Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-12
PLANNED TO COMMIT SUICIDE
Edward La Toilette Fooled in At
tempt to End His Life.
Bought Cnrbolic Acid When lie Found
That He Would De Asked to Pny
for an Operation for APP
pendicitls.

Edward La Toilette. young man of 26.
who came to this city yesterday after
noon from Shelburnc, acquired dcsper-
ate frame of mind when he ascertained
that he could not have an operation for
appendicitis performed for nothing, so
he purchased vial of carbolic acid and
pint of whiskey and made preparations
to commit suicide at the station just be-
fore the $40 train pulled out, but Il hint
of what he was about to do came to the
attention Of the police and La Toilette
was taken to the station, along with his
poison, and the matter was discussed
calmly, although the man still insisted
that he would kill himself as soon as he
had a chance.
La Toilette, who is a native OF North
field, where he has not lived since he
was 10. has lately been at Shelburne.
Some time ago he developed a case of
appendicitis and was treated by Dr. W.
II. Ranks. who advised him to come to
Burlington ard have an operation at the
Fanny Allen hospital. La Toilette ac-
cordingly came to the city yesterday and
went to the hospital and stated his case.
He was informed what the rate would
be and was somewhat surprised to find
that he would have to pay His case was
of the chronic kind and conditions were
not such that an operation was necea-
sary on the instant for the purpose of
saving his life. He seemed to desnair
at the intelligence and came back to the
city and went to a drug store where he
said he wanted n small amount of car
bolic acid for medical purposes" As
10 n no;J Nd
was starting out OF the door he turned
around and shouted to the clerk who had
been waiting on him:
81 don't want this for medical pur-
poses. It's for suicide, He then went
out and closed the door.
The clerk imme iiately notified the po-
lice OFFICE and Officer Fraser trailed the
man down to Mrs. Charles Mahrs resi-
dence. over Lavigne's second-class license
place on College street. La Toilette was
still alive. He had taken one drink out
or a pint of whiskey, II was ascertained
and had informed Mrs Mahr that he
was going down to the station and drink
the carbolic acid just before the $40
south-bound train started. The young
man was taken to the police office.
where he still insisted he would kill him
self as soon as liberated. Chief Russell
was in a quandary as he did not know
what to do with the man and did not
want to give him his liberty States
Attorney Hopkins and Oversecr of the
POOR DelanY were consulted and they
were not able to solve the problem and
finally Mayor Burke was consulted. If
the case had been one that required in
slant operation there would have been
little doubt that the man would have
been hustled to a hospital at once. but
ne was up and about and seemed to he
In no immediate danger There was also
another complication and that was that
La Toilette was not a resident of Bur
hngton or of any other place, so far as
could be ascertained. so that there was
nobody or no town to charge the hos
pital bill to.
After consideration of the subject il
was discovered that La Toilette had an
uncle named Larow living on Catherine
street and 1t was decided to send the
man down there for the nigh after he
gave his promise to show up at the
police office this morning His money.
the Vial of poison and the whiskey were
Kept at the station. He will probably go
to the Mary Fletcher hospital to-day
after the prescribed conditions are COM
Piled with. which set forth his inability
10 pear the expense of an operation, etc