Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-04
WIFE MURDER.
Details of the Horrible Tragedy
at Eureka.
The PEOPLE HoRRoR-sTaIoKBN.
What the Drink Demon Will Cause a
Man to Do.
ESPECIAL BY rELEeRArH TO THE REcoRD.umOs.l

@'1s~A ~ ~,
ESPECIAL BY TELEsRAPH TO THE RECoRD.UgoS.l
EUREKA New, March Sd The Sentinel
of this morning publishes the following in
relation to the dreadful tragedy Of last even
ing: All Eureka was in horror and dismay
last evening over the news that C. j. Lansing
had killed his wife. When first told the
story was not believed. L seemed incredible.
Kit Lansing could not be guilty of such &
foul and monstrous deed the lawyer of such
splendid talent; the man of such culture !;
the gentleman of such dignity and refine.
ment. could not fall so low. This was
THE FIRST IMPRESSION
That distressed and COMPOUNDED the minds of
his neighbors as they heard the startling ex.
clamation pass from one TO auothers lips.
Lansing has murdered his wife !" a mo.
ment later, when the stunned faculties re-
covered their use and the awful story was
found to be true, his friends-and Lansing
has no enemies-were glad to remember that
he is weak, that he is a msn with one griev-
Gus fault. In the sickening horror they ex,
peiienced they felt mourntui joy that Lar
sing has spells when be is not himself. They
recoiled fro,a their dismay at once sufficiently
to say: 'Hs was crazy when he did it.
Under the Influence of strong drink he b.
came temporarily wild-a maniac" When
interviewed By a Sentinel reporter last night,
he remarked. in frenzied way that plainly
indicated mis- delirious condition, :" Yes I
know what I've done. But all you can say
Is that Kit was drunk. I've killed my wife =
PARTICULARS OF THE AFFAIR.
At half past o'clock Mr. Lansing came
down TO the Sheriff's Office, and said to of.
6oer William Long, who was on duty there,
I" I've killed my wife, and l want you to lock
me up" Mr.. Lansing told him to 60 to the
house and see for himself, and gave him d.
rections how to get in. He told the iailer
that he had no key to the house; that he
might get in from the front, but if not to go
around by the back way and kick in the door.
Mrs. Lansing lay on the kitchen floor with
her eyes closed. blood on her face, hole IN
her head, and her hair. soaked with blood,
was spread disheveled on the floor. She
was breathing heavily and slowly. 1t was
evident that she was m0rtally. stricken, and
could not survive many minutes. At o'clock
she took her last breath. 1t was
PITIFUL SIGHT.
Thsre she lay, pale and bloody, with only
her night clothes en-. What led to the catas-
trophe can only be coniectured. Mr.. Lansing
has several times baen known to drink until
he became beside himself and insane. The
house was found in disorder, as though no
careful housewife had been at work in the
rooms. There is no telling how long the bed
which was occupied by Mr.. and Mrs Ian
sing was out of condition. 1t had not been
made up yesterday at least It seems from
the coalition in which the wounded woman
was found that she had not dressed during
the day; that possibly she had been
indisDosed and confined to her room. Her
own fondness for drink may account for much
that happened.
A Sentinel reporter interviewed the prisoner
at o'clock last night, bat found that he was
not himseif--not able to utter three consecu-
tive sentences coherently. IS l am sorry you
find me here, he said. "Arn't they going
to let NE go home? Are they going to keep
me here. and net give me something to
drink? / wonder if they have taken that
from me. Oh if could only kill myself"
By that he meant a dose Of poison, which he
felt in bis pocket for, but could not find.
THE SENTIMENT OF THE COMMUNITY
In this affair is one of universal horror and
regret. Great sympathy is entertained for
Miss Ada Lansing-the only daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lansing-a very amiable and
worthy young lady, who at present is attend
ing boarding school ia oakland, Cal.
The wound is outlined by two sides of
| rightangle, one of which is about an inch
aud half in length. the other about an inch.
Within the space inclosed by these lines
there is a hole ia the skull, deep,
irregular and larger than could have been
made by any ordinary bullet. A chair was
found near the body in two parts-the back
and bottom in one piece aud the legs alone in
another. On the under edge of the back part
of the seat of the chair blood was found COW
ering space about as large as the surface Of
the wound. The chair is substantial
kitchen chair, and could have been broken
apart as described by powerful blow.
When found it was in two pieces, the legs
seemingly having been hurled from their
sockets by ths conclusion from such blow
as the circumstances warrant to presume may
have been given.
| ANTECEDENTS OF THE MURDERER.
| Lansing was for many years prominent
lawyer and politician of California. He was
bern at Lansingburg, on the Hudson-that
town being founded and named by his faith
er's family. The Lansings were very infiu-
entail in the Empire Stats in politics and
society. c. J. Lansing practiced law in Ne
vada City, Cal. when john r. Mcconnell.
William nj. Stewart, A. A. Sargent and
other lights of the Bar were there. He rep.
resented his county in the State Senate, and
at ore occasion presided over that body, and
made very correct and dignifed presiding
officer. Although coming from Brodrick's
State he acted with the Gwin or chiyalry
wing of the Democratic party. He went to
Virginia City, New, about 1862, and some
ten years later removed to Eureka.