Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-06-24
MOMENT or DEATH RECALLED.

tkanSaS CITY starr
(The following story Is by a man
who is now perfectly normal HIS oc-
cupatloD requires a considerable de-
gree OF intelligence and skill and ne
Is now employed, making good every
day. He is a church member a
property owner and in general Is rec
ognized as a substantial citi2en.)
My heart stopped beating for full
minute. and the doctor pronounced
me dead. Ana / was dead to all m
tents and purposes. | had sent a
bullet into my own body, meaning TO
kin myself. / had counted down my
ribs to find the place where my heart
vas pulsating before | fired. Then
placed the revolver on the spot ana
pulled the trigger.
During the time | was dead | had
what ! firmly believe was a glimpse
OF The life. beyond. 1t was no hys-
terra, dream or delirium. | was dead.
In telling this story | am simply hop
ing that it may he helpful TO some
poor down and outer who is on the
verge of suicide. Ny experience may
prevent someone from taking the step
did.
My nerves had been going to the
bad for years. | owned my own home,
had, and still have, the best wife on
earth and four children. Neurasthenia
is horrible. Your nerves play out ana
melancholia results. | believed ev-
eryone was working secretly against
aging. Everything was gloomy and
depressing.
! heard the explosion, and | felt
the bullet as it shot through my body
with a queer tingling sensation. which
Is similar to the feeling when you
strike your "crazy bone ON some
thing. I felt the bullet hit something
in my back and stop. There was no
pain, but ! lifted up on my toes and
then fell TO the floor. How | evei
missed my heart / don't know but
had, and realized that | had failed
[ tried TO reach the revolver but they
took IL away. The bullet had passed
through both lungs and lodged with
In "a quarter of an inch of the back
At that afternoon ! fell uncon-
scious from loss of blood and for two
days | was in a stupor. Twenty-fouf
| hours after ! lost consciousness my
heart stopped beating, and the ply
stefan as a last resort gave me a
strong dose of strychnine TO stimu-
late action, If possible. lie won. The
heart began beating feebly and IN
another twenty hours | was con-
| scious again.
/ When | came around told my wife
| that | had been on a long journey
| What | saw, 1 am convinced, was
! during the minute | was dead. II
seemed that | was being transported
I down beautiful valley There Were
! trees and green fields and beautiful
/ ripping streams. other beings Were
moving in the same direction, gliding
through the air. II appeared, clad IL
: flowing white robes. There were nc
men. All of those around me were
women of SURPRISING loneliness. None
Of the faces was familiar to me-
| felt u sweet repose, strang,
| feeling of contentment such as !
never before had experienced. From
ever the hill ahead | could hear sweet
music. infinitely purer and finer thar
any earthly strains. J was MOVING
| toward it, but never reaching it.
was happy, clear through.
The vision ended. | was called
J back to life and pain, but | came back
with a determination to get we'll ant
! stay we'll, My mind had cleared
wonderfully and | realized what |
wrong | had committed. 1t seemed
/ that / had been sent back TO make
] good, after having had glimpse O
the other world