The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-30
new GRIP ON LIFE
w. w. Washington, of Texas,
Is Glad He Didn't Die.
Tried to Commit Suicide on Rock
Island Train.
1T WAS NEAR TOPEKA.
Man Was Met at Train by Doc
tors and Saved.
BrOOded Over Family Troubles
is Happy Now.
1T WAS NEAR Topeka.

1t is pretty hard to think shat a per-
son, riding a mile a minute in a COM
Portable car down the beautiful valley
of the Kaw with the sweet smell of
spring coming in the windows and the
ever changing scenery speaking of hap
piness and prosperity, could contem-
plate suicide.
The Kansas fields, the Kansas
breezes and the Kansas spirit should
have a far different effect on the rali-
way passenger who rides through her
prettiest districts.
But W. w. Washington of Texas,
didn't think so Wednesday morning as
he was riding on a palatial Rock Island
train down the Kaw valley. We say h9
didn't think SO then-even though he
has different ideas now.
Washington not only contemplated
suicide while taking this first trip
through bountiful Kansas-but he at
tempted it and finally when the To-
peka physicians succeeded in patching
his wounds, and filling him with the
Kansas atmosphere he turned over in
his cot at the hospital, looked out upon
the budding trees, the green grass and
the Sunlit lawns and murmured:
Il wish 1 hadn't done it-and 1 am
going to go back to my folks in Texas
and try all over again.
And then he slept and when he woke
until the first Rock Island train for
Texas was due out of Topeka-he had
new grip on life-he saw new things,
new people and new conditions-all,
happy and full of promise for the man
who lives and loves.
1t occurred on train No. 81 of the
Rock Island Wednesday noon. Wash
ington purchased a ticket in Kansas
City for Pueblo, Col. He doesn't know
why he wanted to go to Pueblo when he
lived in Texas-but he wanted to get
away from home and friends-and then
drop from sight-banish the sorrows
and grief that go side by side with hap
piness and joy in the life of a human
being.
About 20 minutes out of Topeka the
impulse to end all then and there came
upon him. He reached in his pocket.
grabbed his knife. opened the blade
and before fellow passengers could in
terfere he plunged the blade in his
neck and with the blood squirting
from his veins he reeled over into the
aisle.
Excited passengers called for the con-
ductor. A call was made through the
train for a doctor. None could be
found So the conductor took out his
frst-aid-to the-injured apparatus-an
equipment that is required on all Rock
Island trains-and did what he could
to stop the flow of blood.
The engineer was informed of the
deed With a solid track ahead of him
he opened the throttle until the train
sped go miles an hour over the rails.
Tearing through North Topeka, over
the Kaw river bridge and into the sta
ton the train was bearing its dying
burden.
An ambulance was summoned. The
man was rushed to Stormont hospital
and in a few minutes the flow of blood
had been stopped, the cut had been
sewed and in that short space of time
the physicians had made new man
out of w. w. Washington. They had
rescued him from the Slough of Des-
pond.
Today the Rock Island officials in CO.
operation with the city authorities
planned that Washington should be
sent to his wife and family in La
Grande, Texas.
His ticket which read to Pueblo has
| been exchanged for a ticket to the lit
| tie town in Texas. With bandages
| around his neck. his face wreathed in
| smiles and a farewell wave to the Of
| ficials who had rescued him from a
suicides grave, w. w. Washington
| stepped on a train this noon
| This time he was full of life-full OF
| the Kansas air, the Kansas spirit, and
the Kansas grip on life.
| I'm going home to Texas today,
| was his parting word-''but let me tell
| you-when I get things settled I am
going to bring the wife and babies
/ back to Kansas-and to Topeka
And the train pulled away, down into
| the yards and out over the prairies
| with a different face looking out over
| the valley of the Kaw.
| -S-------