Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-19
Police Recover Body.

Police Recover Body.
The crew OF the police launch Major
Sylvester recovered the body about 2:l5
o'clock this afternoon near the spot where
the man had made his plunge TO death
There was big bullet hole in his right
temple. indicating that the pistol had
been of a large caliber
The mans hair was red. and he ap-
peared to be from thirty-two to thirty
five years OF age. He was smooth shaven
and wore dark clothes and outing
shirt. In his pockets were 81. IL In money.
a silver watch with a gold dollar at
tached to the chain. bottle OF laudanum
procured on a physicians prescription at
Burners pharmacy. North Capitol and r
streets. and two notes he had written
several DAYS ago
One Of the notes was addressed, .Aeilo.
old cnum." and told OF his intention To
commit suicide by hanging himself
The other note was addressed My Dear
Friend" and stated that he had been mar
tention Of killing himself. but showed he
had not dec.ded upon the means 10 be
employed.
The police remarked that there is no
doubt about his intention TO succeed.
he used poison a pistol and the river to
end his existence.
Poises on the Edge.
The man is said to have walked to
about the center of the bridge. and.
climbing over the railing. poised himself
on the edge of one of the iron supports
From this dizzy height, with the river
flowing about thirty feet below. he bal
anoed himself, and drawing from one OF
his pockets a pistol placed II against his
head and pulled the trigger. Boys who
were fishing from the structure heard the
a. Id
over and over and fell to the stream be-
low. They noted the splash. and then the
waters closed over the suicide.
An alarm was sent to the police sta
tons at Anacostia and in East Washing
ton. and the reserves FASTENED to the
scene. A call was also sent Cor the police
steamer
A few minutes after the man shot HIM
self and plunged into the river a black
derby hat. size rs, was fished from the
water by one OF the boy anglers and
turned over to the police. There were no
marks about II by which the wearer
could be identified.
Startled by Pistol Report.
Ralph X. Miller Of 1910 d street south
east was seated on a stone abutment be-
low where the man committed the des.
perate act. Miller was fishing. when he
was suddenly startled by the report OF
pistol just above him. CHANGING up. he
saw the body Of the suicide as II went
whirling down to the river below.
Seated in a small boat near the scene
OF the occurrence were three boys, Will
liam and Harry Motley of 92l E street
southeast and John Hare Of 80 9th street
southeast. They heard the body splashing
into the stream, and rowing to the spot.
recovered the hat.
A great crowd Of boys and men quickly
gathered on the bridge, and the lads clam
bered upon the ratings OF the structure
found ii necessary to drive the lads from
the bridge to prevent possible accidents.
Third Within a Few Weeks
The police say the suicide of today Is
the third similar affair of the kind in the
same locality within the past few weeks.
The body Of a man was found in the river
Tuesday and has not Yet been Identified.
A man named Barnes committed suicide
by springing into the river from the navy
yard bridge Monday morning. and the
police are still dragging for his body.
1t Is said the man who ended his life
today chose time and means when there
could not be any failure in ending his day,
and that. too. in a most tragic manner.
at the time, and had the bullet failed to
find a vital spot. drowning in the fifteen
foot channel was almost assured.
Late this afternoon the police gave IL
their opinion that the man was named
Wood and that he lived at III Quincy
street He was a patient Of DIR. Mooney
Of 12l1 North Capitol street.