The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-30
Died by His Own Hand.

suburban ear.
Died by His Own Hand.
Walter Lewis, aged about s. years.
committed suicide yesterday afternoon
by shooting himself with a :S-calibre
pistol. He lived at Eighth and Har-
nett streets and leaves a wife and one
small child.
He shot himself yesterday afternoon
between 3 and 4 O'Clock. In a very
short time he was sent TO the james
Walker Memorial hospital and died a
few minutes later. It was found that
the bullet entered the left breast and
penetrated the lung.
Lewis has been in q Respondent
mood for some time past and when
drinking was especially this way. He
had been on Il spree for several days.
On several different occasions he had
made threats that he would kill him
self and more than once his wife had
taken his pistol from him. He got the
pistol yesterday and said he was gong
to end his life, but his wife took 1t
from him and hid it. She her left the
house and went into the yard to do
some washing. While she was busy
washing she heard the report of a pis-
tOl inside of the house. She rushed
into the house to find her husband ly-
ing on the floor gasping for breath.
NeighbOrs were quickly summoned and
efforts made to stop the flow OF blood.
1t was only a few minutes before the
ambulance arrived and carried the man
to the hospital.
Lewis was a blacksmith and worked
lat a shop on Harnett between Third
and Fourth streets. He at one time
was a Santification preacher, but
he stopped preaching some time ago
and then began drinking.
The funeral will probably take place
this afternoon, but no definite ar
engagements had been made last night.
Attempted Suicide.
Thomas +. Mayer, a man between so
and 60 years of age, and who is well
known in Wilmington, attempted to
commit suicide yesterday by taking
some kind of drug, but the physicians
are not certain what it was, but are
inclined to think he took laudannm.
Yesterday afternoon about 5 O'clock,
almost the same time that Lewis shot
himself, Mayer walked into Mr.. nj. I'll.
kelly's saloon, at the corner OF Sec
ond and Princess streets. The clerk
in the saloon said Mayer was Singer
ing when he entered the saloo" -" -
few minutes later fell to the roof.
Drs. D. w. Bullock and Charles T.
Harper were called in and after some
hard work succeeded in reriying hini
slightly. He was sent to the James
Walker Memorial hospital and he haG
not fully regained consciousness at L
o'clock last night. Advices from the
hospital were to the effect that Mayer
had Il fighting chance for recovery. II
will be fully Il week before he is out
of danger from the direct results of the
poisoning, and ever after that time
complications may set in. 1t was said
yesterday afternoon at the time he was
carried to the hospital that there was
Tot more han one chance in a thou
sand for his recovery.
Mayer has lived in Wilmington OIL
this vicinity all his life and for many
years conducted a saloon. For the las
few years he has been out OF. the sa
loon business and for some months
past he has been living at the SECOND
toll house.
Struck by Suburban Car
Sebe Williams, colored, was strucl
by a suburban car bound for Whining
ton about 11:30 p. m, but it is no
thought that he sustained any serious
injuries.
The negro was evidently drunk, 70
no MAJ would have acted as he dit
without he was either drunk or crazy
Williams was walking along The tract
west of Delgado and was e a goQ'
distance before the a reached him
He was walking along waving his arm
ir a wild fashion and paid no atten
ton whatever to the signals from tn
car. The motOrman expected him t
step from the track every second an
when he did o he put on the brakes
but not in time to stop he car befor
it struck the negro. Those VINO Wer
on the car and saw the accident sa
the car must have been unnln a
about 10 miles per hour when it struc
the man. He was thrown high into tn
air and fell ahead of the car and on til
right side of the track. He was III
conscious when he was reached. ii
was put on the car and carried to th