Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-18
ENDS LIFE IN CELL
Arthur Lewis Hangs Himself
With Handkerchief.
FELT HE WAS DISGRACED
Found on Road in Helpless Con.
dition, He Was Locked Up for
Safe Keeping.

Arthur Lewis. about sixty-fve years
Fairfax county. Va. committed suicide in
a cell at the seventh precinct police sta
ton this morning by hanging.
He tied q handkerchief about his neck.
fastened 1t to the bars Of the cell door and
the weight Of his body was sufficient to
strangIe him to death. Life was extinct
when Policeman McDermott found the
body In the cell. but it was still warm,
DR.. A. B. Sheckells was summoned, The
body was in a sitting posture.
DR.. Sheckells labored hard to restore
respiration. but was unable to detect the
slightest sign OF life. 1t is believed that
the prisoner took his life because he felt
that he had been disgraced by being
placed In a police cell Fearing publicity
he had refused to give his name to the
police, and only an hour before his body
was found he told Capt. Schneider that
he felt keenly the disgrace of his posi-
ton.
The body was identified later by G. w.
Offett. friend of the dead man. who
was accompanied by a daughter Of Mr..
Lewis. The daughter was so overcome
that the police did not let her see the
body. The police were told that the
aged man attempted to commit suicide by
taking paris green last Saturday. When
the members of his family discovered
what he was doing they sent for a ply
stefan. In the meantime. 1t is said. Lewis
disappeared Mr.. Lewis is said to have
been well to do. He had son employed
In the Post Office Department.
The man was found lying by the
roadside Yesterday afternoon about
AIS o'clock near Friendship. the Nc
Lean estate. short distance from
Tenleytown. He was believed to be under
the influence Of liquor and his clothing
was water soaked from the downpour of
rain. Policeman Frank Elgin took
charge of him and sent him to the
station for safekeeping.
What is your Nance" was the first
question asked him at the station.
Refused to Give Name.
He politely refused to give his name
and objected to being locked up. but
his condition was such that the police
realized he needed to be kept out Of
the weather.
Capt. Schneider saw the man In his
cell this morning and talked to him.
The prisoner discussed the question OF
ing he objected to doing so because
he feared IL would get in the news
papers and he would be disgraced.
II feel keenly the disgrace Of being in
here" the prisoner said to the police
captain, and I wish you would let me
out
Feeling that the man was still unable
to care for himself, Capt. Schneider would
not release him. No intimation Of sui
eide was given by the man. but his APP
pearance was such that the captain
thought 1t would be we'll to have his cell
visited occasionally to see that he was
all right He had partaken OF breakfast
furnished him by the police. having COM
planned that he was hungry. and said he
enjoyed the meal very much.
Had Bottle in Pocket.
At the time he reached the station a
search was made. but nothing was found
in his pockets which would indicate his
identity, his personal effects consisting Of
so cents and a quart bottle containing a
small quantity of gin. There was no
label on the bottle. His appearance was
that Of man who lived in the country.
The deceased was about six feet tall.
He had a white heard and white hair.
His clothes were Of a brown-mixed pat
tern, and he wore heavy boots and a
black SLOUGH hat Capt. Schneider says
the prisoner was last seen alive at 1880
O'Clock At that time he was standing
at the iron grating and conversed with an
officer who went to the cellroom. Twenty
minutes later, the captain says, Police
man McDermott went to the room to see
to the occupant of the cell and found him
dead.
Coroner hewitt liz investigating the sui
eide.