MAD SCHOOLBOY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3628, 14 September 1912, Page 4

MAD SCHOOLBOY.

F4ILS IN EXAMINATION, AND USES A REVOLVER.

The fact that so many schoolboys in Germany commit suicide nowadays because they do not make such good progress with their studies as their fellows has given rise to much comment. All extraordinary development of the mania was reported last month from Heilbronn. A pupil of a secondary school there, a youth of eighteen, failed to pass his leaving examination, and on hearing the unfavorable result he returned to the class-room and cut a deep gash with a pocket-knife.

The rector of the school was hastily summoned by another pupil, and as he entered the classroom the wouldbe suicide pointed a revolver at birr, and said, “Herr Rector, if you come nearer I must shoot you.” A few seconds later the youth fired, and threatened to shoot also the teacher who came into the room on hearing the noise of the explosion. A policeman was then summoned, who took the fire-hose into the elasssroom and directed a stream of water on to the youth. The latter at once fired the revolver at the officer, but failed to hit him. What followed immediately is not reported, but it is stated that at the end of an hour and a half the youth had lost so much blood from his selfinflicted wound in the arm that he fainted. He was then removed to the hospital. The revolver that ho had used contained four cartridges, and in his desk a letter was found addressed to a friend, the contents of whic-h seom to imply that an unfortunate love affair had also something to do with the derangement of his mind.

The New York papers daily contain extraordinary offers from despairing householders who are unable to obtain domestic servants. Perhaps the most remarkable (says the “Manchester Dispatch”! is that inserted in good faith by Mr George Tetlow. a millionaire distiller, who wants a cook for his summer home in the Allegheny Mountains. It reads:— WANTED— Woman Cook for mountain home. Good wages. Room, with private bath. Private dining-room. No laundry work or milking. Use of back verandah and half an acre lawn. Lots of flowers to look at. Off one afternoon each, week. Seventeen mile motor rideonce- a week.