The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-24
SON DROWNS;
.FATHERTRIES
TO END LIFE
Wolf Kleinman Hangs Him
self and Turns on GaS.
Stricken Blind.
IS SAVED BY NEIGHBORS
Edward, Drowned at Coney Isle
and Yesterday, Is Third Son
of Wolf to Meet Death
In Same Way.
IS SAVED BY NEIGHBORS

After night of worry over the death
of his son. Edward. who was drowned
at Coney Island yesterday, Wolf Klein
man, of 81 North Canal street, attempts
ed TO commit suicide about o'clock
this morning and took double means
of doing SO. He tried to hang himself
with rope. and had also turned on the
gas to make sure of his work
Fortunately neighbors who had been
keeping close watch on the man broke
open the door and cut the rope which
had been fastened to a hook In the
ceiling, and then shut off the escaping
gas.
Today the old man Is blind from
| shock, according to his doctor, who
says the blindness, however. may be
| only temporary.
Even at that the rescuers had a hard
time with the distracted man, who
fought like a lion with four of his
| neighbors. and begged of them to let
him die. as he said he could not stand
| the loss of his son.
This is the third time in five years
that Mr.. Kleinman has lost sons by
| drowning.
| The son Edward, who was drowned
yesterday, left home yesterday morn
ing, with a number of other young
men and women living in the neigh
borhood for days outing at consy
Island. After enjoying some of the
sights and then a dinner the party
donned bathing suits for dip in the
ocean.
Young Rieinman. who was about feet 10
inches tall and weighed nearly 200 pounds.
was one of the first to enter the water. He
was good swimmer and went outside the
| life lines and then back again. He told
his friends that the water outside Of the
ropes was better than inside and Invited
| them to go with him. He started out again
and had only gone about fifty feet when he
threw up his hand and shouted for help.
| At first his companions thought he was
| only trying to scare them, but when they
saw him sink out of sight they realized
that he was In need Of assistance, and they
| swan out to help him. Before they reached
| him he appeared on the surface again and
| then disappeared altogether. His friends
| could not find him when they got to the
| place.
In the meantime people on the shore saw
| that Kleinman was In trouble and they
shouted for the lifeguards, but none were
| In sight
The visitors today alleged they saw two
| life guards leaving a saloon. When they
were informed of the accident they went
into the water. and after ten minutes of
| diving found Kleinman's body and took Il
ashore 1t was removed to the police
station In Coney Island. The lads iden-
| tity was made known TO the police
| Kleinman's parents did not know OF the
| drowning until late last night, although
when he did not return at o'clock. the
time he had promised, they began to be
| alarmed
They began to make inquiries. but did
not get any positive information until
| after 10 o'clock. when one of the First
Precinct policemen asked Mr.. Klelnman
II his son had gone to Coney Island during
| the day.
Mr.. Kleinman at once OWNED the police
| mans erTand and begged to be told the
trouble at once. The news Of his sons
drowning was broken to the father as
gently as possible, but even at that he col
lapsed like a child. The mother kept up,
however, and tried to comfort her husband,
who when he regained consciousness cried:
MY son. My son is gonel My big boy is
deadi'
Those present were deeply affected, as
they saw the big father tremble like leaf
with his grief, which grew worse as hs
cried out:
MY third son In five years
A careful watch was kept on the man
during the night by neighbors, but along
towards o'clock this morning he became
somewhat reconciled TO his loss and he was
left alone for a short time.
Then Mr.. Klelnman got rope and fas-
tened one end OF 1t to the hook In the
ceiling In the rear of his store and then
turned on the gas, in the meantime fasuen-
ing the other end of the rope around bis
neck. He then threw himself on the floor
as far as the rope would permit him 70 20.
Two negbbors happened to look in the
store window and saw Kleinman with the
rope around his neck. and they at once
realized that he was trying to kill himself.
They tried to open the door, but found It
locked, SO they were forced to put their
shoulders u the door and burst II open.
Kleinman was gasping when the rope was
cut and then the gas was turned of. The
physician was called to treat Mr.. Klein
man.