Evening journal., 1922-08-02
WRITES FEELINGS
while HE DIES
Atheist Takes Poison, Lights
Cigar, Then Starts to
Typewrite
PHYSICIAN WAS
FRIEND OF POOR

disbeliever in the hereafter, who de-
clared Jesus Christ was the Creates
man the world ever saw, put out his
own life as he sat quietly in his Of
fee pounding the keys Of his type
writer and smoking an expensive
Havana cigar.
DR.. Herschman was formerly Aus
trian Consular agent here and wide
ly known. particularly in the slum
districts. where his work as a ply
sician. mostly gratuitous. broke his
health and forced him to retire.
Filled with the idea man of his
intellectual attainments should die
calmly and dn a dignihed manner,
DR. IIerchman composed himself
for the end, lighted his cigar. took
twelve and a half grains OF morphine
and proceeded to click off his last
thoughts onihis typewriter.
His thoughts were timed by para
graphs. intervals showing his medi-
tation lasted over period OF three
hours. He was under no mental sus-
pense, he indicated. the drug mere
ly blurring his thoughts and giving
His only fear was he should be found
before the opiate extinguished his
life. He was going into the dark. he
believed. for he had often remarked
to friends:
Don't talk to me OF life after
death. There is none. We simply
die and that's ALL"
The note written by Or. Hersch-
man follows:
"e.45 p. m.-Prominent men COM
ment in the newspapers as to what
they would do on the last day OF
their lives. II they knew they were
about to pass away. All the state
ments ! have thus far read seem
bunk. Personally, I have been kept
so busy today trying TO etraighten
out matters without overlooking any
thing that no time is left for petty
thoughts. Besides. many clients in
terrupted me. keeping me from medi-
tation. / nevertheless wound all up. !
and. at $40 p. m. took twelve and |
one-half grains OF morphine. which |
will be a sufficient quantity but |
which works slowly. Nowf feel some
what drowsy, but far away from
eternal sleep. I intend to follow the
morphia up by a draught of the
deadliest OF poisons but am putting
II off until the morphia effects will
be more marked and my extreme
reluctance to swallow the nasty fluid
is overcome.
SCOTS at Himself for Waiting.
rs it not foolish for a man de-
termined to die to wait rather than
partake OF an unpleasant drink? Two
seconds would finish 1t all right away. |
still am musing and add more time
TO my life which. in fact, is already
ended. The morphine has put me
In condition of absolute mental
am not attempting
10 review my past life. and am not
.rying to look into the future, as I II
believe death is the end and there /.
$ no hereafter. I
My thoughts are with my beloved ]
wife. whose love and devotion have {
'endered me infinitely happy for I
many years, and with my two grand
children who unconsciously brought !
sunshine 10 me. u
But, although I deeply regret the I
grief my voluntary parting from life I
for time must bring on my beloved 2
ones, i'll health and late reverscs
make my step desirable.
"717 p. m.-If did not know
have taken sufficient poison to war /,
rant results. I could not notice II
rom my condition. Aside from fiut-
ering heart action. contracted eve !
'upils and moderate drowsiness I Z
eel no effects. Still I cannot make
Ip my mind 10 swallow the poison. Z
nd have lit cigar waiting further
Increase of drowsiness. and hope to I
e soon able to coax myself into the n
1evitable I
TAP p. M am here yet hesi- !
Iting to take the poison. Ny I
loughts are blurred from the NOR {
1ine and a sensation OF supreme q
iietude reigns in me. If it were
Vt for my beloved wife. who has Z
st phoned, I would go on wait q
g, but I am afraid of too long a r
y. because a lapsing into uncon- 7
lousness might result in being saw 4
by medical assistance. Ten more &
inutes and then the end with a S
aught. a
'uriousIy Watching Effects"
Il am in no manner kept in sus- G
'nse. Just pleasantly and curiously
atching developments. Queer n
noush. my only wish is that I had fe
additional handkerchief so / ~
oe'a dispose OF the surplus per-
~ anon. II being close and nv skin II
'"'Nihy from the morphine effects. &C
T. DIR. A. ]. H." al
is at this point the doctor 10 be- d
10 have taken the noison Il, ga
.ne iast few years he bss ,aa,. ed
AIMED foreign EXCHANGE 80 -, Si,
'esamship tickets. and II w. =. 80 80 q .
oihce ne was found bv a ,,,a.., 1ilis w
md taken TO Emereencv tyanli.i, ',S.,liiian ~
about $3.50 p. NJ, but diea 'osp.laI ~ ., -, -,
way. on the IN
DR.. Herschman spoke se,,o, :, ~.
Euages and for more than 20, AN AN ~
'eiore ne quit practicing medicine ST,
'e was known and loved in thous- sh
nds OF squalid homes here. Peo- as
lie of foreign birth focked 10 tbo !
octor who not only spoke their
anguage, but would attend to their q,
rsiness affairs, go to court with h,
1em, and advise them as doctor. a
lwyer. friend in any adversely. Sew h
al years ago the doctor was so h
EAR a breakdown he was forced TO
tire, because of the additional n
ork his patients insisted on bring I
8 him. h
He was born in Vienna, educated ii
the schools and universities there. c