The morning call., 1892-05-27
BY THE BULLET ROUTE.
"BiIiy" Boyd Ends His EVentfnl
Career By Suicide.
The Sensational Death Of Once Famous
High Roller" and Notorious Citizen
Who Figured in Court


he was called by everybody who knew him
shot and killed himself in the hallway of
713 O'Farrell street, where he had been
rooming for about year. He committed
the rash act at 10 minutes past 10 o'clock
last night.
lie had been absent from the house about
an hour. When be left about o'clock. he
talked to several people, among them Mrs.
Jennie Griffin, the landady, but none OF
them noticed anything unusual about him.
On the contrary, he seemed to be in bis
usual cOntented and cheerful mood.
The room occupied by Boyd is located on
the lower floor, but he did not wait until he
was within it to commit the awful deed,
which ended his earthly career. Imme-
diately after entering the house he pulled a
38-caliber bulldog revolver from h is pocket
and calling out ''Jenne. l am goin to kill
myself" placed the muzzle to his right
temple and pulled the trigger.
A HORRIBLE SIGHT.
lie dropped dead instantly right at the
foot of the stairs The report of the pistol
startled Mrs. Griffin and number of other
ladies who happened to be upstairs at the
time. They FASTENED to ascertain what was
the matter, and TO their horror found the
liGeless form of the man they had a short
time previously been gayly chatting with,
lying bathed in his own blood on the carpet.
Joe Griffin, a 16-year-old son Of Mrs. Crit
fin, notified the police and Dr. Albert ).
Adler at once The physician found that
his services were not required and the body
was taken to the Receiving Hospital in a
patrol wagon, where it was ascertained that
billy" Boyd was past all medical and sur
gical help and his remains were transferred
to the MOrgue.
Deputy Coroner Bridgewo0d in searching
the dead mans clothing found several pawn
tickets for jewelry. some Of them dating Is
months back. There was also letter from
Ed Bert, the proprietor Of the Assembly
saloon on the terminus Of the California
street railroad, dated April %, 1892, in
which Bert asked that BOYD procure bar
rel Of whisky from John Siebe aud send it
out TO the saloon as part payment OF a
debt which Boyd owed 10 Bert
FINANCIAL TROUBLE.
Besides this the following letter was
found, which shows that Boyd was in fnan-
cial trouble:
SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, 1892.
Han. Boyd, Esq, assessors O0ice-DEAR SIR:
Mr.. Edward Bert has placed IN my hands for
collection your note, which IS now upwards Of a
year overdue, and has directed me TO take legal
steps TO compel payment OF the same. / dislike
very much 10 commence suit against you, but
shall be obliged to do so unless payment or sat.
isfactGIy arrangement be made forthwith.
Please let me hear from you without delay as
II is important that | know Immediately what
you pa oppose To do. Very truly FISHER AMEs.
The only other paper of any importance
found in BOyd's pockets was a receipt for
$50 as months rent for the house at 713
0'FarTell street The receipt is only a few
days old. and is made out in BOyd's own
name
WATCHING THE SEARCH
While Deputy BrldgeWoOd was making
the examination of the contents of BOyd's
pockets young Griffin, the landlady's son,
anxiously watched the proceedings. The
boy was evidently very anxious TO ascertain
whether or not there were any letters that
might compromise somebody, and he showed
unmistakable signs of relief when lie found
that there were none.
Young Griffin, as well as everybody else
in the house, was extremely retlcent when
seen and questioned by q CALL reporter.
They claimed TO know absolutely nothing
beyond the bare facts as given above, but
all of them were very nervous and not at
all willing TO talk.
Chilly" Boyd was one Of the best-known
men in this city. He was native born and
about 50 years old. Few men have crowded
more sensations than he into so short
span of time, for his life during the last 10
years was an extremely turbulent one.
Some five years ago Boyd was Chinese
Inspector IN the Custom-house service.
The great Chinese certificate scandal OF that
period is still we'll remembered.
THE BOGUS CERTIFICATE CASE.
Boyd together with CipricO Whaey and
Him., was charged with issuing bogus GER
tihcates, by which 1t was alleged they made
an immense amount of money. Discovery
came and he fed to Australia, accompanied
by a woman who was not his WIFE, He was
said TO have had Sos, 900 when he left on that
trip Before his departure aud while stll
IN the Governments employ he led life Of
the widest extravaganza here. Stories of
the recklessness with which he layIsbed
plot being the taking OF a champagne bath
one night In house at a cost of $500
One day he returned trCm Australia to
surrender himself to the au thorities and to
turn States evidence against Nhaley,
Ciprlco and HIM, but not before some had
been informed Of his Intention and had fed
to foreign lands.
1t is said that all the money BOYD had left
when he returned from his trip to the An
tipOdes was about $780, and from that time
on he was no longer able to be the 'hlgh
roller" be had been in the days Of his Official
career.
A few years ago Boyd was mixed up with
the famous wire-tapplng case man by
the name Of FallOn and couple of accom-
plices had made arrangement by which thew
cheated the p0olroOmS by tapping the West
ern Union wires at a convenient place, there
by receiving news of the running horses
before 10 reached the b0Okmakers They
succeeded in cheating the gaE blerS out Of
considerable money before they were dis
covered aud arrested. Boyd's name was
connected with this, but be was not arrested
at the time.
Since Assessor Siebe has been in office
Boyd has been one of his deputies, aud was
regularly In attendance at his desk OF
late Billy" Boyd preferred to be
much alone, aad was not so much
around town as he used to lie. Some
of his old companions say it was because he
was again entangled in a woman scrapp
while others claim that Billy" was despon-
dent because be, who had at one time
lived like a prince, could no longer hold his
own in financial way.
Boyd married some years ago the daughter
Of Levi p. Peck, boO6keeper for William
Dunphy. but after n brief period hotly
contested divorce trial which was the sensa-