Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-27
FUTILE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE
Feli& BlAnksnfsld, Aged Musician,
Takes Poison and Lives.
WRITES TO FRIEND ABOUT TT
Descendant of Noble GePmaa Family,
an Exile from His Native Land,
Co. Prefers Death 70
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Felix Blankenfeid. es years Of age. Of
noble German .pArentage, an exile from
his native land, tried to end his life by
taking poison, and lie now * a serious
condition at his home, III South Twen-
tieth street. He is without relatives or
family. SO far as known here, ana is being
looked after by the friends he has made
in Omaha during his f~hirty-two years res
idence.
For many years FELIX B~lankenfeld has
taught music In Omaha and he has num-
befed2 among his pupils the society people
of the city. He WAS e%minently successful,
socially and financially, but a year ago
he became i'll and was unable to attend to
his teaching, until finally he became de-
pendent upon tho charity Of his friends.
His proud spirit rebeiled and he sought
to- end his life. For some years he had
bean using dig1talis as a heart stimulant
Onessof his friends protested that some
day he would take an overdose and kill
himself. He walked into the Hosps art
store fon Douglas street Thursday after
noon and ANNOUNCED to his friend, Lucius
Pryor, of the store;
q, have taken 100. dig1talis pills. and It
wiz not kill me- What will l doR"
s,cie Pryor calls n Doctor. q
At this time the mans heart was beating
rapidly and he was in a serious condition.
Pryor called a physician and Blankenfeld
wasi sent home and treated. a. &
Though he has lived In, Omaha for thirty
two years and has scores Of Intimate
friends. not one Of them ever heard him
speak OF his immediate family. 1t was
known that he was of noble p~arentage and
that he was sent to America as a remit
a. --.f- A~1 .l0sHlg In Tho
army. .tse
MANY years ago the remittance was
stopped and Blankenfeld began TO teach
music and from the first he was successful.
Since he reached Omaha he. Inherited one
fortune Of $4,000 and, one Of $4,000. He
belonged to the old school of "spenders"
and, A. short time in New York won for him
the title Of the champagne Prince" and
lost to him his fortune.
But he was a good loser and never com
planned. He never asked for help, until he
wac, completely down and out financially,
and, then when help came to him rather
than accept It he took poison.
o. pe Refused 60 Say q Word.
pBYankenfeld lives in one room at the fiat
Gil South Twentieth street and Saturday
morning, though able to sit up and talk
he refused to say a word regarding his own
affairs. He had talked for several months
OF taking his own life because he was too
proud to be a dependent, so his action was
not a surprise to his friends.
In year ago when Rlankenfeld was sick
Snd The fact b9e4ne Known that he wak
without funds. friends volunteered to help
hin and his old pupils raised a fund OF
over 500. ~ -"N"-' Pp' @-u
Friends Of Blankenfeld expect now to
have him removed to a sanitartum where
he may regain his health and spirits and
once more take his place among the ad-
vanced music instructors OF the city.
Rev. Frank l.. Loveland. d. D., pastor of
the First Methodist church. who visited the
old man at his rooms and Secured d prom.
ise, from him that he would not repeat the
effort to destroy his life. has taken an In.
terest in him and has expressed a willing
ness to receive and look after any con-
tributions which generous people might
wish to make toward raising a fun to en-
able the man to so to u sanitarium and re-
celye treatment that will restore him men,
tauy and physically. ~ ieia"9 5 taHq q
hTTED hf M grrl .Alw....r.- ---a