The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1913-04-25
WAYMAN is DEAD
Former Chicago States AttOr-
ney Takes Own Life.
SICKNESS CAUSES ALTERATION


yer in Closet of His Home-Neither
Strikes Vital Organ and Physicians
at First Held Out Hope That Mr..
Wayman Might Recover.
John E. W. Wayman, the former
states attorney at Chicago, died at
1:18 a. M from two self-infiicted bull
let wounds in his left breast eight
hours after he attempted suicide in
clothes closet in a bedroom of his
home at 1884 Constance avenue.
Mrs. Wayman heard the reports.
She ran upstairs and saw her hus.
band lying crumpled up on the floor,
the weapon by his side. Hysterical-
ly she ran down the stairs and out
doors, screaming for help.
George G.. Bour, real estate man
and friend of the lawyer, was passing
at the time With his brother, Frank
Bour. They rushed into the house
and to the wounded mans side. He
was fully conscious. Mrs. Wayman
flung herself over his bleeding body
and began praying.
what is the matter, John?" George
Bour asked the former states attor-
ney, after he had picked him up and
laid him upon a bed.
ooh, Pve made an awful fool of
myself George" he answered, his
features writhing with pain. Il just
acted on the impulse. l don't know
why I did it,"
Brain Turned by Sickness.
It is understood that Mr.. Wayman,
while an apparently robust man, has
been suffering from chronic case of
Bright's disease, and his sickness
caused temporary alteration in con-
sequence of which he attempted to
take his life.
Mr. Wayman chose a closet open
ing off his bedroom as the place i'll
which 20 make his suicide attempt.
He fred two bullets into his body
from a revolver, one of which pierced
the chest about two inches below the
heart and, passing from the back, en-
tered the wall of the house. The
other missile entered the chest slight
1y lower down than the first and
ranged downward, finally lodging in
the groin.
Physicians who were summoned at
once worked over Mr.. Wayman for
several hours. They finally stated
that neither bullet had touched vital
organ and that Mr.. Wayman stood
good chance to recover.
Friends Talk of Tragedy.
Friends of Mr.. Wayman declared
he was not in any financial or bust
ness trouble and there was no reason
for attempt at suicide. 1t was point
ed out by others, that Mr.. Wayman
had suffered a big political disap-
pointment when he was defeated for
the Republican nomination for gov
ernor and this coupled with his ill
health and recent criticisms which
have been directed against him,
might mean that the shooting was
designed.
Some recent criticisms of Mr..
Wayman had concerned the fact that
an arson confession before he left Of
flee had not been acted on.
Wayman Was Born in 1872.
John E. w. Wayman was born in
Glen Easton, w. Va, in 1872 He
was graduated from Bethany college,
in West Virginia, in 1894, and from
Kent College of Law in Chicago in
1898, and was engaged in practice un-
til 1908. He was elected states at
torney of Cook county in November,
1908, for the term expiring in Novem-
Der, 1912. In 1895 he married Eliza.
beth Calef and has three children.
Anna, John e. w. Jr., and Calef.
One of Mr.. Wayman's most noted
cases while practicing law was that
of Rudolph Jonas, charged with muir.
der and convicted in the municipal
court. Mr.. Wayman raised the ques-
ton of the jurisdiction of the munich.
pal court to try felony cases. The
supreme court upheld Nh Wayman's
contentious and discharged Jonas.