Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-12
TELEGRAPHIC.
A Tragic Occurrence atSan
Francisco.
AN ATTEMPT TO MURDER.
The Successful Suicide Of the
WOuld-be-M Murderer-Day
Dispatches.

Special 10 the Herald bV The Associated Press.
SAN FRANcIsco, December ll-2 pm
At about o'clock this forenoon a
tragic occurrence took place in the
Nevada Block, corner of Pine and
Montgomery street, where John A. BEN
son, n prominent land surveyor Of this
city, has his office. Benson was visited
this morning by Charles w, Brown, also
land surveyor, with whom he has had
business relations Of late in regard to
surveying contracts. A dispute arose
| over the financial part of the business,
and this led to hot words. and 1t is be-
lieved to mutual recriminatons. Sud
ilenlv Brown drew a revolver and fire1
two shots at Benson, both OF which
took effect in different portions of his
head and caused min to reel and fall
Brown, believing he had ended Ben
sons life, then placed the revolver to
his own head and fired. but death not
Immediately ensuing, he seized sharp
edged paper-knife, lying within his
reach, aud jabbed IL into his throat.
dying within few minutes. From the
appearance of the wound he must have
turned the knife after it entered the
| flesh. The jugular vein was completely
severed and the edges of the wound were
very ragged.
People in the building, hearing the
shots, rushed into the room. and found
| the two men lying on the floor. Brown
was already dead, and Benson appar
emily dying As soon as possible Ben
son, whose wounds are believed TO be
fatal, was removed to his home, where
he received prompt medical aid.
The Coroner's office was notified, and
Browns corpse was conveyed to the NOR
que, where, after being laid out on
marble slab, his grief-strieken wife was
permitted to view it. Brown recently
arrived here from Cheyenne, Wyoming
Territory, where he has parenisresiding.
Immediately after the inquest his wife
will take his body to his former home
for burial. Benson died at 1920 o'clock.
w. X. Slack, clerk of Benson's, was
in the adjoining room during the shoot
ing and thinks that the two men were in
conversation perhaps one-half hour
when he heard the fall of some heavy
object and the report of several shots.
He rushed to the door leading to his
employers private office, but changed
his mind and turned to go out of the
room to secure help. While Slack was
thus undecided as to what course to
pursue Detective Rodgers, who hap
pened to be in the Nevada Block, heard
the shots and followed them up to Ben
sons office. Said Detective Rogers,
'When | opened the door the darkey
porter and l.. C. Frazer rushed in with
me. Brown was cutting away at
his throat and Benson stood behind
him with his arms around him. Benson
said, "rake him away, he shot me-. |
told the colered man to take Brown over
to the sofa. There was no shooting after
we came into the room. The eOlored
man took an ink eraser out of Browns
hands after putting him ON the sofa. |
helped Benson into his air in front of
the desk, and Just then a messenger boz
looked in at the door. and | had doctors
sent for Bensons story of the clrcum-
stances concerning the shooting was as
follows: Brown came into the office to
ask advice of Benson concerning bust.
ness matters which Benson gave: Brown
had a wild look IN his eyes; some angry
words passed between them and Brown
drew his pistol and tired that he Ben.
SOM was struck which he considered an
accident; he seized Brown and then the
second ball from Browns pistol struck
him. Brown then pulled away and fired
at himself, and afterward cut his throat.
Benson believed that Brown did not
mean to kill him.
This evening the wounded man
was apparently resting easily,
being qui cheerful and talka-
tive. He is firm in his belief that his
assailant was not in his right mind. Drs.
Gerlach and Cole, the attending physi-
clans, state that the patients wounds
are by no means of serious nature.
The first bullet, which entered his check,
has not yet been probed for. The other
bullet graZed the back OF the neck, cans
ing only superficial wound.