The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-28
Therefore He Sent a Bullet Into
His Own Brain and
Ended 1t.
Suicide OF Col. VIM. p. Canaday,
Ex- x-Sergeant-at-Ar Arms Of
the Senate.
A Decade of Questionable Speculation
Winds Up With a Tragedy Bora Of
Utter Despondency.

WASHINGTON, Sept. N.--Wm.'P. Canaday,
OF North Carolina, ex-serReant- alarms Of
the senate committed suicide hero this
morning by shooting himself through the
head. He had been in financial difficulties
for some time. Canaday occupied rooms
at 712 and TIA Kent street. as lodging and
office quarters. where, in partnership with
Col. j. q. A. HouRhton, he conducted the
business of loaniuR money on securities
such as banks refused to handle, and was
launching company to guarantee patents.
The first scene in the tragedy was about
daylight this morning, when gentleman
roominR above was attracted through Can
aday's door by the latter's cries. He found
Canaday gagged and bound, and the latter
claimed that this was the work of burg
lars. who had forced him to open
the safe and take Cut the contents. When
Col. Houghton arrived he told Canady he
did not believe the story and thought it
WAS russ to cover up theft BY Canaday
Of $4,000 which Houghton put in the safe
the previous evening. Houghton then went
out to get policeman. Whom he returned
he found Canaday lying In death, bathed in
blood, with bullet hole through his head.
1t seems there was a woman in the case,
Miss Moore, for whom he left a note de-
claring he was guilty of NO wrong, and ask
ing God to bless her as his last prayer. The
! tragedy was the climax to decade of wild
| adventures, speculation in projects of
hazardous kind. in the hope. always de-
| lusive. that each successive scheme would
| would bring large wealth. Ii was about
| 5:15 this afternoon when Chas. FL. Steven
| son, an employe of the fish commission, who
roomed the second floor iust above
CAnaday's rear office room. came down
stairs having been alarmed by the OUT
cries He found Col. Canaday bound to
the closet door Of the room in which the
safe stood. and across the hallway from his
sleeping quarters. The safe was open and
strewed over the floor WAS great litter of
papers and in the fireplace charred mass
of burnt papers. Col. Canaday was bound
to the door with his hands behind him.
The twine with which he WAS bound was
very ordinary stuff, 30 that man OF ordi-
nary strength out to have been able to
break it with ease. In his mouth WAS a
gag made of Il torn piece of his nightshirt,
which was found across the hallway. 1t
bad been loosened so he was able TO make
an 'outcry.
Col. Canaday's story was that some time
after two O'Clock in the morning three
burglars forced an entrance through the
rear window of the room in which he was
sleeping, bounde and gagged him at the
point of their revolvers, then forced him to
go across the hallway to the safe and open
it. They abstracted great part of the
contents. burned some papers, and departed
after binding him.
Capt. Houghton was sent for and to him
Canaday related the story, which the pars-
ner refused to believe. An examination of
the papers showed that q considerable num-
Der of negotiable notes made by Col. Can
aday had been burned, and every book con-
%o1,, rlo Haht htaI r1y,st h
had been destroyed. Affirming his disbe-
lief in the story, Capt. hoaghton said he
would 90 for the police ana have the story
investigated. Officers Hodges and Gilbert
accompanied him. On his return to the
house servant girl told them she Thought
Col. Canaday had shot himself. A
window at the rear was forced
from the outside and the dead man
found lying on a cot. He had dressed him
self after Capt. Houghton's departure and
was living az If resting, but his clothes and
the sheets and pillows of the cot were Gov
cred with blood. thirty -two-calibre re-
volver was by his side. The desperate man
had pointed it at his head Just above the
right ear and sent the bullet clear through
the brain. 1t came out just above the left
ear and dropped on the floor. Death must
have been nearly instantaneous. The body
was removed to the undertaket's room and
an inquest will be held.
On desk, written on large envelope,
was the following note to Miss Moore: MY
Dear Friend-I am not guilty of any wrong.
You may trust me. People who are perse-
outing me are worse than l am. He is a
william of the very deepest sort. God bless
you always is the last prayer of your true
friend, Canaday." The note addressed to
Capt. Houghton said that after Houghton's 3
conduct this morning he (Canaday) had
mo further use for life"
The police are investigating the statements
of Capt. Houghton that he put $2.0 in the
safe yesterday. How Canaday could have
made away with it is, under the circum-
stances, difficult question to answer. Miss
Moore. whom Canaday visited yesterday
evening" and to whom he left u note, is a
young lady of excellent family and good
reputation. whom Canaday knew in North
Carolina. She lives here with a married
sister. Csnaday's call was brief social
one.
IL.