The record-union., 1892-09-28
An Ex-0fflcer of the United States
Senate Commits Suicide.
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES LEADS TO
THE ACT.
William Canaday, Ex- Sergeant at
OF Robbing His Partner of Two
Thousand Dollars, Sends a Bullet
Through His Own Brain, With
Fatal Results.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

WASHINGTON ID. CT, Sept. 27.-Will-
lam p. Canaday of North Carolina, eX
Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate, commit
ted suicide here this morning, shooting
himself through the head. He had been
in financial troubles some time.
Canaday occupied rooms at ~ and IA
Kent street as lodging and office quarters,
where, in partnership with Colonel j. @.
a. Houghton, he conducted the business
OF loaning money on securities such as
the banks refused to handle, and was
launching company to guarantee
patents.
The tragedy was the climax TO decade
of wild, adventurous speculation in pro-
jects of a hazardous kind, in the hope,
always delusive, that each successive
scheme would bring large wealth.
1t was about quarter after . O'Clock
this morning, when Charles II. Leven-
son, an employe Of the Fish Commission,
who roomed on the second floor, Just
above Colonel Canaday's rear office room.
came down stairs, having been alarmed
by outcries. He found Colonel Canaday
bound to closet door in the room in
which the safe stood and across the hall
way from his sleeping quarters. The
safe was open. Strewed over the floor
was great litter Of papers and in the
fireplace a charred mass Of burnt papers.
Colonel Canaday was bound To the door
with his hands behind him. The Irvine
with which he was bound was very ordi-
nary stuff, such as is used to bind large
parcels, so that a man of ordinary
strength ought to have been able TO break
1t with ease. In his mouth was a gag
made out of torn piece of his night
shirt, which was found across the half
way. 1t had been loosened SO he was
able to make an cutlery.
Colonel Canaday's story was that some
time after = o'clock in the morning three
burglars forced an entrance through a
rear window in the room in which he was
found bound and gagged into the room in
which he was found sleeping, bound him
at the point of areyolVer, then forced him
to go across the hallway to the safe and
open 1t. They abSJracted a great part of
the contents, burned some OF the papers
and departed after binding him.
Captain Houghton was sent Tor, and to
him Canady related the story, which his
partner refused to believe.
An examination of the papers showed
that a considerable number of negotiable
notes, made byIColonel Cauaday had been
burned, and every book containing a
record Of indebtedness against him had
been destroyed.
Affirming his disbelief in the story.
Captain Houghton said he would 90 Tor
the police and have the story investigated.
Officers Hodges and Gilbert accompanied
him OH his return to the house. The
servant girl told them she thought Colonel
Canaday had shot himself
A window at the rear was forced from
the outside, and the dead man was living
on cot. He had dressed himself after
Captain Houghton's departure, and was
lying on the cot as if resting: but his
clothes and the sheet and pillows were
covered with blood. A 32-caliber re-
volver was by his side. The desperate
man had pointed it at his head. lust
above the right ear, and sent bullet
clear through the brain. The bullet
came out just above the left ear and
dropped on the floor. Death must have
been nearly instantaneous.
The body was removed to an under
takers rooms and an inquest will be
held.
On a desk, written on large envelope,
was the following note to a Miss Moore:
Ny Dear Friend: I am not guilty of any
wrong. You must trust in me. Tie people
who are prosecuting me are worse than [ am
He is villain of the very largest
God bless you always, is the last PRAYER of
your true friend. CANADAY
A note addressed to Captain Houghton
said that after Houghton's conduct this
morning he tCanaday) had "no further
use for life"
The police are investigating the state
ment of Captain Houghton, that he put
$1,000 III the safe yesterday. How Cana
day could have made away with it is, un-
der the circumstances, difficult question
10 answer. Miss Moore, whom Canadav
visited yesterday evening, and to whom
he lett the note, is young lady OF excel
lent family and of good reputation. whom
Colonel Canaday knew in North Caro-
lima. She lives with her married sister.
Canaday's call was brief social one.