The evening world., 1911-02-03
J. Courtney Believed
Eighty Years Was Long
Enough for Him TO Live.
EludeS Watch of Little Son and
Is Found Dead in Up
town District.

After Thomas J. Courtney Of No. "a
West ono Hundred aud FIFTY. eighth
street had. tried va,nly to get two doc.
tors TO 'oslcrlzo'' him because he had
reached tho age OF eighty years tho Old
man, carly this morning, eluded tho
watch that had been kcp, upon him and
went 10 the foot Of West one Hundred
and Flfty-seventh street. wherr ha al
most severed his head from his body
with n razor.
william j.. Roland. a son-in-law. was
hurrledly called from his home, No. $50
West ono Hundred md sixtieth street.
When tho family found that Courtney
had managed to sc, out OF the house,
Boland went to Tho West Ono Hundred
10 notify the police.
MY father-in-law. an old man. Is
missing began the young man.
The lieutenant knew Instantly the real
situation. The body was then In the
station. only a dozen feet away. AMI
Boland made the necessary %identlhca-
ton.
Wa WelI-known Horseman.
Courtnry's death story, forms one of
the pathethlc police chapters OF the
year. In the old days when the Fleet
wood track was one Of the Institutions
OF the Bronx he was wen known as a
trainer OF pacing ana t~rotting horses,
For forty years he had dealt In and
handed horses. and up 10 his retiremen.
two years ago few men were better
known In the business.
Recently he became possessed OF the
idea that eighty years made up the
sum total OF any life. and that when a
man reached that age he ought to be
put out OF the way.
II am. useless" lie old his family,
which consists of a wife and four chill
dren. ranging In age from twelve -
twenty-six.
you doctors ought TO help me die
easily" he told Drs. Goodrich M
Ellis when he went to them pleading
for a painless method OF leaving the
world
Sought Way to Die.
Monday hs went TO the office OF DR..
Goodrich, No. 500 West one Hundred
n Flfty-sixth street. and asked for u
prescription that would enable him TO
die. lie asked II he might not take off
his clothing and stand by Ii window
and thus get pneumonia. lie inquired
as to drowning and other forms OF
Death. DR.. Goodrich sent him away.
and notified the police and the family in
turn.
DIR. Ellis of No. 500 West One Hundred
and Fifty-sixth street next had the
TRANCE caller with the same request.
The old man was sad when the doctors
sent him away.
When the family was notified each
membe took turns at watching the
father. As soldiers on guard. they re-
lieved one another In a ~tireless vigil.
Early this morning little Joseph. twelve
years old. became tired from the sleep
less task. 1t was then Courtney made
his escape.
Found by Wa.chmen.
The old man made his way down the
incline OF one Hundred and Fifty-sev,
enth street TO Audubon place, directly
In the rear OF the Spanish-Americar
War Museum and the new home of tn,
American Geographical Society. A new
building Is In progress OF construction
there.
Craig II. smith, OF No. lO4 Yves,
Eighty-third street. and Aoratoni Polito
Of No. 323 East one Hundred and Eight
street, are watchmen at the building
shortly before 0 o'clock they found tn,
body OF the old man lying in the stree
under u scaffo!d. His right hand tightly
clutched "A razor. lie was fully dressed
with one slash he mad almost severed
his head from the body.