Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-09-26
REMORSE.
Suicide in a Cell of the Placer
County Jail.
i. S. NILES TAKES HIS OWN LIFE

Letter TO His Wife, Children and
Friends.
sTHE VERDICT OF THE CoRoNER,s JURY.
Partial Confession in Regard to the Killing
Of James Singleton
q ESPECIAL By TELEGRAPH TO THE REcoRp-uSIoSl
! AUBURN, September 25tb.--A. S. Niles,
sheld on charge of md ering james Single
;ton, near Lincoln, in November, 1876, com.
limited suicide in his cell last night A
/ pocket knife was passed in to him by an.
! aother prisoner to cut some tobacco.
Gle sharpened one blade, and first cut his
Farm, but as that cid not bleed to suit him, he
acut the left side of his neck open, severing
sthe large blood vessels. The alarm was
9given by the ether prisoners about 12 o'clock.
land medical assistance summoned immedi.
lately, but he could not be saved. He lived
2 about forty minutes after the alarm was
5giyen. He left a long letter to his wife aud
z children, pertaining altogether to his family
land business affairs. He will probably be
sburied at Lincoln, where two of bis children
4are inferred.
Additional Details.
AUBURN, September 25sh.-About II o'clock
Hast night Sheriff John G. Boggs was aroused
Aby prisoner knocking or the stove-pipe, and
notifying him that IS. Niles, the prisoner
3lateiy lodged in Jail for the murder of james
5Singleton, had cut his throat. The Sheriff
lwho was sleeping above the jail, found on ex-
samination the statement to be correct On
sentering Niles cell, he found him lying in a
spool Of blood. In the cell was found letter
addressed to his wife, Mary E. Niles. There
twas cut on the left arm, as if to strike the
svein, and strong string tightly tied above
The wound from which death ensued was
smade by large pocket-knifs found lying in
}the cell. The knife was closed, but the large
blade was sharp and bloody. The wound was
about three and one-half inches long, and
aranged diagnally across the left eide of the
sneck. cutting the large veins. When DR..
Risdon came, Niles was breathing hard and
istrangling. He was pale, and his pulse was
.low from loss of blood. The doctor beganI
sewing up the wound, but Niles died before
lit was finished, from loss of blcol, few
minutes before l A. N.
THE coRoNER's INQUEST.
To-day an inquest was held upon the body
before the Coroner, and the following
facts were elicited from the witnesses j
ABOUT midnight a prisoner who was
sreading heard noise in Niles cell as of spill.
ting water. Miles was asked if he was sick.
land answered, "Yes; nothing much" His
voice was weak, and he could hardly speak.
Witness then reused the Sheriff. The pris-
soner claimed to be the owner of the knife,
land had loanei it to Niles about nine hours
before to cut tobacco. The prisoners
could not see each other, but articles
Hike a knife could be thrown across
sshe corridor. Niles was often searched, and
,had no knife of his own, but borrowed one!
ito cut tobacco. Witness stated that Niles
talked with the other prisoners much that
3evening. While dying his only expression
twas, "Oh! God" The act was contempla
tied, and he was evidently carrying out his
statements when arrested, of saving lawyers
fees and the county tie expense of trial.
Miles talked bat little the last few days, under
instructions Of his attorney. 1t seems that
ibis pent up feelings, consciousness of guilt
3and a certainty of conviction drove him to-
suicide.
The Coroner's verdict was in substance that
1.-The name of tine deceased was Ambrose S.
dNiles, aged 81, 6. native of New York, and
3came to his death by wound inflicted by his
] 3own hand by severing the veins of the neck
| with pocket knife On September %. 1881.
4 at 12:45 A. N.
A brother of deceased is here, and friends
sfrom Lincoln have been in town arranging
ifor the burial at Lincoln.
The Suicides Eetter TO His Family.
AUBURN, September 5th.-Eollowing is
! the letter of Niles to his family
AUBURN, September "a, 1881. J!
! Dear Wife, Children ard Friends: This Isl
1.-THE most lonely night of my life. l havs
Thought of every way possible to save some
sshing for you, Mary, and our dear children,
: and [ can think of no better way than the
Sone [ am about to pursue. | need not ask
dyou to take as good care of the children ss
sgou can. Should you need assistance call ouE
lany of my relations, especially sister Harriet,
oart is 10 49,,
asad afflicted My two brothers, presume
l awill render al the assistance in their power.
5to make you and the children comfortable.
sThere are some about Lincoln, think, who;
ahave been enemies to me, and are yet, fo,i
/ What reason l know not. Newton made g,
srnistake in his testimony, through excite;
4 5nsnt, presume. Some Of the rest did its
swiilfully. If we had the means for defense,
sgithout impoverishing you, it would be we'll !
cannot think of laying in this hole for any
,length of time. It woald break me down, |
$50 1 would not be able to work forss
Jour support. As it il, you win hayeS
slawyers cannot get is all. The watch and
schain, which is miGe you can do what youS
aplease with. It is nearly worn cut, aad yuus
had better dispose of it and get somethines
sfor all of the children. My book and purseI
sare with the Sheriff. which you win get
sHotchkiss will send you the money fer the.
j AXE -Voight note. He owes for bed, ands
you can give him that for his trouble !
lrhe other notes you can collect whens
'you please. Perhaps you had better dis !
loose of tho horses and wagon, also they
sco,t, which is at Mr.. Richards, ands
(which he agreed to keep for 81 90 month. /
,.Tohu Hicken has a note against Cad. JONES'
that has rot all been paid. The other papers,
are with j. e. Young, in Lincoln, as honor
labla man, believe, as lives. l have mott
seen Mr.. Norton but once since you wereg
here. don't think of any more. Mary, Il
have tried to be good and true to you always
;and should l live ever will be, as believed
syou have ever been to me. would like tos
See you all, if l was free to do so, but ams
shut up on charge of which 1 am not guilty, i
.although L done wrong; but 1 thoughts
it the best. You can tell your friendsI
SO. I sent some money to Corahs
Hast winter, ard I never knew whether
sshe got it or not There is some more duel
there from Mrs. Allan yet. settled With
sJabe. except our interest in the springs
Perhaps you may realize something out Of;
ashem another year. | hope SO, as you will
3need all you can get. l can think of a thou.
sand things TO write, but it will no. amount
Ito much, and will close. Oh, you and the,
schildren! My love to you especially, and toi
all friends Should | not SEQ Won again