The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1881-06-03
A STRANGE STORY.

| lie OH CIdllClSCO chronicle mas u
detailed account of suicide, found by
a teamster in the center of a vacant lot
in San Francisco. The lifeless body
was that of a well dressed, fine looking
young man, lying with his pale face
turned upwards and with bullet-hole
in his breast. A five-shooting revolver
was lying near him, about two feet to
his right, the teamster states. Officer
James Slattery, who soon afterwards
arrived, says that the pistol was lying
four feet to the dead mans left. ellis
coat and vest, continues the officer,
"were open and thrown back. His
shirt was powder-burned around a
blood-stained bullet hole" 1t was in
this position that the Coroners mes
senger found the body, and removed
from it the two following letters:
HIDING HIS IDENTITY.
SAN FRANusco, Cal, 23d May, 81.
this night going to take my life, The
81 one in three weeks ago | killed
young man named +. b. Bates from
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. Sup
pose he lived there by letters | found
in his pockets and in his trunk. 1t
seems by the letters he was engaged to
Miss Lizzie Smyser, z . Box No pa
Salt LAKE City. 20 after going through
with his money and concluded to kill
myself, ! sent his trunk to her but did
not explain about his death. Hope you
will inform her of the facts through
your valuable paper. | followed this
Mr.. Bates from Winnemucca for his
money. also assisted in killing an
other man. He was travelling for an
Eastern firm and had lots of papers and
account books, which | destroyed. The
men who helped to kill this man are
still IN the city. / saw them both not
an hour ago, and can be easily appre-
hended by paying strict attention to the
following marks The tall one has a
crooked front finger on his left hand,
turning square over the other fingers.
On the centre of his left hand back is
an India ink star blue ink. On his
breast these words De De Loe. The
other accomplice is short stout, about
l45 lbs, - years old and little cross
eyed; brown hair They are both in
town and have no idea OF my intention,
and have another robbery planned for
middle of next week Both bodies of
the murdered men are where they will
never be found; all ask of you is to
notify Mr.. Bates intended wife OF his
cruel murder. She must be nearly
crazy, as the letter he wrote her on his
arrival was not sent till | sent his trunk.
He was a nice little man and had con-
siderable money, but it did me no good
His trunk has nearly all his clothes in
it, watches, rings, etc. / have written
to another paper last about the other
fellow we killed. / am very sorry that
| had anything to do with it, but that
does not better matters anyhow. These
are my first murders, but not my first
stealing. | am stranger here. Have
four or five names. / had to leave
Helena and Butte, Montana, to avoid
Imprisonment Also Boise City. Now
| am miserable. Am sorry and ask the
forgiveness of God and people and take
my own life.
My real name is w. II. Ward, and am
81 years of age Was born of good
parents and families in Saint Paul, MINI.
Came west to Montana four years ago.
No post mortem is necessary, as | kill
myself to avenge the murder of the two
nd
toned. Your miserable man and un.
fortunate W. ii. WARD.
My last word is, Do not fail to tell
Miss Smyser, B. 234, Salt Lake City,
Utah Territory, about the death of (.
b. Bates. w. II. w.
SUPPLEMENTAL EPIsTLE.
Mr.. CoRoNER--Sr If there were
no suicides your office would be need
less. / have concluded to commit self
murder, not though merely to give you
little business, but because am not
content any longer with my lot in this
life. | am an entire stranger here
have wintered in a mining camp near
Winnemucca, Nevada, and came here
short time since to rob man. | did it,
but had to murder him to do it. That
led to another. And have killed two
men in very short time. Only few
days since the last was killed, both in
this month Now | kill a scalawag-
that is me. have written the Chroni-
Gle about it, so the exact truth may be
known. DO not go to any trouble
about me. | am stranger and no one
here knows me. | am known in Ne.