The morning call., 1891-06-08
DUNCAN KNOWN HERE
He Attempted to Murder His
Wife While i'm Wales.
Located for Time as an Electrician in This
City "A Man Who Was Brilliant
Always, But Erratic.

a Few days ago the cable brought to this
country the account of the trial in Wales of
Richard {. Duncan, an American, for at
tempting to murder his wife. The assault
was made with rock and the unfortunate
woman was rescued barely in time to save
her life. As it is at present she is lying in
critical condition and it is stated that her
recovery can only come with skillful nurs-
ing. The husband claims that he was out
OF money and respondent, but it Is init
mated that he is insane.
Investigation reveals the fact that Richard
Y. Duncan was at one time resident OF
San Francisco and is we'll known in busi-
ness circles. He came here first about three
years ago in company with Ensign Jayne
OF the United States navy, the latter having
years leave of absence. Both were expert
electricians and bore with them credentials
as Pacific Coast agents of the Sprague Elec-
trlc Motor Company. They opened an Of
ice In the Safe Deposit Building and re-
NAMED there for about year, or until two
years ago, when Ensign Jayne returned to
the navy and was sent 10 Join the ASlatIc
squadron. He has since been recalled and
is due to arrive here by the next Pacific
Mail steamship.
After giving up the Sprague agency here
duncan went to Los Angeles, where ne re-
manned for some time and then drifted
East. Later he turned up in Europe.
CoRREsPoNDED WITH HIM.
Lockwood b. Peet, editor of the Pacific
Lumberman, stated yesterday that he knew
Duncan well, and since the latter left San
Francisco had maintained q somewhat ir-
regular correspondence with him.
when Duncan lived here" said Mr..
Peet, "he was unmarried, but / am of the
opinion that lie was married about SIX or
seven months ago in Finland. The dis
patches intimate as much, and my reason for
thinking it true is that | had a letter from
MN about that time, dated from small
town in Finland, ins which he incidentally
ntimated that he was mixed up in love
affair, but he made no mention OF any lnten-
ton to get married. | heard nothing more
from him until few weeks ago, when he
wrote me from ENGLAND saying that he
had determined To go 10 Central Africa
as an explorer, and was at that
time engaged in organizing an expedition.
Then came the news of his attempt to muir
der his wife, and it occurred to me at once
that he was insane. While here he was re-
garded by all who knew him as exceed
lngly erratic but in spite of that he was
looked upon as a young man of extraOr-
binary brlilancy In every thing he under
took.
HIS MIND UNBALANCED.
He was of very delicate physique, how
ever, and the whole truth of the matter, in
my opinion, is that his brain became over
balanced. As an illustration Of his eccen-
tricity, | remember going once with him to
call upon a gentleman who desired some
estimates made for electric motors. The
contract was a desirable one. but Duncan
refused to give the figures. He excused
himself in few min utes, and. beckOning
me to follow him, left the gentleman's office
very abruptly. When we reached the
street lie turned to me in a very excited
way and said that we would have nothing
more to do with the matter. SURPRISED, |
asked him to explain his actions, when he
referred TO the fact that the man was cross
eyed, and that had prejudced him to such
an extent that he could never be induced to
return"