conventions of my people. The at
tempt at suicide in my youth was
hushed up. l have been married nap
PLY, move in what is good society
here, and should be free from any
morbidness, but reading affects all my
emotions, and reading is about all that
I can find pleasure in, so you see II
what difficulty I am. Is there some
thing in your philosophy which can
break the impulse, the desire, the
longing for death? So far as | am my
i T al q
my family is one which takes pride
in itself, and would look upon suicide
as a blenish, a disgrace it would
never forgive
Another letter is from a woman who
is putting I'D a brave fight to down
the impulse daily gnawlng at her
heart to substitute mere oblivion for
downright misery.
Twice in the last six months the i'm
pulse has proved too strong and the
woman has attempted suicide. Her
husband also has attempted it at two
other times. Each time the one mas
prevented the other from succeeding
in the attempt. But the fear is with
them that some day the Impulse Will
oyerwhelm them and that, by mutual
consent, they will end all together.
Following is an extract from the Wo-
mans letter:
81 believe both my husband aud |
are on the verge of insanity from
trouble and worry. | have a hofrlple
feeling that I must end it all. If 1t
were not for my two bright little
daughters, aged seven years and hVe
months, respectively, I believe l
should have done so long ago. But
thank God, He kept me from commit
ting such a crime. | have prayed col
stantly for courage.
Still another woman wrote telllns
of her experience in saving her nus
bands life. She said: 1 awakened
about two O'Clock to find my husband
gone from my side. With terror at my
heart 7 arose and searched one room
after another. At last | went to the
kitchen. My husband was crouc Aed
in a corner, a great butcher knife III
his hand. HIS eyes 2littefed IKE
madman's; he laughed and cried al
ternately. At first | feared the oeea
was already done and the wound al
ready in his breast. Thank God, the =.
knife had not yet fallen! wrested 1t
from nv husbands hand, and he tel
into my arms, sobbing like a child.
Il, too, frequently have desire to
end it all. My little girl comes nome
daily and asks, What is this? ana
"What is that? and / have to profesa
ignorance. I am ashamed BEFORE my
own child, and then comes the a"i''i
impulse for self-destructlon. 80 -
70 the streets and walk for hours.
Sometimes it is far into the night ae'
faro 7 return with the impulse fought
down"
Rifle Range in Church Vaults.
Lord Roberts on Saturday DESCENDED
v+onciva vaults beneath the