The Washington herald., 1908-09-01
SUICIDE OF WOMAN
PREVENTED By BOY
Ten-year-Old Lad in Struggle
with His Mother.
SCREAMS BRING ASSISTANCE
when Mrs. Blanche Hayes Attempts
10 Swallow CarbOIic Acid from a
Her Arm, and a Struggle for Vial
Follows Until Help Arrives

Calling her tel-year-oid son into
room, and standing with her back against
the door TO prevent his leaving. Mrs.
Blanche Hayes, thirty-three years old,
yesterday afternoon attempted 10 end
her life by drinking oarboic acid
She told the boy, Elmer. her only child
she was going TO Kill herself, and the
lad. terror stricken, caught his mothers
arm and struggled to prevent her swal-
lowing the poison. He screamed. and
kicked. and struggled franticaIly. cling
ing TO his mother with AL his strength
The chud's screams were heard and
aroused a number OF persons, who ran
20 the house Mrs. Thomas Warneu. for
years a friend Of Mrs. Hayes. was in the
dining-room Of the latser's home. Is2s
Kramer street northeast Three minutes
before the women had been engaged in
friendly conversation
Heard Calls for Help
Mrs Warnsl. hearing Elmer's cries for
help. raz upstairs and pushed open the
doors TO the room she caught IRE st-ug-
Cling woman by the arm It required all
her strength 70 prevent Mrs Hayes, Who
I IS of slight build. from swallowing The
I poison
/ Charles Hayes. broJher-in-Iaw Of Mrs.
T Hayes, followed Mrs Warneu upstairs
and Joined her in the effort 10 defeat the
woman in her purpose. Another woman,
I whose name was not learned. ran into
the house and aided Hayes and Mrs.
I Tarneu-
J HAYES told the women 10 hold his sister
51n-Iaw and prevent her from raising the
bottle from between her knees. He then
ran 20 a nearby grocery and teIsphoned
{ 10 the Ninth police precinct for help. De
tective ". Z. Smith jumped on a bicycle
ard made a record v-iP g the house.
about six blocks away
He found Mrs. Hayes sitting on the
edge Of a bed calmly co1versinE with her
trescuers- Detective Smith found the bot
tie OF acid beneath the mattress Of The
Z bed. where II had been placed out OF
reach Of Mrs Hayes hands
> crowd Of excited men. women. and
I children were around The house. eager TO
I hear a wC-d or get a glimpse OF what was
/ going on inside
/ Detective Smith informed Mrs. Hayes
: il would not be advisable Tor her 10 make
4 q second attempt When the policemen
/ left the house, she IS quoted as saying:
He can warn all the druggists not 70
sen me poison. but he can't take the
I water out Of the AnecosJia River"
/ An estrangement with her husband.
I John Hayes. for ten years an employe OF
I the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
/ Company. is said TO be the cause Of Mrs
I Hayes desire TO die According 70 per
/ soEs in The house. Hayes was rurI0ughed
about three weeks ago he IS saids to
I have obtained a number OF temporary po-
sitions since then
About three DAYS ago. HAYES left home
/ according 10 relatives Il is said he gave
[ no reason for his departure. Mrs. Hayes.
I according 10 friends. said
Wei. as long. as he stays away every
/ thing VIII be all right"
Cause of the Act.
Yesterday afternoon Hayes visited q
friend living a few doors from his home.
/ His wife learned Of his presence IN the
neighborhood. and. It is said, went to see
him. in an effort 10 effect reconcile
ton Hayes is quoted as saying he did
not intend TO return, and mrs. Hayes
went home.
} Shortly afte-ward she broke down and
erred, becoming almost hystericaL
she went 70 the home OF Otis Tucker
{ 1873 Kramer street, where she procured
q bottle She then went TO drug store
/ and purchased carbolIc acid. according 70
I the police
When Mrs. Hayes reached her home
Z she called TO her son Elmer saying she
[ wanted 70 see him The lad went up
I stairs in response 10 his mothers request.
ana The struggle followed