The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-05
IT WAS NOT MURDER.
An Investigation of the Death of
John E. Dixon.
The Autopsy Demonstrated Conclusively That
the Bruises on the Body Were Re-
eeived After Drowning.

An official inquiry was made yesterday
into the circumstances connected with the
death of John Z. Dixon, the well-known
stock broker and mining operator, whose
body was found on the ocean beach near
Mussel Rock. on Sunday. Detective Rogers
started out bright and early to unravel the
mystery, but he was not very successful.
Mrs. q. w. Stewart the propretress of
the hotel at 1101 Pine street, where the de-
ceased had lived many years, told the officer
that at an early hour ON Saturday morning
she received note from Dixon stating that
he had gone to the baths, but would soon
return and fix UP her books. He returned
at $3.50 o'clock, and after taking breakfast
he told her that he had made an appoint
ment to visit friends in Oakland. Soon
after 80 o'clock he retired to his room
ana few moments later a heavy set man
called and inquired for him.
A STRANGER CALLED UPON HIM.
When Dixon was confronted with the
visitor lie merely greeted him as a stranger,
saying, How do you do, sir?" How are
you, sir?" was the visitors greeting and
the two left the house, walking down Pine
street. As far as known that was the last
seen of Dixon by any of his friends until
his lifeless body was cast by the waves
upon the ocean beach. The man who left
the hotel with Dixon was about 40 years
old and had brown hair and wore beard
and mustache of the same color The off
Ger searched for this man, but could find no
trace OF him.
From what you have learned, what is
your theory as 10 the cause of death?' was
asked Of Detective Rogers.
There is little reason" said he, ''f0r
suppoS!ng that Dixon was murdered. Ii IS
ara frsar, al. I'D
eide or was accidentally drowned"
THE REAL CAUSE OF DEATH.
Police Surgeon Williams made an autopsy
on the remains and found that submerSion
was solely the cause Of death. at is my
oplnion, said the surgeon, that the cuts
aud bruises on the head and discoiora-
Ton about the face and eyes were caused by
the body being washed against the rocks.
AT least it IS certain that these injuries were
inflicted after death"
This dispoSes of the theory of foul play,
and the only suspicious fact yet to ne ac-
counted for is the disappearance of dia-
mond stud from the Shirt OF the deceased.
The gem might have been removed, how
ever, during the twenty-siX hours that the
body lay upon the beach before it was re-
moved to the Morgue.
Coroner GarwOod impaneled the follow
ing named Tor jury yesterday afternoon:
ID. Nj. Iomblin, 3u2 Pine street; II. c. Sex
ton. corner OF Pine and Sansome streets; F.
w. Seaman, 1873 SanSome street; Thomas
Turner. 129 Sansome street; Charles Brown.
III Sansome stree; j. Nathan, III San
some street; l.. Meyer, 113 SansOme street:
Murphy Grant, corner Sansome ana Bush
streets; Edward Potter, 80 Sansome street
Is. Levy, II Sansome street, and j. ROsen-
blatt. Is SanSome street.
NO REASON FOR SUICIDE.
P. R. GraysOn, the well-known mining
Secretary, was called as witness and he
identified the hoiV and said ha nd I'm
the deceased for twenty years. Dixon was
aged 5S Years and native of New Bruins
" elk. The witness last saw him alive about
| three months ago, and knew of no reason
why he should have taken his own life.
Dixon was always Of most j0vial DISPOSE
ton and never appeared the least despoud-
ent, not even wien he lo.t thousands by
sudden fluctuations of the stock market.
He never smoked nor drank, and his social
relations we're always most pleasant.
Gentlemen, said the Coroner in ad
| dressing the jury, "Ill have TO postpone
this case until some future time. In the
! meantime thorough investigation Of all
the circumstances surrounding the death
will be made by the Police Department"
DIXON WAS IMPECUNIoUs.
In speaking of the case, Chief Crowley
said he felt certain that Dixon was not
murdered. The autopsy" said he will
bear me out in this. He was impecunous.
Pawnbrokers called here this morning and
stated that DiX0n's watch and jewelry were
frequently pawned."
Friends of the deceased deny that he was
in financial straits. They say that he re-
Gently received dividends OH Coptis mining
stocks. He also had in MS possession note
for $500 and could have readily discounted
it. 1t is true, however, that he was in
debted to several stockholders, but none of
them were pressing him for a settlement
The story circulated by unreliable per-
sons that woman of Exc, New, had some
thing 10 do with the case is discredited.
The assertion that she frequently wrote
threatening letters to him has no founda-
ton.
A number of unopened letters have been at
the late home OF the deceased for him. Per-
haps when these are opened some light may
be shed on the circUms tances Of the death