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〃According to the Wichita Dispatch he represented himself as a telegraph operator who was to have charge of the postal telegraph office in that city as soon as the line reached there。 He remained about town for a month until he found an inviting piece of defective sidewalk； suitable for his purpose； when he stuck his crutch through the hole and fell screaming to the ground； declaring that he had broken his leg。 He was carried to a hospital； and after a week's time； during which he negotiated a compromise with the city authorities and collected 1000 damages； a confederate； claiming to be his nephew； appeared and took the wounded man away on a stretcher； saying that he was going to St。 Louis。 Before the train was fairly out of Wichita； Landers was laughing and boasting over his successful scheme to beat the town。 The Wichita story is in exact accord with the artistic methods of a one…legged sharper who about 1878 stuck his crutch through a coal…hole here； and； falling heels over head； claimed to have sustained injuries for which he succeeded in collecting something like 1500 from the city。 He is described as a fine… looking fellow； well dressed； and wearing a silk hat。 He lost one leg in a railroad accident； and having collected a good round sum in damages for it； adopted the profession of leg…breaking in order to earn a livelihood。 He probably argued that as he had made more money in that line than in any other he was especially fitted by natural talents to achieve distinction in this direction。 But as it would be rather awkward to lose his remaining leg altogether he modified the idea and contents himself with collecting the smaller amounts which ordinary fractures of the hip…joint entitle such an expert 'fine worker' to receive。
〃He first appeared here in 1874 and succeeded； it is alleged； in beating the Life Association of America。 After remaining for some time in the hospital he was removed on a stretcher to an Illinois village； from which point the negotiations for damages were conducted by correspondence； until finally a point of agreement was reached and an agent of the company was sent to pay him the money。 This being accomplished the agent returned to the depot to take the train back to St。 Louis when he was surprised to see the supposed sufferer stumping around on his crutches on the depot platform； laughing and jesting over the ease with which he had beaten the corporation。
〃He afterward fell off a Wabash train at Edwardsville and claimed to have sustained serious injuries； but in this case the company's attorneys beat him and proved him to be an impostor。 In 1879 he stumbled into the telegraph office at the Union Depot here； when Henry C。 Mahoney； the superintendent； catching sight of him； put him out； with the curt remark that he didn't want him to stick that crutch into a cuspidor and fall down； as it was too expensive a performance for the company to stand。 He beat the Missouri Pacific and several other railroads and municipalities at different times； it is claimed； and manages to get enough at each successful venture to carry him along for a year or eighteen months； by which time the memory of his trick fades out of the public mind； when he again bobs up serenely。〃
Anomalous Suicides。The literature on suicide affords many instances of self…mutilations and ingenious modes of producing death。 In the Dublin Medical Press for 1854 there is an extraordinary case of suicide； in which the patient thrust a red…hot poker into his abdomen and subsequently pulled it out； detaching portions of the omentum and 32 inches of the colon。 Another suicide in Great Britain swallowed a red…hot poker。 In commenting on suicides； in 1835； Arntzenius speaks of an ambitious Frenchman who was desirous of leaving the world in a distinguished manner； and who attached himself to a rocket of enormous size which he had built for the purpose； and setting fire to it； ended his life。 On September 28； 1895； according to the Gaulois and the New York Herald （Paris edition） of that date； there was admitted to the Hopital St。 Louis a clerk； aged twenty…five； whom family troubles had rendered desperate and who had determined to seek death as a relief from his misery。 Reviewing the various methods of committing suicide he found none to his taste； and resolved on something new。 Being familiar with the constituents of explosives； he resolved to convert his body into a bomb； load it with explosives； and thus blow himself to pieces。 He procured some powdered sulphur and potassium chlorate； and placing each in a separate wafer he swallowed both with the aid of water。 He then lay down on his bed； dressed in his best clothes； expecting that as soon as the two explosive materials came into contact he would burst like a bomb and his troubles would be over。 Instead of the anticipated result the most violent collicky pains ensued； which finally became so great that he had to summon his neighbors； who took him to the hospital； where； after vigorous application with the stomach…pump； it was hoped that his life would be saved。 Sankey mentions an epileptic who was found dead in his bed in the Oxford County Asylum； the man had accomplished his end by placing a round pebble in each nostril； and thoroughly impacting in his throat a strip of flannel done up in a roll。 In his 〃Institutes of Surgery〃 Sir Charles Bell remarks that his predecessor at the Middlesex Hospital entered into a conversation with his barber over an attempt at suicide in the neighborhood； during which the surgeon called the 〃would…be suicide〃 a fool； explaining to the barber how clumsy his attempts had been at the same time giving him an extempore lecture on the anatomic construction of the neck； and showing him how a successful suicide in this region should be performed。 At the close of the conversation the unfortunate barber retired into the back area of his shop； and following minutely the surgeon's directions； cut his throat in such a manner that there was no hope of saving him。 It is supposed that one could commit suicide by completely gilding or varnishing the body； thus eliminating the excretory functions of the skin。 There is an old story of an infant who was gilded to appear at a Papal ceremony who died shortly afterward from the suppression of the skin…function。 The fact is one well established among animals； but after a full series of actual experiments； Tecontjeff of St。 Petersburg concludes that in this respect man differs from animals。 This authority states that in man no tangible risk is entailed by this process； at least for any length of time required for therapeutic purposes。 〃Tarred and feathered〃 persons rarely die of the coating of tar they receive。 For other instances of peculiar forms of suicide reference may be made to numerous volumes on this subject； prominent among which is that by Brierre de Boismont； which； though somewhat old； has always been found trustworthy； and also to the chapters on this subject written by various authors on medical jurisprudence。
Religious and Ceremonial Mutilations。Turning now to the subject of self…mutilation and self…destruction from the peculiar customs or religious beliefs of people； we find pages of information at our disposal。 It