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removal

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FROMROM my notebook of cases I pair the following:

1. On January 24, 1923, in Newark, New Jersey,one James Scanlon was arraigned before Police JudgeBoettner on a charge of attempted suicide. Scanlon de-nied that he had wanted to end his life, explaining thaton December 18 he had lain down beside a track in thePennsylvania Railroad yards with his left arm extendedover the rail until a passing locomotive amputated it. Hehad done this because he wanted to get rid of tattoo- decora-tions on his arm.

2. On the night of December 5, 1924, one RudolphSironi, age 19, a violinist, died in a taxicab as he wasbeing taken from Brooklyn Bridge to his home in Man-hattan. His hands and wrists were found to be in bandagesup to the elbows; in his overcoat pocket was a slip ofpaper:" Received$ 150 for removing all ink from botharms. Signed, E. Francisco." Later a relative stated thatSironi had been planning a concert tour and wanted toappear before the public with no tattoo- marks on hishands.

Cases like these two, when reported in the press, help to

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