The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-07-30
GIVEN
CHANCE To
SUICIDE
by ZIANG SUNG WAN
Copyright. 1924. BY The washington
Tfnarl


Tfmes)
had been told by the detec-
tives many different stories Of the
crime; ever possible solution had
been suggested to me until my
brain refused 70 think at all. /
was conscious only of my physical
misery. inter exhaustion, the
agonizing need Of sleep and the
constant pain while always my
own words to Grant rang IN my
ears: Find the man who took the
check to tie bank and YOU win
find the murderer / had made
the statement IN all sincerity, vet
il was . cost my brother untold
and undeserved punishment unless
I could clear him.
Easy Way out
/ recall one miserable night A.
the Hotel Dewey. The policeman
| IN charge Of me on that particular
shift had fallen asleep, and / had
h rare moment be qfndisturbed
/ thought The Intestinal pain alone
was enough to keep me awake. Il
went 10 the bath room quietly.
without waking my guard Pro.
/ jecting from under the bath-tub
could be seen the butt end hf his
revolver 4 picked II and held
! Ii many moments while strange
thoughts rushed Though my
i harasgGd mind
Here vas ny release
In moment could end all my
misery and humiliation. Then my
4 thoughts went out to my mother
and family. Aside from the loss
4 they would feel, q seIf-inf licted
death would only confirm the be.
lief IN my guilt, and I would put
e. stain upon them which could
never be wiped out.
There was but one honorable
course to fOlIow--to Iive--if God
was to grant me life--and 70 prove
! my innocence. With reluctance 1
/ put the pistol back. but I want that
sympathetic guard II he should
read these lines to know that /
understood why he allowed him
self to sleep and why he left that
tempting channel Of escape open
to me,
Decided no Fight
And so had made my definite.
/ choice to live and fight. But at
/ that time did not know that my
brother was to be involved, and
that I was Indirectly responsible.
What chance was there for vindi-
| cation now?
To clear him would have to
say whatever they wished. My
confused brain reasoned however.
that no matter what / said now, il
III were really innocent, as I knew.
myself to be. they could never
never prove me guilty. Therefore
IA would say whatever satisfied
them. Once Van was free. could
take care of myself.
II I had been in normal mind
and health, I might have managed
the situation differently and so
been spared these seven and a half
black years, but my resistance was
gone and my brain would not funC-
ton. think never have the de-.
tectives had so helpless victim
as the enaciated, beaten Wan who
sat with them in the station house
February 10, 1919, trying to make
himself a murderer. a forger, a.
coward who would slay his best
friends, anything to feed their am
bition to solve perhaps unsolvable
mystery and satisfy their greed for
reward. l often wonder how they
could ever again hold up their
heads and pass as men!
In these, my days of almost
restored physical health and much
more serene mind, and with the
additional knowledge which has
resulted from study Of the case
by various persons, I am amazed
that I could have allowed such un.
reasonable statements as contained
in this Confession to go by.
Their extreme absurdity and utter
falsity are not proof of my iniquity
but indications Of my most deplor
able mental state.
Show Suggestion
The question and answer form
Of the confession Is to be printed
separately. l hope it will be read
carefully by those interested in
knowing something of the facts in
this still unsolyed mystery. It will
be noticed that the questions show
suggestion" from start to finish.
These questions and answers also
have been transcribed into narrative
form in order to simplify the analysis
and comment as well as to bring
out more clearly the weakness Of
the theory. The sctual questions
and answers, however. should be
kept for easy reference.
Burlingame never informed me
of my rights nor would he have
allowed me to avail myself OF them
even II / had known what I know
today. The introduction was no
part OF our sitting but was prob
/ ably given to the stenographer
afterwards for the benefit of the
court or to save himself any pos
! sible after trouble.