# File lib/open4.rb, line 353
  def maim pid, opts = {}
#--{{{

    getopt = getopts opts
    sigs = getopt[ 'signals', %w(SIGTERM SIGQUIT SIGKILL) ]
    suspend = getopt[ 'suspend', 4 ]
    pid = Integer pid
    existed = false
    sigs.each do |sig|
      begin
        Process.kill sig, pid
        existed = true 
      rescue Errno::ESRCH
        return(existed ? nil : true)
      end
      return true unless alive? pid
      sleep suspend
      return true unless alive? pid
    end
    return(not alive?(pid)) 
#--}}}

  end