Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-12
ASIAN FRANCISCO TRAGEDY.
Engineer Uncomfortable Suicide OF
the ASs8ilant.

A telegram to the New York Herald from
San Francisco. last night, says: shortly be-
fore IL o'clock this morning, C. w. Brown, an
engineer residing in Cheyenne, Wy. T., entered
the Office of John A. Benson, land surveyor
in the Nevada block, and, after asking the
time of day, abruptly said: Benson, am in
trouble with a woman at Cheyenne aud want
your advice and help Benson replied that he
was busy, and rose to go out. When he reached
the door Of his Office he half turned to excuse
himself further for leaving so unceremoniously.
ing q word, fired. The bail struck Benson on
the left cheek. Brown fired again, the ball
taking effect in Benson's neck This wound
gave rise to the belief that Benson's throat had
was found. Brown then turned the revolver on
himself and fire three shots, but realizing that
he had not killed 81, himself he seized large
thrust it into his neck. The blow was well
aimed, and was delivered with such savage
tGrce that the paper nG cutter passed almost
Brown dropped on the floor beside his victim
and bled to death in a few minutes A police
Floods office, heard the shots and rushed into
RenSon's office. No word could be extracted
from Brown, who was In the last agonies Of
death.
THE WOUNDED MANS STATEMENT.
"Benson, ON being raised up, said he had not
had any dispute with Brown: that he had
known him for several years and had MANY
land transactions with him, but beyond some
business disputes, did not know WIN he should
shoot him or take his own life brown vas
well-known on the Pacific coast having resided
here for fourteen years. Last July he failed FOR
$225. ZOO. He succeeded in arrangino his
affairs, and since then had secured some vaIn
able government land and dredging Contracts
BENSON wELL-KNowN IN wAsH1NGrov
"The story of the troubles laedine tn tho
Brown-Benson tragedy dates back to and covers
the years ss1, 1882 and 1883. Benson. better
known here and at Washington as .Ross Ron.
son. ran things pretty much as he wished
during the administrations of the two state
| surveyor generals preceding the present demo-
cratic appOintee. He was mixed up in the land
surveying scandal which shook up the Cali.
pull on high officials at the national canita}
A scheme then in vogue was to secure partner
In various western Territories havinw 10 s,,
reserved tracts and then procure confrscts
from Washington for surveying Brown was
Benson's Wyoming partner. aud during The
estimated at one hundred Thousand d"iis,s
Brown performed the actual field work. Proofs
on these transactions were $40 OOO No 80
mite settlement was ever arrived At hat,v~o,,
the two, and last September Brown came ~.
and claimed an unpaid balance of $40 m
tors, and during its sessions IL was diseoversd
| that the surveys were crooked. As an off:st ~
Browns demand, Benson put in a clet,~ - -
$4,000, which he said had been paid To fedaroi
officials 70 secure the contracts. Hrown 90
anally allowed $500, and II was In a{temnf.
/ took place. Benson Il weli-known in Wsshirs:I
ton professionally and socially, his dsnsht -
having married 2 rieh merchant q No. citv
Aoout I'VE yoaEe aG0" s~'S