The morning call., 1891-08-29
DIXON INQUEST.
A Verdict of Accidental Drown.
ing Returned.
Numerous Witnesses Testify to the Stock
, brokers' Movements From Home on the
Day of Disappearance.

Coroner 'Garwood resumed yesterday the
inquest in the case of John E. Dixon, the
stock-broker whose body was found upon
the ocean beach, near Mussel Rock, on the
2d inst As the Inquiry was considered OF
d. unusual Importance, stenographer was
secured to take the great mass of testimony.
Nine jurors, about thirty witnesses, several
assurance men and friends of the deceased
were interested auditors of the proceedings.
The first witness called was Manuel Ep-
stein, stOck-broker, who stated that he
had been acquainted with Dixon many
years. He saw him last alive on August
1st on Bush street, near Sacramento, going
west. and the witness waved his hand to
him.
Jerome Sullivan, real estate dealer, who
lives at JIG Bush street, deposed that he
saw Dixon about 80 o'clock on the morn
ing of the 1st inst. He was walking along
Bush street, near Taylor, when the witness
stopped and talked to him. Dixon appeared
to be in the best of spirits.
r. J. Woods a warehouseman, living at
2714 California street. stated that he saw
Dixon on the dummy of a cable-ear that
passed his house going westward early on
Saturday or Sunday morning. This was
the 1st or I'd inst.
FOLLOWING Up DIXoN's TRACKS.
Joseph McGlynn. conductor on the Fer
ries and Clubhouse train, testified that he
saw Dixon about Il o'clock in the morning
on the 1st inst. Dixon was a passenger TO
the park, and upon arriving there walked
of in the direction of the speed-track.
From this point the movements of Dixon
were traced by the testimony of Park Off
GERS j. L. Bennett and P. E. Smith, who
saw him walking along the main driveway
about noon on the.1St inst. Officer Smiths
attention was attracted by his strange ac-
tlOns. Dixon stopped several times and
looked around, as though heSitating about
TIE road 20 take.
S. d. Cole, park teamster. also saw
him walking along the main driveway, and,
after passing him, Dixon heSitated and
looked around several times.
Paul A. Dubois of 1417 Washington street
and Aaron Loeb of 9 Geary steeet told of
their finding of DixOn's body on the ocean
beach, near Mussel Rock, about noon on
August ID. They examined the body, and
found cash On the head, q cut under the
chm and several bruises on the face. The
Deuy lay lace upward and the arms were
outs stretched To all appearances the body
had been washed upon the beach.
DEATH FROM SUBMISSION.
Police Surgeon Williams testified in refer
ence to the autopsy made by him. The i'm
mediate cause OF death was submersion.
y. The wounds on the head and face were in
fiieted after death by the body being wash ed
against the rocks. A slight discooration
under the left eye. however, had been sus-
tanned In life, but none of the injuries would
have caused DEATH
Harry Wessling of 1913 Geary street and
Fred Feisel OF 1870 OFarrell street passed
along the ocean beach three hours after the
body was found by Dubois and Loeb. AS
the tide was coming in they hauled the body
higher up on the beach and placed box over
the head. Wessllng touched the pockets of
the dead mans pantalOons, but, hearing no
sound concluded they contained ne money.
Charles f. Merrill, station agent a.
: Colna, told how his suspicious had been
aroused by three men on the Sunday that
DixOn's body was found. One of the men.
who was there at that time, proved to be j.
L. Paradise, known as "Frenchy."
Paradise in turn told the jury that he was
talking to two Italians at Colma, and showed
them his bllStered hands, remarking that lie
had just given up - bad job at Fresno"
TWO POLICIES OF INSURANCE.
Walter NJ. Haskell, agent of the Travel
erS' Insurance Company OF Hartford,
Conn, testified that the company had is
sued to Dixon two accident policies, each
payable TO Mrs: Mary r. Dayton, and the
other to Mrs. Harry w. Brown. The wit
ness said that in cases of suicide the COM
pany would not pay the amount of the
policies, as they Insured only against death
by accidents.
George NJ. Hubbard. a bank clerk. saw
Dixon last alive on June 9th, when he was
in good health and spirits
5, F. Gashweiler. an old-time friend of
the deceased, stated that he had a long
conversation with Dixon on July 9th. They
discussed the subject of suicide, and Dixon
sad a man should always live out the time
allotted him, no matter what mig ht happen
or how he might suffer
1t being then nearly 6 O'Clock, an ad-
lournmeut was taken until o'clock in the
evening.
AT THE EVENING SESSION.
Mrs Mary L. Denver, the landlady at 1101
Pine street, where Dixon boarded, was the
first witness called at the evening session.
she stated that Dixon was called for about 9
O'Clock, after breakfast, by stranger who
was shabbily dressed, was short of stature
and wore red mustache. Dixon did not
seem very cordial with him.
Before leaving tile house Dixon said he
was going to dine with friends in Oakland.
He wore his diamond studs AT breakfast, but
left his watch in his'roOm when he went out
lie once said a man was fool to commit
suicide under any circumstances. Dixon
was always cheerful.
He said, shortly before his death, that he
expected some stock dividends in few
days. He was little lame in his left leg.
and could not walk far, though he frequently
went for stroll through the park or out on
tue oedcn. ne nau' recently complained OF
, pain in his lame leg.
o'CONNoR NOT so POSITIVE.
W. II. 0'Connor, carpenter at I120 SUIT
ter street, who had identified Dixon as the
man he had met on the beach on the day of
the disappearance, next stated that he had
not noticed whether the man he thought
was Dixon was lame or not, and consequent
~ was not so positive as at first about hav-
Ing seen him at the beach.
Deputy Coroner Bridgewood testified as
to the, finding of the body of Dixon near
Mussel Rock. Theshirt looked as if studs
had been pulled out forcibly from the bosom
aud the pockets as if they had been turned
inside out and then hastily pushed back.
After some deliberation the jury returned
the following verdict:
That John f Dixon, aged So years, native
ci New brunswick ana stoekbroker by oecu-
patton, residing at 11o1 Pine street. came 10 his
death about August 2, 1891. in the Pacific
Ocean, near Mussel Rock, In The city and county
OF San Francisco, from submerson, and we
further find that deceased met his death acci-
dentally.