Year: 1874

A New York coroner investigated the circumstance attending the death of David White, schoolboy who com mitted suicide by hanging. Young White lived with his parents. He was not twelve years of age, and had two brothers, one older and the other younger than himself. The trio at tended the Allen street public school, and he was considered by his teachers, as well as his parents, 8 very intelli- gent child. He was studious, and out stripped boys older than himself. He was recently promoted to a higher class, and at this point his troubles be- gan. He was unable to keep pace with his classmates, and disheartened by his failure he grew careless. As punish ment for his carelessness his teacher placed his name on the blackboard as that of an imperfect student, and left it there for the inspection of the whole school. He was proud, high-spirited boy, and the publicity thus given to his shortcomings, together with the recollections of his former successes, affected him keenly. One morning, before school time, he told his brothers that he intended to end his life, adding that he had pocket-knife, but it was too dull for the purpose. The two boys told him he must be crazy to talk so they looked upon his words as mere childish bravado, not dreaming that he was serious, and thought no more of them until subsequent events showed how thoroughly in earnest he was when he uttered them.

 In the afternoon his mother heard him enter the house and go up stairs. School was just over and she supposed he had gone to leave his books in the bedroom. Fifteen minutes passed and she became alarmed. Thinking that he might, perhaps, be ill, she followed him up stairs and attempted to push open the bedroom door there was something behind it which prevented her from opening it, and as she felt the impeachment the first premonition of what she was about to see fell upon her. She called aloud to her son to open the door, but no answer was returned, and the weight within still hung against it.. At last she summoned all her strength and resolution, forced it open, and en- tered the room. The next moment it shut fast again, leaving her inside with the body of her son hanging before her. Under the first horror of the situation she was incapable of action she could only shriek for help, and in a few moments another woman, an inmate of the house was by her side. She at once drew pair of scissors from her pocket, and with some difficulty severed the strap by which the boy was sus- pended. A physician was summoned, and learning that the body could not have been hanging more than quarter of an hour, he was encouraged to hope that resuscitation might be possible. He applied an electric battery, and en- deavored to produce artificial respira- tion, but he failed.

 A book strap had been passed through hole in the upper panel and carried over the door and back into the room. To this 8 second strap was attached with the end passed through the buckle, thus forming moose which encircled the neck. The moose was not drawn tight, but fastened at the buckle. A chair was lying on the floor, and from this the boy had evidently dropyed, up setting it either at the time or by his subsequent struggles. The neck was not broken. The verdict was simply suicide by hanging.