Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-27
TRIES SURER METHOD
YOUNG Hunter Would Cure Bad
Habit and Shoots.
HE MAY NOT DIE after ALL
Bullet Hole Through His Head;
Eyes Badly Injured.
CONFESSED TO GIRL FRIEND
After Calling at Her Home in n
Street He Walks Several
Steps and Fires.
HE MAY NOT DIE AFTER ALI
CONFESSED TO GIRL FRIEND

George Hunter twenty-One years of age.
made a spectacular attempt last night to
end his life He fired three shots and one
bullet entered his right temple and passed
out the opposite side of his head. The
others went Wild. 1t is feared his eye
sight will be destroyed. although his life
will probably be saved. He is under treat
ment by surgeons at the Casualty Hos
pital.
The young man refused to discuss the
motive for the deed. but friends attribute
1t to his inability to refrain from the use
of intoxicants. Hunter had been at the
front door of the house Of Samuel B.
Kendig, a Police Court bailiff. 1910 H
street northeast. He talked with Miss
Bessie Kendig and then walked the dis
lance of three houses from the Kendig
home and shot himself.
Two Of the shots were fired from %
and one from a 30 caliber revolver. al
though only one weapon was found on
the street, the larger of the two. At the
time Hunter was picked up he was unable
to speak, but later at the hospital told
the police and surgeons that he had shot
himself He signed a statement to that
effect. What became of the second pistol
Is a mystery. There was only one empty
chamber in the weapon that was found
and cartridges of two sizes were found in
the pockets of the young mans clothes
when he reached the hospital. Capt. Daley
of the ninth precinct thinks the missing
pistol was picked up and carried away
by some person who was on the street at
the time the shooting occurred.
Didn't 60 to Work.
Hunter is employed in the navy yard
as a machinist, and lives at 4315 Bright
wood avenue. He is a member of Com
pany E. LIST Regiment, District National
Guard. Formerly he lived in Northeast
Washington and was regarded a gen.
eral favorite among the young people
who knew him.
Since he returned from the annual en-
campment at Fort Washington. 1T is
stated, he had been indulging in intoxi-
cants rather freely. and yesterday
morning when he appeared at the navy
yard his condition was such that he was
unable to go to work. Hunter said he
would give up his position, but he was
advised to take rest and return to
work this morning He did not follow
the advice given him, and last night he
made an effort to do what he had con-
templated week ago. The wounded
man told the police and DR.. Watson
Moffitt. one of the hospital physicians.
that he had been thinking about taking
his life for more than a week.
Miss kendig said today that one after
iooH WHllc sue was tdIhlHS 10 11uuteT
an intoxicated man passed. his condition
being such as to attract attention.
Before I'd ever come to that" the
young man remarked to Miss Kendig,
I'D kill myself"
1t was at that time that Miss Kendig
inquired of him il he INDUCED In intoxi-
cants. and he confessed he did
Then she told him, you ought to
stop it,
Il am going to STOP he said; I'm
IN inin do he
Broke His Promise.
During his brief talk with Miss kendig
last night Hunter said he had broken his
promise that he would drink no more
He said he was going to end it ALL Later
he said he was sorry he had not sue
ceeded
John Everhart, Emmett Woodward and
John Logan happened to be near the
scene of the shooting. and Everhart
picked up the revolver. turning it over to
James Duffy, who lives at 18th and H
streets. Police whistles we're blown and
people screamed loud enough to cause
considerable excitement in the neighbor-
hood and attract the attention of persons
who had not heard the pistol shots
Samuel b. kendig was among those
who responded. He thought there was
trouble at the house OF a neighbor for
whom he had recently purchased a DO
lice whistle, and was surprised to find
that young Hunter had shot himself He
assisted in lifting the wounded man into
the ambulance to be removed to the hos
pital.
DR.. Moffitt said this morning that the
patient was much better than he was
last night.