Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-05
.FITzsIMMONs COLD IN Death.
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perfect gentleman. 1 knew it was taffy,
and told him so. / had noticed the
previous day that he seemed very much in
terested in the matter of his extradition
papers, and wanted to know when they
would arrive and when he could start for
home. He offered to 20 without papers, but
l told him that was Impossible, and he
wouid have to wait for Beltzhoover's ar
rival. He wanted to know when Beltz-
hoover would be here, and dwelt SO much
on the question of his departure that be-
came convinced there was something be-
hind it all, and that he had some plan In
his head, either of escaping or committing
suicide.
told the prison authorities he was dam
gerous man and needed the very best of
watching. and suggested that they have two
men to watch him, offering to pay the ex-
pense of it, and advised them TO take ms
cravat and suspenders away from him lest
he might use them in choking h1mse1 TO
death.
Murphy Had Feared Suicide.
l am satisfied now that he had intended
suicide from the start Our arrival sur
rrsed him. He had understood we were not
TO reach New Orleans until Thursday, and
when we broke in on him Wednesday it took
him by surprise. 1 believe that had he
known the time of our coming he would
have got away with himself in advance, and
we would have found him dead when we got
here.
IIeached the PAL ish prison this morning
little before 10 O'Clock and was shown
around IL, examining the cells and looking
at he prisoners. Finally we went upstairs
to the hospital where Fitzsimmous was con-
fined. There were some nine persons in the
room, hut could not see him anywhere.
When asked for him they pointed TO the
cot. He was covered over with blanket.
and looked so much like dummy that l
thought for moment he had escaped, went
up to the bed and pulling up the
blanket caught him by the leg. Inc
moment iet that, 1 thought he was dead and
cried, He is done for" pulled the blanket
from his head. He had the penknife grasped
firmly in his hand, and was still iabbing
away a. his neck. but he was so weak that
he could do very little. He opened his eyes,
looked at me and recognized me. "Iet me
finish, he said; don't interfere. TOOK
the knife from him and tried to stop the
bleeding. Pender went after doctor at
once. lam satisfied that had waited from
his bed five minutes later F1tzslmmons
Would have been dead. As it is, it was a
very narrow escape, and it is by no means
certain that he will recover MY own i'm
preston is that he will not, but that he will
ultimately die of exhaustion.
Everything Possible Done for Him.
We at once did all in our power to relieve
him. asked him if he wanted doctor, and
he nodded yes. When 1 asked him about a
minister he said no, that was too late, and
no minister could do him any good. but L
insisted, telling him that he was dying and
ought to make his peace with God. He OBJ
jected, that he was an Episcopalian, and
that there was 10 Episcopalian minister
near but we finally secured one for him.
FitZsimmons talked with me for some
time principally about his wife and child.
He seemed more interested in the child than
the wife. His wife is really Louisiana
woman, as he claims, and was named Lucy
Rebecca Burch, and married-a man by the
name of John Eckel, OF Mississippi am
satisfied that FitZsimmons wants to re-
cover He undoubtedly intended to commit
suicide and came very near it, but he has
changed his mind and wants to get we'll now.
He takes the nutriment and stimulant Of
fered him willingly. l mvself fed him with
brandy for some time, and he not only took
it, but asked for more. He evidently thinks
that the suicide will create a favorable i'm
preston, but is desirous of getting wellsnow.