Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-23
BLACK JOHN MAY Be 0. HOMO
Editor s. G. Bagg Of Tombstone
Thinks the Two Identical.
One Freak Which May Be Identical
With the other.
o. Homo's Escnpades In and About
Tombstone-Dr. Hunt Cannot
Identify the Dead
Man.

john" the unknown man who commit
ted suicide last Sunday at the Albe-
marie, remains mystery. In fact, il
seems more mystified than ever. About
IS months ago there was a queer char.
acter in Tombstone, Ariz who called
himself 80 Homo" which, in Latin
signifies a man! This mystery created
quite sensation throughout the coun-
try, and then disappeared as nysteri-
ously as he had come.
Mr.. s. G. Bagg, editor of the Tomb.
stone Prospector, who had read the arti-
Gle in reference to 'Black John" in the
HERALD, and who is now on visit to
this city, called at the HERALD Office
last evening and is of the opinion that
Black John" and 20. Homo" are iden-
tical. In an interview with HERALD
reporter last night Mr.. Bagg said:
about August, 1891, a man walked
into Tombstone wearing no clothing
except a blanket thrown around his
body. He was arrested for indecent ex-
posure of person and kept 30 days in
Jail he had no money or clothing and
said that he was afflicted with an incur.
able disease and was travelling in that
manner for his health. While he was in
jail, spoke with him often; he was a fine
conversationalist, had evidently trav-
eled a great deal in the, United States
and in Europe. and seemed to be we'll
acquainted everywhere. He under
stood Latin. Greek French, Spanish
and German, ana seemed to be we'll
read man. But he hestudiously concealed
h 70 To-.
been married, and when the name OF
woman was mentioned he would change
the subject. He was finely formed
man, always had his head shaved, and
there was not the slightest mark on his
The authorities telegraphed his descrip-
cities: but IT seems be was not wanted
anywhere.
While in Jail he wrote several articles
for my paper, also for the San Francisco
Examiner. He wrote an article, several
columns in length, for the Examiner,
describing the Messiah dance, then
raging among the Sioux Indians, in
which he stated that he was the man
who inaugurated that excitement; sew
eral of his articles were about incidents
purporting to have taken place in his
own life; he would write sketch for
the Prospector, and send the re-
verse to the Examiner; his art
icles were well written. and when
ask him if he were not newspaper
man, he would not answer; he seemed
to take great pride in HE success at re-
naming undiscovered. Finally, when
his 80 days. imprisonment expired, he
left; he was given clothing, and he had
NO more than walked beyond the
suburbs OF town than he threw away his
clothing, wrapped himself in his blanket
and walked away in the direction OF
Mexico. He was next heard of at
railroad section boss he was discharged
for drunkenness, and since that time has
disappeared from view. The smallpox
was raging at Guaymas about that time,
and he may have taken it; otherwise
his description tallies we'll with that OF
BLACK Jehn,'" concluded Mr.. Bagg.
The body of "Black John" is at the
medical college, where it will be diseect-
ed today or tomorrow. DIR. Hunt of the
dental firm of Hunt & Sawin called at
the medical college for the purpose of
ascertsininQ whether the man had Wis
tied their offices, as their professional
card was found in his room. On exam
ination DR.. Hunt concluded that he had
never seen the man. The doctor stated
to HERALD reporter that the deceased
had very fine and perfect teeth, showing
no traces of dentistry work. "Theuppsr
teeth especially" said DR.. Hunt, "were
90 strong, regular and even that
thought they were false until closely
examined them. His teeth were in
remarkably fine state of preservation
Among Black johns effects was found
the firm name of "Price & Co. !" and 81.
g. Sinner evidently an .abbreviation
of Sumner. lsJ #a
Chief OF Police Glass has requested
the landlady OF the Albermarle to hold
the clothing and other personal effects
of the deceased subject to the coroner's
orders. as this is the only means of
Identification.