The Washington times., 1908-02-17
TRIES TO DIE;
SEWERS ARTERY.
WRITES LETTER
Missouri Man Found in
Dying Condition and
Taken to Hospital.
Worry Over Business
ReVerseS Cause of At
tempt to End HisLife.

/ ~@sA@ = ~ LIN sAO -
Bereft Of reason because Of inability
70 obtain employment, Edward G. Cher
/ BONNER attempted suicide at 507 Sixth
Gtreet northwest. by severing an ar
tery in his left wrist
1t was one Of the most deliberate acts
ever heard Of by the police Although
/ when found this morning ne was SUI
/ fertng, weakened, and exhausted from
| the loss Of blood. which spurted from
| his lacerated wrist Cherbonnier, who is
f4fty-six years old, has a slight chance
for recovery.
Business reversss IN Ferguson. ST.
Louis county. Mo-. brought Cherbounler
/ 10 Washington about eighteen months
! ago Since his arrival In this city be
has made his home at various boarding
/ houses, and sought constantly for en-
Bloyment- His efforts failed, ana he de-
eleres he became disgusted and decided
10 give up the ship"
No Desire to Live.
Cherhonnier says he has no desire
to live.
I 7 have made failure Of everything
/ 10 which have put my hand" said
/ the would-be suicide "and the world
| viii never miss me, but continue 10
revolve Just the same"
The mans letter TO Major Sylvester.
which was written last night. and re-
/ ceiYed at Police Headquarters tDls
morning thwarted his well laid plaus
/ to ,.ie by has own hand. He was founu
/ SY two detectives. into whose hands
/ Major Sylvester placed the letter. Ds-
| teetive Burlingsme bound a hand<er-
/ chief tightly around Cherbonniers arm
near the elbow, and checked the nOw OF
blood. while Detective Evans ran ID
/ summon N ambulance. Their prompt
/ ness Is all That gives CherDonnIer a
4 cRance this Afternoon
Letter TO Sylvester.
In the morning mali Major sylvester
! received the following letter:
/ My room is at Mrs. CulHnaines.
50E sixth street northwest. Lnlro-
/ story back. February 10, l4j5.
My dear sir: There viii be no use
/ OF a coroners Inquest in this case,
as I have written tull instructions To
! the Masonic Temple, which they VIII
get in the morning. but as they may
be late IN getting down, you can
/ hasten matters with them, and il Is
/ possible that l failed 10 put my ad-
! dress in the letter, having written on
! hotel paper 1 also failed to request
them 10 have my remains taken out
! the back way
I En0liQ also ENGcE respectfully
! request that the papers make as little
/ comment as possible. II viii do the
public no good. but inJure the feel
inss OF others
Thanking you in adv ance. I have
the honor 10 remain. most respect
! fully, L. .. cHERBONNlER.
i Ferguson. Mo"
/ Detectives Detailed at Once
/ Believing the writer meant business.
afajor. Sylvester quickly dispatched the
detectives To the Sixth street house. A
scene OF horror met the gaze Of the men
h.rdened TO scenes OF suffering.
/ Everything in Cherbonnier's third-h0or
room gave signs OF the desperate at
tempt at suicide. The wash bowl ana
a tin basin were full OF blood, whIch
had flowed from his wrist Newspapers
snread over the carpet were saturated
{ CherbonnIer told OF his attempt 10
[ end his life and his Utterances were
enough 10 chill. the heart OF almost any
man he said he slashea his wrist Win
q Docketknife. after writing three let
ters. and tnen went over 10 the wash
bowl to let the blood rush out.
Timed Flowing Blood.
Tired myself" said Cherbonnier at
the Emergency Hospital. and It took
me Just three hours to get the bowl
fun OF blood.
while I stood there rejoicing in my
4 deliverance from earthly trIviaiities,
became so absorbed that 1 did not
watch my wrist closely The blood
congeaIed ana the flowing discontinued.
This made it necessary for me 10 re-
open the wound twice I don't remenl-
Der when I first cut myself 1t must
have been about 7 or s o'clock last
/ night. / bled all night. At daybreak /
was very weak, but very glad because
was near the end. I dragged my weary
limbs over the floor TO a tin basin and
flied that with blood from my wrist
4 few moments more and 7 would have
been relieved"
Letter to Landlady.
The woman from whom Cherbonnier
rented his little room received the fol-
lowing letter in the noon mail:
TO the Landlady:
''My Dear Madame: paid up until to
morrow evening. and trust I will be OF
very little further trouble to YOU.
have notified the brothers OF tie Ma
sonic Temple what to do. and also ad-
vised the chief of police of that fact 1
also request the home folk to send you
81 for any trouble you may have. which
I / hope will be very little. Very truly
"E. q. CHERBONNIER.
'iP. 81 will not require bath"
AT the boarding house il was said
Il Cherbonnier was a quiet unsociable man
, but very courteous and appreciative He
kept TO himself always and acted as
I though bowed under a great burden
None Of his few friends was aware
OF the fact that he was In a mood OF
( self-destructiCn. His letter TO the
MasOns probably was written because he
was at one time a member Of the or
ganiZation in the West.