Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-09
BY USE OF A CARVING KNIFE
WOMAN MAKES DESPERATE Eff
FORT TO END HER LIFE.
Throat and Both Wrists Cut-Quick
Run to Hospital-Brain
Is Disordered.

Mrs. Chrissie Lola Porter, wife OF isaac
D. Porter, made a desperate effort this
morning to end her life by cutting her
throat and both her wrists with a carving
knife. She was alone in her room, 942 o
street. when she made the attempt. The
sight Of the blood that was shed made the
other occupants of the house extremely
nervous and excited. The ambulance was
summoned from the Emergency Hospital
and Mrs. Porter was hurried to that instf-
tuition. DR.. Sutton. who was In charge OF
the ambulance. worked hard to stop the
flow of blood while the ambulance was
making a record run. When the hospital
was reached the surgeons placed Mrs
Porter on the operating table. They found
that she had inflicted a serious wound OF
the throat. The cuts across her wrists
were also serious. When the operation
was finished the patient was removed to
ward on one. of the upper floors. The sur
geons then said that the condition of Mrs.
Porter was critical.
Mrs. Porters act. it was stated. was the
result of a disordered brain. Only last
Government Hospital for the Insane, but
was discharged as having recovered. At
that time she suffered from decisions OF
persecution following a severe nervous at
tack. She was residing in an apartment
house at North Capitol and NJ streets
November II, when she imagined she was
being prosecuted. Her conduct was such
that her husband and others were alarmed
by reason of her condition. Her husband
had her committed to the hospital. and she
remained there until December q. when
she was discharged. About a month ago
MIR. Porter obtained beard for his wife and
daughter, the latter Florence Porter, nine
years OF age, at the house on o street.
Recently Mrs. Porter suffered another at
tack of nervousness. The condition OF the
nervous woman became SO serious yester-
dow rlN.t 1D1 ,-oI rtrl -
look after her. Mary Nichols, the coored
girl, remained in the room with Mrs. Porter
all night. and this. morning she was about
exhausted.
Nervousness Increased
During the night the nervousness Of Mrs.
Porter increased and it was all the girl
could do to prevent her from taking her
life. She said that Mrs. Porter procured
Ratchet, knife and other instruments and
had them in bed with her. and 1t was only
with considerable difficulty that she sue
ceeded in disarming her. The colored girl
this morning about o'clock was out of
the room for moment. Mrs. Porter took
advantage of the opportunity, procured the
carving knife, locked the door of her room
and proceeded with the work Of self-de-
struction. When Mary Nichols found the
door locked she feared something was
wrong. but it was not until she heard
gurgling sound that she became convinced
that Mrs. Porter had wounded herself. The
girl then broke open the door and observed
that the wounded woman was rapidly
bleeding to death.
Mary Nichols and the nine-year-old
daughter of Mrs. Porter hurried from the
house in search of a policeman. Failing to
find one they informed Mrs. Wagner the
landlady of the house, of the condition of
affairs in Mrs. Porter's room. DR.. yelling
ton was summoned and he realized at
glance that 1t was necessary to get the
wounded woman to hospital without de-
lay. The ambulance then made a quick
run and Mrs. Porter was soon upon the
operating table.
Inspector Boardman sent Detective Harti-
gan to the hospital to make an investiga-
ton, having been informed that a woman
was there with her throat cut and the
physicians not knowing whether the case
was one of attempted suicide or assault.
Detective Burlingame was sent to the house
to make an investigation at that point.
Entertained Hallucination.
1t was stated to the police that Mrs. Por-
ter imagined last night that an effort was
being made to sift poison through the tram
som for the purpose of killing her. The
fear that her life was going to be taken
had deprived her of her reason and the po-
lice expressed surprise that she had not
harmed the colored girl or child before she
attempted TO take her own life. Mrs. Por-
ter, the police were told, had threatened
several times Aduring the past few days
to kill herself, and those who were &C
quanted with her We're not taken wholly
by surprise when told of her act this MORN
ing. The knife that Mrs. Porter used was
turned over to Detective Burlingame and
taken to police headquarters.
When Mrs Porter reached the Emergency
Hospital she was unconscious, and 1t was
therefore impossible for the surgeons or the
police to get a statement from her. She
had bled profusely from the several wounds
and ii was found necessary to inject
line solution in order to save or prolong
life.
Mrs. Porter.s age is given by the police as
thirty-six years. Her husband was sum-
moned from his place Of employment this
morning shortly after the deed was COM
mitted, having been told of her condition
earlier in the morning. He went to the o
street house and from there to the hospital.