Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-01-17
PAClElC COAST NEWS.
Attempted Murder and Successful Sui
eide.

Attempted Murder and Successful Sui
eide.
STOCKTON, January 16th.-As about
O'Clock p NJ Saturday, on the farm of Colonel
l.. o. Gillispee seventeen miles from this city
and on the road between Lodi and Lockeford,
a young woman, Flsta Gillispee, aged IL years,
an only daughter of the Colonel, was shot in
the neck with pistol ball fred by Thomas
Iyden, a farm hand, who year ago was en-
pioyed on the ranch as laborer. The wound
produced is probably fatal one. Lyden is
50 years of age, and was in love with the
Young woman, to whom be had sent many
letters of affection. As soon as the intimacy
between the two was discovered by the
parents, Lyden was discharged from the
premises. lie continued to lend letters, but
they were unanswered. 1t was o year ago
that heswas discharged, and lie had not been
seen for four months.
A CoWARDLY SHOT.
AT z o'clock on Saturday evening Colonel
Gillispee was aroused by tbs noise made by
his dogs. An examination of the premises
was made by him, but he discovered nothing.
When he returned to his sitting.room Mics
Gillispee took a eeat by the window and
picked up magazine to read. She sat within
eight inches of the window, and when her
father reached the fireplace shot was fired
through the window and the young lady fell
back from her chair, the blood pouring from
wound 10 the neck. The Colonel grabbed
his shotgun, which was standing by the door,
and rushed into tho gard, but the assassin
could not be found, having made his escape
by running around to the rear of the house
and down lane to the Mokelumne river.
The young woman was insensible for some
time, and when she rallied she said that she
knew that Lyden had shot her. The ball
entered the back of the neck, but whether it
went into the jaw or into the baee of the
skull was not known. A reporter visited the
scene of the tragedy yesterday and learned
the facts above stated.
SUICIDE OF THE ASSASSIN.
At an early hour yesterday morning Lyden
was found dead In q baystack half o mile
north of the house with a pistol by his side,
and but one chamber empty, but the cart
ridges remaining showed that they had been
struck with the hammer Of the weapon. His
body was removed to Lodi, and an inquest
held. The ball had entered the right side of
the head and imbedded itself in the brain on
the opposite side, the skull being fractured clear
across. A verdict of suicide was rendered.
Lyden was well educated, sna was considered
a sober and industrious man. Six months
ago he attempted to kill Colonel Gillispee
with knife because he forbade aim visiting
his daughter. By the timely interference of
a son of the Colonel he was prevented from
ters to Fleta were of threatening nature.
In his last letter he closed by saying IF l
don't get an answer by Thursday have de-
cided what I'll do. 1t may make difference
in both your life and mine. If l get one I'll
decide one way if not, another" The
powder from the pistol when the shot was
fred at Fleta set fire to the window curtain,
and burned her neck. Lyden was supposed
to be in San Francisco at the time of the
shooting, and the family thought the trouble
with him over. The grief.stricken parents
have the sympathy Of the entire community.
The weaiher-Crop outieek.
OAKDALE (Stanislaus county,, January
16th-During the past week the weather has
been extremely cold, the thermometer rang
ing from IL to 26'. For twenty eight years
we have never experienced colder weather in
this valley. Grain in Stanislsus county, east
of the San Josquin river, is generally looking
we'll More land has been seeded this season
than ever before, and some are still blowing
to SOW to grain. These cold north winds are
making it hard to plow, and if we do not have
rain soon the grain will suffer; but such cold
weather indicates rsin soon, and we may rea-
sonably expect spring rains sufficient to in
sure good crops.