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Show 1 ILL-FATED CLE The Suioido Cranks of Bridgeport Reduced to Only One Who Has "' " " Yet to Go. '. ' ' WILL HE FOLLOW , THE BEST? Improving ' Edison's Phonograph Medi- , cine in Vegetables Notes , ' ' of Interest. Springfield Republican. The Suicirieciub, of Bridgeport, rormea five years ago in fun rather than in earn, est, ha been reduced to only one member mem-ber by a remarkable faithfulness in carrying carry-ing out the condition that one member of the club a year should commit suicide. When the annual meeting wag held in January there were only two members to attend it, the secretary and the president. The former, Wendell Baum, committed suicide a few weeks ago in Now York, and now the president alone remains. It was Toted at this meeting by the secretary secre-tary that the president should make away with himself during the year, and by the president that the secretary do so, and, there being no better way to settle it, it was mutually decided that the polls be held open until a new member was pledged and initiated. A letter carrier named Mayby talked seriously of becoming a member, and the president and secretary had great hopes of him until one morning it was learned that he had committed suicide. He car- riea, nowever, a nanasomesuK umorena, whioh he bequeathed to the secretary of , the club, Wendell Baum, and it was accepted. ac-cepted. But the more Baum carried the umbrella the more unhappy he became, and when his friends tried to cheer him up he said: "A cloud bangs over me; I aaa doomed." Finally he sold his property, prop-erty, turned the money over to his wife, and, going to New York, gave the umbrella um-brella into the charge of a friend, directing direct-ing that it be sent to the president of the club. He then cut his throat. Since then the umbrella has been uncalled for, and the president of the Suicide club willjprobably disband. nt. X |