The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-09-28
COL. CANADIANS SUICIDE.
He Preferred to Die Rather than Face
Exposure.

He Preferred to Die Rather than Face
Exposure.
WASHINGTON, Sep. 2S-The suicide Of
Col. w. Z. Canaday, Sergeant Arms
Of the United States Senate, here yester-
day, is the great topic Of discussion.
There is much sympathy expressed for
the unfortunate man, who preferred
death to prison cell.
Since his retirement from the Senate
Col Canaday had been engaged in gen
eral brokerage business in partnership
with j. Q. A. Houghton, who furnished
the financial resources of the firm.
Mr. Houghton said he was awakened
early in the morning by colored boy,
who brought him a message saying that
! Col Canaday desired to see him at the OF.
fee
Since his connection with Canaday in
the business, Mr.. Houghton said, he had
invested Sl7, 600 in the concern, 81, 600 Of
which he had placed in the safe only
| Monday night.
His suspicious were aroused that the
message had something to do with that
money, and when he arrived at the Office
he found he was not mistaken.
Col. Canaday stated to him that he
had been awakened by three cOlored m en-
between 2and 3 II. m, who, with revol-
vers to his head, compelled him to open
the safe.
The burglars, Col Cauaday said had
obtained entrance by breaking the window
pane with a railroad spike
After securing the money the robbers
/ gagged the Colonel, using for the purpose
a piece of his night robe. They then
bound him to the door of the office after
tying his hands and feet.
This was the story told to Mr. Hough-
ton, who promptly declared his disbelief
of the tale and left, after warning Col
Canaday that he intended to procure a
warrant for his arrest
The story told by a Mr. Stevenson
whose apartments in the house are above
Col. Canaday's office, is that some time
before 4 o'clock in the morning he was
awakened by tapping sound and imme-
diately after he heard voice asking him
to come down stairs.
This was repeated several times.
Mr.. Stevenson hurried to the room be-
low and found Col. Canaday bound to a
closet door in the room.
In an excited tone he asked to be cut
loose.
This being done Col Canaday was
asked the cause of his unusual position.
He replied robbers. Look on the floor "
Mr. Stevenson glazed down and saw a
number of charred papers.
Col. Canaday told him that robbers
had overpow, rad him and burglariEed his
effects.
The police were -ummoned, to whom
Col. Canadcy related the same story.
An examination Of the premises showed
that the window through which the burg
lars obtained entrance, as claimed by Col.
Canaday, had been smashed into frag-
ments.
The thongs used to hold Col. Canaday
to the door were pieces of binding twne
tied loosely about his knees, ankles,
wrists and elbows. The gag was poorly
arranged in his mouth and he had nc
difficulty in raising his voice so that he
could be heard by the boarder in the story
above.
Col. Canaday, after giving his version
of the story to the police, repaired to his
private room in the rear of the Office aud
dressed himself and then sent the mes
sage TO his partner Mr. Houghton.
After the scene between them he re-
turned to the Office and about 1880 oclocl
he was found by the police, who hac
come to serve the warrant sworn out by
Mr.. HoughtOn, stretched on a cot in the
corner of the room with bullet hole il
his head.
The bedding and floor about the cot
were a pool of blood. The bullet haC
passed clean through his head and wa.
embedded in the wall.
A note was found written by Col
Canaday to his partner, Mr.. Houghton
saying: "After your conduct this morning
l have no further use for life"
Another note was left by the suicide
said to have been addressed to lady
which the police have and will not max
public until the inquest.
1t is said that the charred papers fount
on the floor of the office represente,
notes, bonds, stocks, and other com
mercial paper of the value of 100000.