The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-11-02
FAKE SUICIDE SETS
CITY LAUGHING At
HALLOWEEN PRANK
James Quigley Puts Dummy
in Room at HOtel-Bell
Hop Makes awful" Find
Coroner Goes.

1t was gay, delirious time Rich
mond had Halloween, last Saturday
night Masked and oostumed jewellers
thronged the streets, some thieves took
advantage Of the occasion to burglarize
two Of the Thistlethwaite stores, and
as climax James Quigley, a North
E street druggist. and fellow conspira-
tors perpetrated fake suicide that
made the town howl with laughter
when it became known Sunday morn
ing. Saturday weary traveller came
to the Arlington hotel for board and
shelter, but being too heavily laden
with spurious liquors it was decided
not to quarter him after he had spread
his name upon the register and had
been assigned to Room 1874 This Incl
dent was seized upon by Quigley, who
lives at the hotel, to pull off one Of
his famous jokes.
Uses Wax Dummy.
Securing wax dummy from a store,
he succeeded in placing it in the bed
OF room 1874. Then he opened bottle
Of carbolic acid. placing it at the bed
side. Next he spread newspapers over
the bed and painted red line on them
W Ol Juo DUMMY
The next move was to write fare
Well note, which was pinned to the
bed clothing. 1t read. Bury me at
the side Of my wife, See Bob Graham.
He will tell you all" Graham is man.
ager Of the railroad station restaurant.
His preparations all complete. Quigley
left call for Room 1874 at 7:45 O'Clock
Sunday morning.
When Miss Carroll, assistant man.
ager Of the hotel, came on duty Sun
day morning. she saw the call for
Room 1874, and rang the bell repeatedly
when the time came to awake the
guest. Receiving no response she sent
cOlored bellboy to rap on the door.
Greatly agitated he returned in few
minutes, reporting that he smelled car
bolic acid in Room 1874, and could gain
no admission to the room. She sent
him back again. This time he peered
through the transom and saw the grew
some sight. Shaking with fright he
reported his discovery to Miss Carroll.
She also peered through the transom
and at once became greatly agitated,
notifying promptly the hotel manager.
Miss Woods. The latter telephoned to
the owner of the hotel. J. M. Lontz,
who gave orders to notify the police
and coroner and to summon physicians.
The hotel office reeked with excite
ment when Officers Vogelsong and
Lawler and Coroner Peirce arrived.
Calls 1t Suicide.
When they gained entrance to the
room Lawler exclaimed, ITS suicide,
all right" and the colored porters and
bellboys began to turn pale. While
Coroner PIERCE was rolling up his
sleeves, Vogelsong placed his hand up
on the dummys head, and peculiar
expression came across his face.
"Stung, by heck" he exclaimed to the
coroner, who was professionally thump-
ing the breast Of the victim" and to
see the Misses Woods and Carroll tear
fully reading the farewell note and ex-
pressing regret that the suicide had
selected the Arlington as a place to
end his earthly existence. Then the
head of the suicide" came off under
Vogelsong's firm grasp, and with great
speed the porters and bellboys took
their departure. Those who remained
promptly recovered from their surprise
and instantly burst into roars Of laugh