The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-28
COL. ". P. CAnADAY SUICIDES.
He Was Ex-sergeant.at.Arms of
the Senate.
The Colonel Had Been INDUCING In Rock
less Speculation and Was Financially
p Observation-Disclosures BY His Partner
OF Appropriating Some Money He Puts
aBnliet Through His Brain-A Promi-
nent Figure in Politics.

- C~~AHo-A w % oCCd0o VI Win UQu aQ~
venturous speculation in projects Of
hazardous kind, in the hope, always de-
lusive, that each successive scheme
would bring him large wealth, came
some time between 6:30 and z o'cloc k
this morning, In the suicide Of VIM. P.
Canaday, OF North Carolina, formerly
sergeant-at-arms of the United States
Senate and known topolitioians throug-
out the country for years as one OF the
leading Republicans in the South.
The suicide was as full Of sensational
preliminaries as any story alleged as
the basis of fact for dime novel. There
was about 1t just enough Of the element
OF uncertainty to suggest the theory,
quickly dispelled on examination, Of the
commission of the deed by some other
person than the dead man, or another
theory that disbelief in his story or hav-
ing been robbed had driven him to kill
himself. Prior to suicide was the first
scene about daylight. 1t was the dead
man, bound by slight cord fastenings to
the door, which fastening he told a
gentleman who had been alarmed by
his outories, had been bound on him by
burglars, who at the point OF knife,
had forced him to open the ga Q and had
then distracted therefrom most OF its
contents.
Following this scene was ano Their, in
which ]. @. A. Houghton, captain of
Hancock's staff during the war, and
partner of Colonel Canaday's told his
partner that he did not believe his
story. and would have it investigated by
the police. Captain Houghton accused
Canaday of an attempt TO defraud him
(Houghton). Subsequently to reporter
of the Associated Press Captain Hough-
ton said that yesterday evening he had
put $4,000 in bills in the safe, the COM
bination to which was known only to
himself and Col. Csnaday.
The third scene was that which WAS
visible almost an hour later, when Cap.
tain Houghton returned with q police.
doors having been locked by Colonel
Canaday on the inside, and found the
former sergeant-at-arms of the Senate
lying In bath Of blood from effects of
pistol wound Through the head. en-
tirely from ear to ear. A letter on his
desk showed that the aphorism that
there Is never case of this kind
without q woman in 1t had substantial
ton in one additional instance.
Canaday had the entire first floor of
7i2 and IA Tenth street and slept on q
cot in one OF the rooms. Captain
Houghton claims to be Canaday's part
ner but his name does not appear on the
signs. He seems to ave been the man
who furnished, last year, money for the
enterprises of which Canaday was the
promoter. The business carried on be-
sides that Of launching various enter
prises WAS that Of general pension and
claims agency, loan OF MT ney and insur-
ance Of patents-this last being done
under tho name Of the Patent Guaranty
Company. Captain Houghton was
known to the people OF the house as as
ISOLATED with Colonel Canaday in bust
ness.
Yesterday evening the two men were
together for short time about o'clock
and went out together. Before leaving
Captain Houghton says that he de.
posted $4,000 in the safe. The money,
he says, was in notes of denomination Of
five, ton and twenty dollars. This safe
was in the rear, or second room from the
front OF the house, No. Tie. In this and
the front room most of the general bust
ness was conducted Across narrow
hall way were doors leading to two simi-
lar rooms, which Col. Canaday used for
more strictly private business, and in
on which he usually slept
After Colonel Canaday and his partner
separated on the street the former paid
social call upon young lady whom he
knew in North Carolina. He took leave
of her at 1880 and returned to his quar-
tors and retired carly, as was mis- habit.
About quarter after S o'clock this
morning Ohas. H. Stevenson, an en-
ploye in the Fish Commission who
roomed on the second floor, just above
Canaday's rear office room, came down
stairs, he wing been alarmed by outcries
which he at first thought was nothing
more than the noise of some drunken
roysterer outside. When no got down
stairs efound Col. Canaday bound to
closet door in the room in which the
safe stood and across the hallway from
his. sleeping quarters. The safe was
open. Strewn over the floor was great
litter Of papers and in the fire. place was
charred ass Of burnt papers.
Col. Canaday vas bound to the door
with his hands behind HIM. There was
no place to bind his feet to the door and
the Irvine with which his wrists and
forearns were bound was OF very ordi.
nary stuff such as Is used to bind large
parcels, 80 that q. man of ordinary
break 1t with ease, as reporter did
this morning when similarly tied. In
his mouth was q gag made out of q torn
piece Of his night shirt which was found
across the hallway. Ithad been loosened
30 that he was able to make an outcry.
Canaday's story was that some time
after o'clock in the morning three
burglars had forced an entrance through
the rear window Of the room in which
he was sleeping and bound and gagged
him at the point OF q knifo held over