The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-20
GIMBBL TRIES TO DIE
Philadelphia Merchant inHO-
bOken Cuts His Throat,
SLIGHT CHANCE TO RECOVER
Attempts Life In Hotel with Broken
Handle of Water Pitcher - Now
Charged with Violating New DER
sey Anti-suIcide Law Brother
Claims 1t Is a Case of EIaeI<maI.

New York, April 19-Benedict Gimbel,
the Philadelphia merchant arrested here
Thursday afternoon on the complaint of
Mrs. William Hudson Clark, mother OF
Ivor Clark, attempted to kill himself in a
hotel in Hobokenl
Gimbel broke the nose from a water
pitcher in his room. and with the sharp
edged piece of crockery cut his throat and
his left wrist The cash across the
throat severed the windpipe Two arteries
in the wrist were cut through. IN ST
Marys Hospital. Hoboken. tonight it was
said that though Gimbel would live
through the night, there were slight hopes
Of his recovery.
Gimbel was arraigned on the charge of
assault on Ivor Clark and with attempted
bribery in the Tombs Police Court late
on Thursday afternoon. He furnished
$500 bail, and was let 80. He was to
have appeared tomorrow to answer the.
charges. After leaving the courtroom he
went to a ferry to take train back to
Philadelphia, it was explained Gimbel
registered in the Palace Hotel, IIoboken
at HE p. m on Thursday He signed
NAl1 AAtt-AAt Va fNA-sVA AAEtNA lAlE5fs DA 4AFAA-
ton, n. j., on the register.
Wanted to BE Left Alone.
The night clerk. Albert Roltsch. gave
GimbeI a room on the top floor. with a
bathroom adjoining. GimbeI went up
stairs, and presumably 10 bed.
At about 9 o'clock in the afternoon a
chambermaid raped at the door From
inside came the answer:
Go away; I'm not going to get up
But ] want to make up the ROOM"
said the girl. knowing that the room had
been taken for the night only.
Go away" was the response and the
girl left,
There were no further signs of life from
the room until about 5:45 O'Clock Then
the bell in Gimbers room signaled for
pitcher Of water.
William BaedeF, the day clerk, went up
to the ROOM He raped at the door and
got no answer. Finally. he opened the
door with his pass key.
Clerk Finds Body on Floor.
Lying half in the bathroom and half in
the bedroom he found Gimmel with his
throat cut. The clerk summoned "a police
man, vino, in turn, called an ambulance
from St. Mary's Hospital
The doctors found that his windpipe
had been cut quite through on one side
and that two arteries in his wrist had
been severed. The blood had ceased TO
flow from the wounds and from the
coagulation it was inferred that they had
been inflicted some time before the body
was found A silver tube was placed in
the windpipe
Gimbel was in a very weak condition
He had almost no pulse and breathed
family. He was conscious. however. He
could not talk. but when the doctors
asked him questions ne motioned with his
right nand TO indicate everything. Two
cards were brought to him.
calls for Ether or ChIerofOrm.
On one he wrote, Joe Heatherington,
Depot House, Trenton, \. j. and on the
other, Ether or chIoroforn. please"
That was all the exertion that he was
called on for. He remained conscious,
but there was no Improvement In his con-
dition- The police took charge Of every
thing left in his room, taking away all
his clothing. What helped to establish
mis- identity as Benedict Gimbel chiefly
was a check found in one pocket.
Dr. Barr said at II o'clock that Gin
beFs chances Of recovery mad improved
considerably
He will not die tonight, at any
event" said the physician
Late tonight GimbeI was booked on
the Hoboken police headquarters blottor
as a prisoner for violating the New Jer-
sey anti-suicide law. He viii be ar
raigued in. the recorders office in the
event Of his recovery.
A man who said lie was a brother of
Benedict GimbeI was al the hospital TO-
night Il have nothing to say about this
case said the man who called himself
Gimbel's brother, further than what I
said last night, that this is a case of
blackmail pure and simple Ny BROTHER
can easily be proved innocent"
II that's the case, why did he try
suicide?' was a query.
I believe that the publicity Of this
case has driven my brother temporarily
insane. l do not believe that he knew
what he was doing"