Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-21


along E street late yesterday afternoon.
For fully a square. westward from 9th
street pedestrians had been startled by
the spectacle of man walking along the
sidewalk with his overcoat, coat, vest and
shirt open and pricking his bare flesh with
tho sharp point of a knife. In the mid
die of the block between 10th and 18th
streets he crossed the pavement and dis
appeared in the vestibule of the house
1909 e street, closing the door behind
him.
Noise in Vestibule.
The house at the e street address is
occupied by Mrs. NJ l.. lifts. but the
whole Of the first floor, except the mar
row entrance hall and a long flight OF
steps, Is used for business purposes.
Washington o. Berry, proprietor of the
store, heard a noise as of scuff1ing of
feet In the vestibule, and Mrs. lifts was
attracted by the sounds of some one
went to investigate. One glance at the
PROSTATE body of a strange man in the
hallway, blood pouring from several
deep sashes In the neck. frightened Mrs.
upstairs to give the alarm to other MEM
bers of the household. Mr.. Berry and
George r. Payne. one of his employees.
were probably the first to realize the
Il.
Berry telephoned to the Emergency Hos
pital for the ambulance. Harry Haight.
proprietor of restaurant on the opposite
side of E street, observed the crowd gath
ering. and notified the police of the first
From the condition of the body as it
was seen by the men first to reach the
scene 1t was evident that Mr.. Hosford,
after closing the outer door to the veSti-
bule. thus screening his intended act from
the view of chance pedestrians along the
street. had removed collar and necktie and
thrown them aside. Then, standing against
the inner door and welding a thin-blade
kitchen knife, of the sort frequently used
by cooks to pare potatoes with deadly
intent stabbed himself again and again
in the neck.
Absence of Calm Effort.
1t was obvious that the pain of the
first cut simply excited the Respondent
man to frenzy. because there was an en-
tire absence of calm effort to locate q
vital spot, the wounds being almost in
a horizontal row across the neck BY ac-
cident, probably. Mr. Hosford struck a
vital spot, and as blood gushed over his
clothing and the floor he gradually LOST
strength and fell losing his grasp on the
knife as he went down. Even then his
desperate desire to end his life was no.
overcome. because he tried to raise him.
self by reaching the knob Of the outer
portal and falling across the sill, and he
was lying with his head hanging over the
stone step when Mr.. Berry and Mr..
Payne ran TO investigate the cause of
the disturbance. AS they sought to raise
his body Mr.. Hosford made one final eff
fort to again gain possession of the knife,
but by that time his strength was ex.
hausted and he lapsed into unconscious
ness.
A great crowd assembled almost in a
moment, and for d time there were sto-
ries of murder afioat, and rumors that
another man had been seen to run from
the doorway where the wo nded man
was lying. The ambulance arrived
promptly. and record run was made to
the hospital. On the way DR.. j. II. War
ing attempted TO assuage the flow of
blood and to administer stimulants Mr.
Hosford was placed on the operating Ia
BILE as soon as the hospital was reached,
put the surgeons realized that life was
fast ebbing Death ensued less. than ten
minutes after Mr.. Hosford had been car
ried into the institution.
becauseof the rumors of foul play
Capt Boardman, chief of detectives as
signed Detective Charles Evans to make
an investigation, but his inquiry coupled
with the examination of the body and
the surroundings by Coroner hewitt re-
lsu!ted In the latter issuing a certificate of
death by suicide. Altogether there were
eight deep stab wounds in Mr.. Hosford's
neck and an equal number of minor i'm
portance on his breast Death was due
to the severing of the jugular vein and
important arteries OF the neck.
Native of Ohio.
Frank H. Hosford was born in Henriet-
Ia. Ohio. in 1853, and therefore was in
the prime of life. When he was still OF
tender age his parents removed to Mich
igan. and he remained in that state until
he came TO this city. about twenty years
ago. At one time he was a member OF
the Michigan legislature, and for nearly
his whole life was prominent in political
work and in political writings. AS re-
porter he did his first newspaper work on
the Grand Rapids Times. but subsequent
~ became connected with the Detroit
Free Press, and by that paper he was
sent to this city as it's Washington corre-
spondent Early in Mr.. Hosford's career
In the Capital city his political stories
attracted wide attention, both locally and
nationally. He became acquainted with
William Jennings Bryan while the latter