Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-06-24
A GREWSOME SUICIDE
James Moons FiendiSh Compo-
sure In Planning Death.
HE MADE GOOD HIS BOAST.
This Singular Man Vowed He Would
Make by His Remarkable Manner Of
Death Name Fer Himself That
Would Live For Years.

Would Live For Years.
Ia all the annals of suicides the
world over il is not recorded that any
man prepared for death ana stared
the grim reaper in the face with more
hendish composure than did James
Moon in planning and working month
after month on the most remarkable
method OF ending his life. which he
adopted ana put into execution in the
old Lahr hotel at Lafayette. Ind. many
years ago.
After strapping his body securely 10
the floor he then chloroformed himself
SO that he would remain perfectly mo-
uonless until candle. burning through
a cord, would release the blade Of q
guiilotine CT his own invention to sew
or his head from his body.
Il VIII make for myself n name that
Will live for years and years after my
death" boasted Moon when first he
began 10 work on his plan. months he.
FORE he actually carried ii out. Ii was
not an idle boast. His name is still
remembered beyond the confines OF
Ilppecanoe county, for the diabolical
cunning employed in his grewsonla
deed insures the perpetuation OF the
story for years to come.
The crude but effective guillotine by
which Moon chopped off his head is
now one of the most interesting relics
IN the museum OF Purdue university.
Inc sanity OF Moon had been ques-
uoned before the startling act of self
obstruction. for he was contipuouslv
taking or revoiutionizing the world Inv
various remarkable inventions upon
which he was working. one OF his
hobbies was sewing machine tbot
ne promised would far excel ANYTHING
YET invented In that line, and he would
spend days working on it in a little
Shed in the rear of his home. Moon
was known throughout the county and
there We're some who believed that no
was really genius and some dov
would succeed in the one great Inven-
ton on which his heart and mind Ivera
set Though none of his machines
was ever successful, there is no denv-
inS that his guillotine was Il MASTER
piece OF amateur mechanical art After
ms death il was learned that he had
spent months in perfecting the instru-
ment which was once the terror of
France.
Every detail in the construction Of
the death dealing device was perfect
Could one have watched the man at
WORK IN his little shop in the Lonesome
hours OF the night he would have soon
remarkable spectacle. Moon must
nave stretched his body on the floor
again and again, marking the distance
with perfect accuracy and then snrinc.
ing the huge blade to see if II wouId
descend just at the spot where his
neck had been. Every calculation had
10 be perfect, every joint in the instru.
iment had to work perfectly. 10 insure
.ueo perfect success as was attained
III The final test to which II was put
The big blade was sharpened' TO the |
keenuess OF razor's edge. Those
WHO saw Moons body afterward saw
that the neck was cut through so |
smoothly that not even bone was
spIa.ered
Bidding his family a happy farewcl |
Moon left hiss home in the section of |
lippecance county known-as the ..Wea |
Fiaias' and went to the Old Hotel |
Lair. IN Lafayette, one Saturday after.
noon in june. 1876. His only ir.ssacc
was 4 trunk. In which the r:e,es of |
Ms ga'iioslne. the straps, bottle of |
chloroiorm and other materials neces- |