The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-09-28
CANADAY GOES WRONG.
COMMITS SUICIDE BY BLOWING
HIS BRAINS OUT.
Suspicion of Fraud and Stealing
Against Effm-He Feared the
Arrest and Trial.

Arrest and Trial.
By Telegraph to the State Chronicle.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-Col. W. P.
Canaday, ex sergeant at arms OF the
United States Senate, committed suicide
this morning by blowing out his brains
in his room at 712, 10th street, N. W. |
Since his retirement from the Senate,
Col. Canaday had been engaged in a
general brokerage business in co-part-
nership with j. G. A. Houghton, who
furnished the financial resource of the
firm. Mr.. Haughton said this morning
he was awakened early by a colored boy
who brought him message saying
that Col Canaday desired to see him at
the office Since his connection with
Canaday and the business, Mr.. Houghton
said he had invested $17, 900 in the con-
Germ, So, 600 of which he had placed in
the safe only last night. His suspicious
we're Immediately aroused that the mes
sage had something to do with that
money and when he arrived at the Office
he found that he was not mistaken. Col.
Canaday stated to him that he had been
awakened by three colored men between
two and three o'clock in the morning
who with revolvers at his head compelled
him to open the safe. The burglars,
4 Col Canaday said had obtained entrance
by breaking the window pane with
= = raiho o I'd spike. After securing the money
9 the robbers gagged the ConOnel, using
for the purpose piece OF his night robe.
They then bound him to the door Of the
+ the story told to Mr.. Houghton who
,, promptly declared his disbelief of the
tale, and left after warning Col Canaday
d, that he intended to procure warrant
for his arrest.
, Col Canaday was native Of North
q Carolina, served in the confederate army,
! and was at one time mayor of Whining
ton.
|, The story toId by Mr.. Stevenson,
Y whose apartments in the house are
|. above Col Canaday's Office is that some
Is time before four O'Clock this morning he
o wakened by tapping sound, and i'm
If mediately after he heard voice asking
= him to come down stairs. This was re-
i peated several times. Mr.. Stevenson
hurried to the room below and found
Col. Canaday bound to closet door. In
n an excited tone be asked to be cut loose
+ This being done, Col. Canaday was asked
the cause of his unusual position. He
70 replied, 'Robbers, look On the floor.
70 Mr.. Stevenson glanced down and saw a
r number Of charred papers. Col. Canaday
rs told him that robbers had overpowereo
81 him and burglarized his effects. Th'
police were summoned, to whom Col
" do clafa cd n
animation of the premises showed tina
: the window through which the burglar
I obtained entrance, as claimed by G. )l
!, Canaday, had been smashed int
, fragments The thongs used to holt
Col Canaday to the door we1
pieces of binding twine tied loose
!. ly about his knees, ankles, wrist
and elbows. The gag was poorly arran
d ged in his mouth and he had no diff
IS: Guilty in raising his voice so that he coul
,ee ,e be heard by the boarder in the stor
2a above. Col. Canaday after giving h
to version of the story to the police, It
Dal paired to his private room in the rear
ao az. the Office and dressed himself and the
nis sent the message to his partner, M
of HoughtOn. After the scene betwee
70 them, he returned to the Office an
- - about 7:3O o'clock he was fOun
e,s by the police, who had come
to- serve the warrants sworn out by NJ
de- Houghton, stretched on a cot in tt
en- corner of the room with bullet hole
,sr his head A note was found written
ira ira Col. Canaday to his partner, sayin
i. b "After your conduct this morning,
of have no further use for life" Col Can
le' day leaves widow and one son, who r
5H sides at Wilmington, N. G. Col. Can
ld- day had been in financial troubles
some time They were the cause of /
on retirement from the office of sergeant
1o 'ee arms of the Senate.