Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-06
10. PREVENT SUICIDE
Mayor Tom Johnson of Cleye-
land Would Form An Anti
Suicide Bureau
TO HELP THE RESPONDENTS
Municipal Commission Appointed and
Any Person Contemplating Sui.
eide Is Invited to Tell Their Troubles
To Its Members-Effort Made to
Save Them.

To stay the hands Of the self de-
stroyers and to render all possible aid
to the respondent is the object Of the
antisuicide commission recently APP
pointed by Mayor Tom l.. johnson Of
Cleveland, o. Frederick G. Howe, state
senator elect; William A. Greenlund,
former probation officer Of the juvenile
court, and the Rev. Harris II. Cooley,
member OF the board OF public service,
comprise the commission, says Il Cleve-
land special dispatch to the New York
World.
Every person in Cleveland who Is
contemplating suicide is invited to
write letter to the antisuicide COM
mission and tell his troubles For peo-
pie respondent from unemployment
the commission will endeavor to OBJ
tain employment, while the needs and
wants Of others seeking aid will be
looked after.
1T is the grandest work ever at
tempted here said Mayor Johnson.
II think it is safe to say that GO per
cent of the suicides here belong to the
foreign element. Alcoholism is certain
" the basis Of large percentage OF
insanity, but should not connect 1t to
that extent wirh suicide. Worry from
any cause whatever and low nervous
A,,11%fov, oro ohiodV, rocnNnoih1o
"This commission will investigate
these conditions aud wherever possible
will render such assistance as Will
make the victim Of melancholia see the
brighter side Of life. Each Of these
men has had much experience in socio-
logical work and is we'll fitted for this
particular task
ut is a psychological and sociological
question well worth going into. The
subject Is interesting from every point
Of view," said Commissioner Green
lund the other night. Most suicides
are caused by dependency, but the
primary cause, Of the dependency is
what we should look into. II we can
help only one unfortunate consider 1t
work well DONE" is the way Commits
sioner Cooley looks at his new duty,
and Commissioner Howe said, I'm my
opinion present social conditions and
lack of employment cause much of the
Dependency and dissatisfaction with
ones lot in life. which SO often ends in
suicide"
I,,% hA vNnntho nf ftofo
eighty-six persons killed themselves In
Cuyahoga county, almost ten for each
month. Alienists Of Cleveland say sui
eide Is increasing. The need Of some
means to counterfeit this condition
caused Mayor johnson to act.
OF the objects Of the commission Mr..
Greenlund said: 1--WE are willing and
anxious to aid any one who 10 in the
depths Of despair. II any unfortunate
man, woman, girl or boy who is so dis
Outraged that life seems not worth liv-
ing will communicate with US the case
will be taken up. and we will see what
can be done. How many suicides
would be prevented if the sick, poor
and Respondent had friends to go to, a
place to get relief! dare say many"
The commission has received numer-
GUS letters appealing for aid. One.
from society woman, reads as fol-
lows:
II wish you would tell me what !
might do to arrest an impulse toward
suicide which comes upon me every
once In awhile. more frequently now
than In former years. When was six
teen a foolish love affair and the in
duence Of q novel Wherein the heroine
had died from self inflicted wound
inspired me to stab myself in the
throat I must tell you that the wound
hurt me little, 90 little indeed that
ever after when am discouraged
death seems no more serious a matter
than making q call across the street.
The attempt at suicide in my youth
was hushed up. have been married
happily, move In what is good society
here and should be free from any NOR
bidness, but reading affects all my
emotions, and reading is about all that
/ can ind pleasure in, so you see in
what difficulty am. Is there some
thing in your philosophy which can
break the impulse, the desire, the long
ing for DEATH SO far as l am myself
concerned care not at sill, but my
family Is one which takes pride in
itself and would look upon suicide as
blemish, disgrace it would never for
give"
Still another woman wrote telling of
her experience in saving her husbands
life. She said: II awakened about 2
o'clock to fnd my husband gone from
my side. With terror at my heart l
arose and searched one room after an
other. At last l went to the kitchen.
My husband was crouched in corner,
q great butcher knife In his hauu. Ills
eyes glittered like a madman's; he
laughed ana cried alternately. At first
feared the deed was already done
and the wound already In his breast.
Thank God, the knife had not yet fall
en-! wrested it from my husbands
hand, and he fell into my arms, sob
btng like caiM
II, too. Frequently have desire to
end Il ak My little girl comes home
daily and asks, Whit IL this7 and
What ia thatr and have to profess
ignorance / am ashamed before my
own child. &nd then GENES ne awful
Impulse for sesf destruction. 90 into