The Washington times., 1906-08-28
Robert Battelle Describes
Sensation After Shoot
ing Himself.
DENIES BIGAMY CHAEGE
Says He Now Knows of
Many ReaSoas Why He
Should Live.

Discharged from the Emergency Hos.
pi,4l as cured Robert Maurice BatteIe
who attempted seIf-destruction while
sitting on "a bench IN Judiciary square
last Saturday morning, is now at his
home, e. II street northwest He says
he realizes the folly of 1t all, and knows
there are hundreds of reasons why he
should not Kill himself
Battelle is stall. has a fiorid com
pleXI0n. an Intellectual brow, deep-set
brown eyes "a firm moSth, square Jaw,
a deliberate address. and forceful way
of talking
AT his home today he said 20 a Times
representative.
while I way Bink on The fat Of
my back in the hospital number Of
Inaccurate statements were made about
me and those with whom have associ-
ated.
1T WAS said 1 am q bigamIsL That
is untrue I was never married 90 but
one woman iu my life. She was Mert
Monday That was fourteen years ago
and when ] was only nineteen years
OF age A year later we were legally
divorced. and there are records In the
court house at Charlottesville, Va, to
prove this. She and our thirteen-year-
old boy are now living i'm Chnrlottes-
EilIe.
'It was stated that J walked past
nay supposed Wife'- house on Saturday
morning before shooting myself That
is misstatemenJ Mrs. Curtz OF 9TH
ers are credited with having said that
1 was cruel 20 M0llie Baton. That IS
untrue. 4 never raised my hand against
her lu anger IN my life but have al
ways had carcsSeS ana sHft words for
her 10 tS an uutruJH tLat T ever drew
razor sCrUss ucT throat as I am said
I'd have done. and more than that /
never even referred 10 razor while in
her COMPANY j am an honorable man
from the State OF Virginia. having been
born i'm Warren county tniTty-three
wears ago. and ] can prove my char
aCrer and name anywhere lu that State.
ue day ] shot myself 4 went 20
i street store where ] purchased the
-s>-eallbsr revolver and half dozen
CdTJTllGCH- tucN would not let me load
the weapon ~ the store. 4 put il in my
handkerchief pocket on the uutsIde of
nay coat and held the cartridges iu my
hand mL ] reached saloon near
Judiciary Square There l loaded The
weapon after trying the trigger. /
strOllcd over 10 the park and sat down
on bench 90 shoot myself.
A policeman passed near me. l hid
The revolver under nay coat After he
passed / placed the muZle OF the re-
vOlver 10 the pit Of my stomach and
was abcat to pull the trigger when
woman CA the opposite side of the street
screamed ana the pOlICeman's attention
was attracted 10 her. 4 pulled the triE-
ger ] wanted 90 send the bullet into
a vital spot and bring my life 10 an
end because q was not worth living
When the policeman heard the report
OF the pistol he ran toward me. but he
was too lac. The bullet struck my left
side and did not go into the stomach.
This was probably due 70 the fact thai
/ was IN hurry 10 finish the job with
ont interference.
Words cannot explain the sensation
AS / felt tire lead enter my flesh. In
few moments ir would all be- over and
there would be no more heariaChes,
sleepless nights. or worry, ] thought.
But / was doomed 10 disa ppointment.
An ambulance was summoned
l did NOT want 10 20 Ia any hospital
and be nuTsed back 90 that sunless life.
! had given mp every hope and relin-
qushed all claim % life But they would
not let me die. although ] begged and
cntreated them 20 do so
II am well now. ] feel no i'll effects
as a result of my fOolhardy experience
and l nave thousands Of reasons for
hanging on TO life NV experience has
taught me much and having made the
attack on myself ] feel a s though I had
wiped out everything in my past and
gained a fresh start i'm life / will live
| will do the right thing toward every
body and expect the same from them,
and ] shall pay of the money I owe
before many months have passed