The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-01-25
Frightful Murder or Suicide.

On Tuesday morning last, the lifelcss body
of DIR. VIM. r. s. Leitner was found at his
Eye and Far Infrmary, No. 45S Broadway.
The N. Y. Journal of Commerce thus relates
the circumstance:
The discovery WIS made by Arbaba C..
Shipman, a female who was in the habit of
keeping the office in order, who saw him ly-
ing upon the floor with his head under ta-
BILE, and bleeding profusely. Supposing that
he had burst Il blood vessel, she rushed to
an adjoining Office and gave the al rm, say
ing that DIR. Leiiner had tainted. She then
returned to the Doctors office and commen-
ced bathing his forehead with water, when
she discovered bullet wound in the back
part of his head, and discharged pistol upon
the floor, lying near him. DR.. l.. had breath
ed his last when first discovered, and his
death seems shroudcd in mystery. Ii was
ut first supposed that he had committed sui
eide, but the fatal wound having been made
in the back part of his head, Mt the ba. e of
the skull, suspicion as excited that he had
been murdered.
AT o'clock, Coroner Gamble proceeded
to the above place. and upon hearing certain
statements in regard TO suspicion against
VIM. Tia $, lawyer riving in l25th street,
near 9th avenue, and having an office at No.
ceased was supposed TO have had improper
intimacy, the Coroner ordered his arrest, also
the arrest f his wife and the woman who
cleaned the office, The latter of course only
as Witness. About twenty minutes before
the Doctor was found dead he visited one
of The offices in the same building, where
he appeared to be quite cheerful. He then
had in his hand newspaper, and when found
dead, this paper was firmly graspcd in his
right hand.
Several friends of the deceased believe
him to have been murdered, and for the fol-
lowing reasons For some time Dr. l., was
suspected of having had improper intimacy
with the wife of the lawyer above named,
and short time since this lawyer was ar
rested for threatening to shoot him. and was
then held held to bail to keep the peace.
The woman who kept the office in order,
who also was n patient of the Doctors,
states that the lawyer came to the inlirmary
about three weeks since, and had angry
words with the Doctor. lie then threatened
to shoot him, and exhibited pistol, which
very much resembled the one found near the
body of the deceased. This pistol was new
and small, and had one of Aliens patent.
The doctor was not known to have such n
one; his pistol was n " Colts revolver" and
was found in drawer, capped and charged
in every barrel.
A day or two since, the wife Of the law
yer was in the Doctors office, and asked for
certain letters belonging to her, which were
in his possession. He did not give them up
and she threatened to have satisfaction. At
ter an angry conversation, she left the office
and Was not known to return Yesterday
afternoon Post-mOrtem examination WAS
held on the body of the deceased. when the
ba Was traced through the base of the skull
to the occipital bone. As it lodged. it point
ed to the right. The bullet fitted the pistol
found by the side of the deceased. Deccas-
ed was native of England, about 35 years
of age. He leaves wife and two children
residing in l2Sth street, near Sd avenue.
The discharge of the pistol was not heard by
any person on the premises, and no one was
known to have visited the Docty RS office
that morning. MIR. Hays was committed to
the city prison, to await the holding of an
inquisition to take place this morning. He
protests innocence, and states that he was
net near the Office of the Doctor yesterday.