Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-13
BIackmaiIed to Death.
A Steamboat Engineer Hunted to the
 Grave by an Unscrupulous Wretch.

A Steamboat Engineer Hunted to the
 Grave by an Interruptions Wretch.
 [From the Chicago Timea]
 The other morning, Frank Boyce, engineer
 of the tug A. s. Allen, shot himself in the
 breast while aboard of his vessel as she lay at the foot of Franklin street. The bullet was fired from a 32-calibre "Wide Awake" revolver, and tore terrible hole in the sui cide's breast, just behind the left nipple. The wounded man never spoke after firing the shot. He was picked up unconscious and taken to the City Hospital. All that is known concerning the killing was told to a reporter by James Dwyer, the fireman of the tug, who, together with Captain Pelton, was aboard the tug when the shot was fired, and was at the suicide'ssside almost before he had fallen. ''Boyce," said he, s'came on board at 5:3O o'clock and went at once into the engine room and tested the steam. He then told me that he was going for a while into the pilot-room, but that he would be back soon. It was only few minutes after this that the captain and I heard shot in the pilot-room. We ran in there and found Beyce on the floor, the pistol beside him and blood squirting from his mouth. He was un- conscious, and didn't speak word" Not many hours after this tragedy on the river, scene transpired in a South Side justice court which furnished most remarkable explanation of the mornings suicide, and completed tragic and sensational story Joseph Joyce, a vicious-looking fellow, 22 years of age, was arraigned before Justice Brayton upon a charge of feloniously obtain ing money from Frank Boyce, the suicide of the morning. when the following story was obtained: Joyce, the prisoner, and Boyce have been for some time employed upon the same tug, and at night occupied the same cabin. Not long ago Joyce had 1852, two gold rings and a pocketbook stolen from the cabin. As only he and Boyce had keys to the apartment he at once suspected his roommate of the theft. No charges were made at the time, but it was not long after the loss that the prisoner saw his room mate wearing scarf, part of the stolen property. The engineer was then and there charged with the stealing, and, according to the state ment of the prisoner, admitted it and gave back $50 of the stolen money and one of the rings. Joyce, at this juncture, feeling that he had his room mate at his mercy, demand ed as the price of his silence not only the return of the stolen property, but $115 be- sides. The extortion was agreed to. On December 18th Boyce paid his room mate $1O5 of the blackmail. The sacrifice did not mollify the blackmailer, and he declared that unless $10 more was paid by noon on Decem- Der 21 disclosure of the theft would be made There is no question in the minds of the suicides friends that his inability to raise the hush money, and the fear of exposure, 1rove him to take his own life Joyce, when I olackmail, and appeared to feel that he had been playing pretty bright game. He ex- n1bited chagrin over the loss of the last $1O. l He has in his possession the watch and chain l of the dying man, which he claims were left ! aim as souvenirs by Bovce