, 1905-04-28
UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT SUI
eide MADE BY YOUNG WEIGH
MAN IN CITY PRISON At
SIX THIS MORNING.
Suffering With Nervous P~rostration
and Casts Himself Headlonq Into
Basement Of Abbotsford Hotel
Taken to County Hospital and
Makes Effort to Choke Matron
Dobbyns to Death.

Richard Edwards, a Welshman by
birth, about 20 years of age and un,
married, Is at the county hospital,
suffering from prostration from exces,
sive drinking and cigarette smoking,
ard with an ugly cash in his throat,
unGer The constant care of County Ply
stefan Hamilton and Under Sheriff
Morgan Knadler, raving n talking of
seeing things and wanting to kill HIM
self and other people. He has been in
the northern part Of the county, com
ing to the city about two weeks ago
from the auckland ranch, and has been
stopping a part of the time at the
johnson hotel.
At 6 o'clock this morning Policeman
Negus found Edwards in the basement
OF the proposed hotel at the corner
of Second and University avenue and
took him to the city Jail. He was
then suffering with a attack Of de-
lirium tremens, and was locked up
until he could be treated by the ply
stefan. When the officers returned a
few minutes later they found Edwards
suffering with an ugly wound in his
throat, administered by himself with
q piece of window glass about two
inches square,. which he had probably
picked up and put in his pockets The
wound was bleeding freely, having ex-
tended to the windpipe, but that or
gan had not been severed. AS soon
as possible DR.. Hamilton was sum
money and Edwards was taken ina
carriage by Frank Frazer to the county
hospital and placed under the care OF
Mrs. Dobbyns, the matron. DR.. Ham
ilton administered a potion to quiet
the mans nerves and induce sleep.
leaving word with Mrs. Dobbyns to
give him another later. In about
three-quarters of an hour the matron
returned to Edwards room in the case
end of the ward at the hospital and
gave him the medicine. She had start
ed to leave the room, and had her
hand Oh the az r knob, When Edwards
seized her and forced her backward
across the coal box. He had both
hands on the lady's throat and told
her he had been commissioned by
someone then talking IN his ear to
kill her.
Mrs. Dobbyns, weak from exert'on
and made what fight she could, but h
was fast losing consciousness when
she managed to scream, her cry being
heard by a lady stopping at the hos
pital. Mrs. Dobbyns says that while
Edwards had her down backward,
with his hands at her throat, he hap
pened to SPY his %pantaloons hanging
near by. Thinking he had a knife in
the pockets Of the garments, he re-
leased his hold on the lady and tried
to get the knife, Mrs. Dobbyns taking
advantage of the relaxing Of his grip
escape and turn the key In h
door, locking the unfortunate man in
side. She says she had taken the pre-
caution beforehand to remove every
thing of q dangerous nature from the
mans pockets, and he would not have
found the knife, had he been success
full in getting to the pocket.
Mrs. Dobbyns. weak firm exertion
and almost frightened out Of her wits,
rushed to the telephone and endeav-
ored to call the sherin's ONCE. She
almost incoherent, but managed to
make the central ONCE understand the
urgency Of the case and that once
then communicated with the sherih's
once, telling Mr.. Reals ofncers that
it was believed someone was trying
to rob Mrs. Dobbyns. Under Sheriff
Knadler at once hurried to the build
ing ana spent the forenoon with the
unfortunate young man. When Ed
wards was taken orse DR.. Hamilton
was again summoned. and he. too, was
1t the bedside Of the young scotchman
when . reporter for The Republican
visited the hospital ut noon. Dr.. Ham
ilton could not leave his side, Mrs.
Dobbyns bringing the Information
from the ward that Edwards was still
ravins at times, bearing voices and
seeing thinss. Sometimes he would
qufss down for = moment. and In one
q thsss .luaA intervals he told Mrs.
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