The Washington herald., 1909-05-27

An epidemic Of tragic suicides prevailed
in Washington yesterday.
Three persons. two men and a woman.
sought "surcease Of so-rowr by different
methods. All the city was agog last
night with gossip as TO the victims OF
seIf-destructl0n. and the reasons for their
acts.
Frank H Ball, thirty years old, member
Of one Of the most prominent families
in Virginia, committed suicide in the aft
ernoon under tragic circumstances He
drank the contents Of a bottle Of car
boic acid while on a trolley car crossing
the Aqueduct Bridge. He died on the
way 70 a hospital
Ball Lost Position.
Ball. who was formerly employed az
the Bureau Of Engraving and Printing.
lived at Clar endon. Va He lost his posi-
ton about ten days ago, and this IS sup
posed 10 have caused him 20 grow de-
sporGent- He came 70 Washington yes
terday morning. and visited friends in
various sections Of the city To none o.
these did he intimate that he intended
ending his life
About O'Clock in the afternoon Bal
went 70 a drug store. and purchased car
boIic acid. He was well known 70 the
drug clerk. who had no suspicious that
he intended committing suicide Bal
laughed and talked as though he were
happy. and bade the drug clerk good
By in a pleasant manner
He boarded al n street car, OF the
Georgetown line, and rode TO the George
town end Of the Aqueduet Bridge Short
Il after o'clock he boarded a bridge
car" of the Great FaIls and Old Domin-
ion H2e vhiOa = ansfers 10 The Fails
Church line AZ the Virginia end Of the
bridge.
The bridge car was crowded, and Ball
greeted number Of persons. He occU-
pied a seat near the rear end Of the car
and was almost hidden away from view
By persons standing in TIE aisle When
the car was midway the bridge, Ball toob
the bottle Of poison from his pocket and
put X 10 his lips. Although the acid
The conductor. W. J. Vernon, who had
known Ball for years, passed through the
car just as Bah finished drinking th'
acid
What's the matter, BaII?" asked Ver
non when he saw the expression OF agony
0n the passengers face
Oh. nothing replied Ball. haadin:
he empty bOtJle 20 the conductor. Jus
axe this and throw It ont OF the window
Il was full q carboiic acid q Elinut,
ago"
Ban collapsed. and was supported by
Vernon. who rang the bell. bringing tn
car 70 stop. Vernon then signaled 4
The motormsn 70 reverse, and the car va
slowly backed 10 Georgetown. 4 police
man at the end Of the bridge was nOt
ned. and he summoned q patrol waSoT
from the Seventh precinct station Bal
was placed in the wagon, but died befor'
L arrived az Georgetown University Hos
pitaL Physicians pronounced life extnc
after z brief examination
Cause of Tragic Incident.
The body was removed 10 the morgu
by order OF Coroner hewitt An inciden
almost as tragic as the suicide Of Bal
was enacted at the morgUe through con
fusion n the man identity. Harry Bean
OF Clarendon, who lived near Ball an
knew him intimately. told the police tn
man who committed suicide was Franl
Ball. Policeman FarqUhar, Of the Sev
enth precinct, saw the body. and declare
II 70 be that Of Robert Lee Shirley, a ca
driver, employed az the Willard Hotel
FarQuhar and Shirley fought side by sid
,--T
policeman was confident the body va
that Of his old comrade- Persons WI
were on the car with BAH hurried [
Clarendon and notified the dead man
wife Charles T and Harry Ball. broth
ers OF the suicide boarded car for n
morgUe. arriving there almost simUlta
necusly with HRS. Shirley. mother Of II
cab driver Mrs Shirley had read an &C
count Of her sons suicide in an Afternoon
bulletin, which later proved 10 be erro
neous.
The woman was Ushered into a room
where lay the body OF Ball She ran for
ward and clasped the body to her breast
crying out that the body was tia
Of her son. The Ball brothers witnesse
the scene, and were wonder stricken
They viewed the features OF the dea,
man. examined his clothing. and then de
claTed the body 10 be that Of thei
brother.
While this tragic scene was being en-
acted at the morgue. Mrs. Alice Edit
Shirley, wife OF the supposed suicide, Ia,
been informed her husband had eude,
his life and hurried from her home. a
H9 { street northwest. 70 the WHlar
Ho.el She found Shirley in the stree
before the hostelry and fell IN his arms
crying hystericaily. Mrs. Shirley wa
communicated with a. the morgue. an
informed by her dauShter-in-law shat he
son vas alive and vel Then Mrs
Shirley. the mother. discovered her mis-
take and informed the mOrgue maste
- o-~nr Tie body was turned owe
after the coroner ha
OF death by suicide
The funeral are be
age =. Column ,.