The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-01
80. a:-a--..:.:I..
BLOODY. !: i. :: DEEDS !. ,, ::
f.. OLA MANIAC.
n Fl. -. --::-.-.: '::: ~. ::
81 ~. -. -. = =
a: Double Tragedy in a. ,Filbert-.
:. 81: Street: House. ...~< s.
Asa h: eechrane, an Insane Veteran, Kills
=. Russell S. Thompson, His son:in-Iaw,,
"a g., and 'Then Ends His Own Life. =


2. I'm. a small bedroom. Of the Cochrane
" residence, 500 Gilbert street.. bloody. deeds
L were enacted: about % O'Clock yesterday
morning. Russell S. Thompson a conduc-
:.:or on the Ferries and Cliff House Cable
Railway line, was. shot and killed by his
farher-iu-faw, Asa H.'@Cochrane, whO9 also
inflicted wounds that CAUSED ms owfi, death
soon AFTER = 49,: ~ 81
The shocking murder and suicide were the
T: work OF maniac There were no witnesses
( tethe shooting but these are the clrcum-
stances. as correctly as they. could begIeaned
: from members of1he Cochrane family: O.
:. The suicide and his victim slept in .sepa-
rate.be DIS in as nall room on the second
floor CDchTaRe arose at. 99o'ClQck, part0ok
hastily Of some breakfast, and then 'an-
.nounced his intention Of gung. to a}drug-
store to procure some MEDICINE. he went
+ out, out returned III d few minutes ana went
back TO the room where Thompson was sui
sleeping: Thompson had worked LITE on
Friday night, and Fad asked not TO be dis
turbeu until II clock in the morning. =
1t seyident that tines was not aN akened by
the entrance of Cochrane, who stepped TO
the side OF the bed With a H3S-caliber' Smith
IS Wesson revolver in his. hand. Piaclng
the muzzle ;of the weapon behind the 5le1t
ear Of the sleeping man ;Cochrane seat
bulletthroug1 his brain. Death. must have
been instantaneous, as the position in: which
Thompson was found indicated that he qid
not'moye after the shot was fred -
80 %; 5AlMED AT Ills HEART.
l. C0chrane's next act was to place the IN
l. strument Of death against his lett oDteasE,
probably intending t05send bullet through
the. heart. His aim must have been u! IN
steady, for the bullet missed the vital POM.
took Il downward COURSE and shade an: exit
near the, center of the back. Again. ne
| placed the weapon in position; but this llhe
| under the chin:
:; The second shot was more effective. as
the:bullet took an upward course, .passeu
through the mouth aud found an -eMt near
| the nose at the polntuf the.9lett eye. 9lHe
'piSt0l-wlelder sank to the floor unconscious
/ While this tragedy was being enacted the
| wifeoand children of the maniac murderer
| were going a bout the house totally, uncon-
sci0us. of IT, No. one in the house heard tne
| reports of. the pistol and it was not until
| Edith Cochrane,' aged IA years, went up
| stairs and entered the. bedroom that the
members OF the family wereo made aware VI
| the homicide. .
Upon opening the door the girl was SO
| overcome by the sckeniDg- sight: that she
| staggered back, almost faintng. When she
| recovered from the shock her screams az
tracted her mother. They both ranolnto tllt
| street and startled the neighb0rho0u ny
their shrieks for help.
| ATTRACTED by THE CRIES.
| II. Hansen of 1913 Union street was pass
ing at the time and was attracted by the
| cries. He followed Mrs. Cochrane into the
| house ana ran upstairs to the bedroom. a
| CHASTITY, slckenlng sight met his gaze upon
:nterlng. Cochyane lay on the floor III the
| middle of the room, surrounded by poo
| OF blood, which flowed from his wounds