The morning call., 1892-03-22
A DESPERATE DEED.
James CannOn's Premeditated
Attempt at Suicide.
He Steals Friends Pistol for the PURPOSE,
and Leaves Letters for His Mother
and the Coroner.

AT 10 o'clock last evening Officer j. j.
McArdle brought 10 the Receiving Hospital
the unconscious form Of a young man who
was suffering from q pistol wound in the
head. over the right ear. He knew nothing
of the circumstances attending the shooting
except that it occurred at TIC Larkin street
and was supposed to be self-iafiicted. Tho
mans name and occupation were also un-
known to him. A brief examina alton showed
that the mans injuries were necessarily
fatal and that he had but a few hours to live.
A CALL reporter visited the house where
the suicide had roomed and found that but
very little was known of him there. Mrs.
Bailer. the landlady, was not even certain
of his name, but from the fact that some
packages in his room were so inscribed
they believed it was James Cannon.
CANNoN's ANTECEDENTS.
From the landlady and several of her
dodgers who were present at the interview,
it was learned that the young man Nor he
was not quite 30) had come here from Phila-
delphia about nine months ago, and shortly
afterward found employment with the
Telephone Company as draughtSman. In
the Office with him was Mr.. Steiss, an old
ledger OF Mrs. Buffers, and 1t was through
him that Cannon went to reside at her
house. He was q steady young man,
always well supplied with money and
prompt In his payments. but considered by
all as tritle insane-queer or peculiar, as
the other dodgers termed IL.
In December last he quit the Telephone
Company's employment because he con-
Sidered SEQ month too little for the
services he was called upon to render, and
since then lie had been out of work. From
his own statements il is believed tn at his
father Is dead and that his mother is living
in PHILADELPHIA Some of the money that
he lived on during the past three months
came from there by express, and he also
won $50 in the lottery.
NO ONE HEARD THE SHOT.
Singular to say. no one in the house could
remember having seen him since FIR day
evening last On Sunday he WAS in his
room all day and he was heard vomiting.
1esterday morning, therefore. when his
door was found locked it was not thought
strange. and lie was left undsturbed. In
the afternoon when the chambermaid tried
his door 1t was still locked, but as he made
some kind of answer to her knock suspicion
was disarmed and she went away.
At o'clock Mrs Butler and her husband
became alarmed, and as no answer could be
obtained to their knocking il was decided
10 break in the door When this was done
the young man was found partly dressed.
lying at full length on the floor, pistol at
his side. and pool OF cOagulaIed blood sew
eTal feet away. A doctor was at once sum-
mOned, tut pronounced the man dying. aud
from the appearance of the wound and the
blood gave it as his opinion that the wound
had been inflicted five or six hours before.
EVIDENCES OF FERMENTATION.
The deed vas evidently premeditated, for
on searching the room letter TO the Cor
oner was found, and also bundle OF manu-
script for a morning paper. In the coat
! pocket was another letter addressed TO his
mother, Mrs. +. w. Cannon, Philadelphia
| The pistol, 52-caliber, belonged TO MIR.
! Steiss, and was taken from that gentle
,srfs hon Id
! was also found near him small soda water
bottle with little whisky in IT. As he was
| not a drinking man it is thought he may
| have attempted suicide by poison on Sun
day, and that he used the whisky as a We
| hiCle for the drug. For that reason 1t was
/ taken to the station for analysis