Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-09
PACIFIC COAST.
SAN FRANCISCO.
SUICIDE OF HANKS In
PRISON.
Coolest Act of My Life"
N OF TWO WOMEN IN
THE CASE.
uy-.--- 49, -

SAN Francisco, August Z.

y w tff IA - Va
eve witnesses went to show that the
act was = deliberate assassination, and
the jury found a verdict charging
Hanks with murder. He will have a
preliminary examination o.morrow.
SAN FRANCISCO, August s.
After the rendering of the verdict by
the coroner's jury last evening, chsrg-
ing Leslie G. Hanks with the murder
of John f. DAILY, Hanks was placed in
one OF the tank cells of what is known
as the new Prison, which il separated
from the main prison and the connect.
ing door kept locked. There are some
half "A dozen cells in hat portion of the
prison opening on the corridor. but
Hanks wa the only n confined
there. In the corridor are stored mus
kets ami ammunition used by the
Safety Committee during the late dis
turi,ances. About ! O'Clock this morn
ing a visitor who asked 1 o see Hanks
was taken to his cell. The ga Vas
turned off. Officer Coles, accompany
ing the visitor, struck a match aud by
its light saw Hanks seated in
a chair with blood on the floor.
Taking in the situation at q
glance the officer exclaimed that
Hanks was dead, and on lighting the
gas found his surmise correct. Tanks
was seated in An arm chair. leaning
against The corner of the cell dead. A
Springfield ride was "A him, and on
examination u was found that he had
placed the muzzle of the gun against
his heart and fired. The ball passed
entirely through his body and struck
the iron at an angle, showing plainly
how the gun was held. Help was
~ 49, M NIa aNntafla 49, l.
yond the reach of help. he was laid
out upon the floor of the cell. y der
ringer was found with an unexploded
shell in 1t and a sealed letter directed
t % Mr.. julius G.. Rees, dated at 1888
p. VI. On the reverse side of the en-
velope, written around tie border and
across the paper. were these words:
4" Coolest act OF my life; had to pull
off my boots to pcll the trigger with
my toe. Z. 81 tried my derringer
but il missed fire twice. Now for my
musket! =" written without a iremor.
How deceased came in possession of
the rifle is not known. When Hanks
was taken into his cell he was thor
oughly searched, but nothing was
found on him. About dark. however,
a colored man took into the cell a va
lise, which was not searched. and in it
must have been the derringer. Be-
tween d and Z O'Clock in the eyening
the cell was washed, when Hanks was
observed to be conducting himself in a
natural way. IL il considered posi-
BILE that Hanks, when his cell was be-
ing washed, was allowed the range of
the corridor and at that time with the
act fully outlined in his mind. took
aud concealed the weapon No fur
Their attention was paid tn him until,
az stated above, a visitor cali on i'm.
No report of the gun was heard i'm the
prison by anybody, the doors all be-
ing locked and the walls thick and the
prisoner had a clear field for the per-
petration of self murder.
Another Version of she Hanks Sui
eide.
SAN Francisco, Aug. S.
The suicide OF Hanks is the talk OF
the town this morning. The manner
in which he procured the weapon with
which he took his life is the point
dwelt upon With the most interest. Ii
appe .rs FROM The statement OF the
prison-keeper, Lindheimer, on duty
up to midnight. that during the even
ing he was in Hanks cell several times.
On the last occasion Hanks asked him
for pen, ink and paper, as he wished
to write a letter. The keeper brought
it from his own desk in the main
prison, leaving the door of the cell
ajar during his absence. Twelve mus
kets stood leaning against a box about
ten feet from the door OF the csll, all
the rest being nailed up in the boxes.
There were also a number Of pistol and
musket cartri iges lying around loose
-. -. .-.. ...l
ers it probable that during his tenn
porary absence the prisoner took a
Inuskst and secreted it about his bed.
To-day's Stock Exchange mentions a
rumor that Hanks committed suicide
at the instiga'ion of his friends, and
states that a we'll known citizen said
to a gentleman as he left the prison
yesterday. after All interview with
Hanks, There is nothing to he done
but to get him a pistol; that it was u
choice between suicide and death on
the gallows. as the evidence of the de-
libsrate murder of DAILY was clear and
direct" IL also mentions a rutnor that
two women whose husbands stand
high in commercial circles here. would
have figured very uupleasantly In any
legal inquiry into the guilt OF Hanks,
and that these points were SD vigor-
ously pressed upon the attention Of
Hanks that he resorted to suicide as
the least Of evils. These rumors NAV
be taken for what they appear to be
worth. They simply reflect to some
extent public opinion. The Erchaage
also. in an interview with Lindheimer,
makes the latter say, referring to the
probability Of his being held RESPONSE
BILE for permitting Hanks to obtain the
weapon, "All right as. with intense
sarcasm, it is all right; II got ten thou
sand dollars for this thing. and / am
going to keep every cent of it. It's
all right; l got $4,000" Those who
are familiar with Lindheimer's dispo-
sition and peculiar manner of express
ing himself. will give such an utter
ance from him nc attention Whatever
rs tending in any way To show thai the
prison officials connived with Hanks
friends TO admit the weapon to his cell.
LiDdheImer states to the writer that
Hanss' during the evening
was the farthest possible removed
frcm that Of 9 man who meditaled sui
eide; that he gave orders concerning
his bIeaHf2s. IN the morning acd other