Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-11

N.
AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
Mention hSs already been made in Tar Sr.R
OF the dCislcstion Of Col. william ID. Colemsn
secretary OF TIE Board Of Commissioner "a 80
Virginia State sinking Fund. We conae,.s
The following additional particulars from, fhs
Richmond Enquirer of which paper Col. Cole.
nan wsS NJ one time assistant EDITOR
About ten days ago u Was observed by Col
Coltman's friends that he was drinking heavily
and be Was more than once seen st fashionable
ganbling saloons intoxicated and betting hea-
WY On one occasion, in the presence OF sev-
era me MIXERS OF the legislature, he was indis-
Greet enough 20 make display Of state bonds
shd, " u said, hypothecAted one 10 meet his
who knew Biz salary was small and hath had
no private fortune. and their conclnsions ,rsrs
uniaNeISele 10 his integrity. These fscts. or
- ne sim Jar ones, reached the ears OF H. -
ceileney Governor kemper. and with other IN
formation IN hs possession, forced upon his
mind he conviction that Col Coleman was mis-
using the securities in his possession.
CoNFBoNrED WITH HIs AcCrSER
On thursday last, by request OF Governor
N. per \ called meeting OF the board OF COM
nitslohefs Was convened In the office OF Auditor
Taylor. Governor kemper stased % them mas
he had called them together % confer about a
grave aud serious matter, and he informed
Sons that induced him 20 believe that Colonel
Coleman was not dong rightly. The COM
mifsioners were greatly shocked In what they
heard, they sd the utmost confidence IN their
secretary. Coleman turned quite pale, but
exhibited no great emotion, and firmly aeuief
that be had misspplicd any OF the public funds
Of which he Was the custodian. Tue books
were examined and great irregularities dis
covered, but Il was AZ first supposed that fhis
might be the result OF carelessness.
FORCED ESTRG DISCOVERED.
Saturday evening there WAS q meeting OF the
board Of public works, and Gov. KEN gsr Was
present \ careful comparison OF the bonds
and book was again made. In an entry Novem-
her' rs. 10 was discovered thar where the ng-
ures Sls.iCO had been first made, bv eras--Ta
thty had eten altered 90 s.i09-the Il" had
oeeh lemOs ed. THIS was In the record OF the
b.I.n5ase OF aforementioned bonds, and was
ihtended 10 account Tor $1,000 OF bonds which
ne had applied, or intended 20 apply ID hisoUD
use, though he seemed 10 have forgotten that
mere were accounts and registers i'm the treasu-
res once which, some time or another would
have been sure 20 have revealed Inc frandulent
Transaction. The forged entry len NO room for
!Ouot IN NE commissioners minds; bat they
desired 10 DO nothing hastily, and adjourned
without determining what course thew wonld
pursue. Coleman afterwards confessed The for
gerry 10 Col. Mayo. warrant for his arrest
was put IN the hands OF Detective Pat Woods
who went 20 Coleman's room AZ the ImbOden
House, where the following cOlOQuy Occurred:
'Ah, Pat; is that you' How are you?" Il am
vel, - the detective responded. COleman-ssI
know what You want, and don't intend 10
leave this room" The detective-"Eery we'll:
that's all right. II you DO not feel well enough
TO 20 out VIII stay with you tonight Cole
msn-"No, cir; nobody snail stay with me to-
night"
SUICIDE ATTEMPTED.
The two were about this time standing near
The center OF the room, ana Col. Coleman sad
denly Whirled around and went 90 the wash
stand, took drink Of water, OF something, and
returning towards the detective. grabbed a
small pocket knife from a table, threw himself
upon the bed. and stabbed himself in the neck
with one OF the hla4es. Woods, seeing what
had been cone, rushed towards him, got the
knife away and shouted 50 murder" aud "help,n
until several gentlemen Of the house came 10
his assistance. The blade, about one and three
quarter inches long, had passed i'm front Of the
carotid artery and down an rear of the larynx,
in the near neighboIhOOd ct the principal blood
vessels. II i a painful and severe wound, but
not at all likely TO prove fatal
LATEST.
a telegram from Richmond asst ghf saws -
Coleman Will be examined on Thursday in the
police court, his condition not being such a 20
Contne him 10 his room. The amount OF the
embeZzlenent j. not known. but n fun investi-
cation will be held az once into the aelsrs OF
he sinking fund, probably by a legislative COM
mittee. at the instance OF the commissioners OF
-