Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-16
HARVEY F. MOONEY
ENDS LIFE WITH RAZOR
Sewers Arteries in Both Wrists
and Cuts Throat from Ear to
Ear In Sight Of Police Officer
Who Tries In Vain to Prevent
Deed

With his throat cut from ear TO ear and
tho arteries in both wrists severed, the
body Of Harvey F. Mooney Of 80 School
street was taken Sunday evening to the
funeral parlors of Corbin & Frye after
an ineRectual attempt at the Mary Flet-
cher hospital to save his life. Mooney
killed himself with razor. and so
deep was the cut on his neck from
the instrument Of self-destruction that the
internal and external jugular veins were
severed, as was also the trachea.
The suicide slashed himself Sunday
afternoon about $50 O'Clock in the attic
Of a double tenement house on Cherry
street, formerly the property Of p. II.
Corley and now belonging to Mrs. T. II.
Murphy. The act was committed In the
tenement on the west side. next to the
Dwyer block. The place Is vacant. and
the man gained entrance to the house by
q rear door.
One person saw Mooney carry out the
last act in his desperate drama. This
individual was Police officer John J.
Splain, who was on duty Sunday after
noon in the vicinity of the New Sherwood.
officer Splain arrived in the attic just as
Mooney drew the razor across his neck.
His attention had been directed to the
the Dwyer block. Knowing at the time
that no person had any business in the
house, no one having been domiciled there
for some time. Mr.. Ryan donned his hat
and coat, went out on to the street and
there encountered Officer Splain. whom
he acquainted with what he had seen.
officer Splain Immediately wendell his
way to the rear Of the place. opened the
door and entered. Looking upstairs. he
saw Mooney on the first landing. What
are you going up there for?" said the
police officer; come down out Of there"
he added.
I'll be right down." said Mooney: "just
you wait a minute" ne threw back over
his shoulder. and continued to mount the
stairs that led to the garnet. OFFICER
Splain. not satisfied with the mans
actions, mounted the stairs after him. and
had just reached the landing of the first
flight as Mooney passed to the garnet via
the second flight.
Once in the garrett Mooney made for a
chimney. Behind this he concealed him
self and started in on his deadly work.
His FIRST act was to slash his wrists with
the razor. He had accomplished this part
Of hts program when. he was seen by the
policeman. who was by this time within
few feet Of the chimney.
Nothing daunted by the sight Of the man
with a razor in his hands. and blood
gushing from his pulsating ateries. officer
Splain made a lunge forward. But It was
too late The police officer had not yet
tackled his man when Mooney drew the
blade across his throat. severing the
trachea, and gashing the throat from ear
to ear.
But the smallest fraction Of a second
elapsed between the time the oficer
made his DESPERATE attempt to save the
man from self destruction and the carry
Ing out Of the deed. When the ofiicer
did grapple with Mooney. he threw him
to the floor. It took but q glance or
two at the man to ascertain that he
was fast reaching that stage where he
would be Of no further danger to him
self or anybody else. The blood from
the jugular veins WAS spouting on to
the floor in streams. as also was the
blood from Moneys arteries. and the
immediate resting place Of Mooney was
fast becoming literally soaked with his
blood.
Seeing that he could be Of no use to
the suicide. Oficer Splain made his way
to the police alarm box, In front Of the
Sherwood. From this place he notified
Chief Of Police p. J. Russell Of what
had occurred.
Another minute elapsed, then the police
patrol. with Police Sergeant Ryan and
Officer Thomas Collins. was tearing its
way to the place. Chief Russell in the
meantime had started on foot.
When the patrol arrived. Mooney was
carried out and taken to the Mary
Fletcher hospital. where he died three
minutes after his arrival.
That Mooney tried to arise after Ofiicer
Splain left the place was evident from
the fact that when the policeman left
the man on the floor to summon the
patrol. he was lying with his head rest
ing to the west. When the police oficer
returned with help he was lying In an
opposite direction.
Insanity 70 the only reason advanced
for his rash act His wife stated Sum
day afternoon to a Free Press man that
his father had died Of insanity. He was
we'll Sunday morning. she added, the
last time she had seen him.
Mrs. Mooney was not sure Of her hus-
bands age, but II would be safe TO say
that he was . man OF close to 20 years.
Besides hts wife. he leaves . daughter,
Christine. and son. Clement. He came
to this city from Watertown. N. r.,
where he had worked at his trade as q
machinist. He has = mother and a mar
ried sister who reside in Essex Center
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