The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1909-05-27
A Chastity Sight

Swanson, living on a claim out in the
| hills country, made deliberate at
tempt to kill himself some time last
Friday morning. A brother who lives
few miles distant happened to go
over to the shack belonging to Swan
son, about S o'clock in the evening,
and on opening the door a horrible
sight met his gaze. Lying on bed
was the form of man literally COW
cred with blood, his throat cut al
most from ear 10 ear, and the left
arm slashed opened near the wrist,
penetrating to the bone.
On approaching the bed, the WISH
tor, to his amusement, saw the man
move. He attempted to get up, but
was too weak.
Hurriedly the brother left the house
| to summon assistance, and as soon
as the telephone could be reached,
medical aid was called, two physic-
ians going out from Kenmare in an
auto.
| Swanson returned with a neighbor
to the shack, where they were again
confronted with most unusual and
CHASTITY sight, the suicide having got
ten out of bed and met them at the
door. He tried to make them under
stand that he intended to die, it be-
/ ing found that he had cut into 'ne
windpipe, which made articulation
almost impossible.
The physicians arrived about an
hour after the alarm was given, and
the man was temporarily bandaged
and quickly hurried to Kenmare, be-
ing placed in St. Johns hospital,
where the physicians and nurses did
everything possible to save the mans
life. The man was given every at
tention, and it is thought he will re-
cover from the effects Of his rash
act, although he will probably lose
the use of the left arm, as the cash,
which was with a razor, penetrated
clean through the flesh into the bone.
| Swanson was induced to make
a statement yesterday regarding his
attempt to kill himself,a and while it is
with difficulty that he speaks, we
learned that he had been in some
trouble and worried over it, SO de-
! cided to kill himself. He said: Il
J took my razor that I shave with,
about 9 o'clock in RE morning, and
thought I could bleed to death, so
cut my wrist open and laid down on
the bed. | felt dizzy and went to
sleep, but after a while woke up and
found the bed all soaked with blood
and the cut had stopped bleeding. l
tried to get up but felt sick, but man
aged to get on the edge of the bed
for about half an hour, then l
thought I wasn't going to die, so got
the razor again and cut my
throat, then fell backwards on the
| he'd. That must have been about
noon. did not know anything else
until LQe uOOF Opeucu, uuI SouAu INV
see anybody, but after a while l
moved and found I could get up. l
walked around some, but was very
weak. l guess all the blood that's in
me has gone l suppose through that
I wasn't made to die that way, and
am sorry now and will try and live
The doctors who are attending him
at the hospital, while very reticent
about the matter, say that he will
recover, when questioned as to his
sanity, nothing could be learned from
them, but it must be conceded that
the would-be suicide is marvel. The
wound in the throat is fully six in
ches in length, and penetrated the
windpipe. Either wounds we're
sufficient to cause death, and it is a
remarkable circumstance to believe
that the man still lives.
whether the states attorney will
take action on the matter is one OF
conjecture, as Swanson shows evil
dent signs of repentance for his
rash act.-Kenmare News.