The morning call., 1893-11-15
UNCONSCIOUS IN BED.
Was Suffering From Narcotic
Poisoning.
HAD A MYSTERIOUS FRIEND.
Graham Was an Opium Fiend and Has
Been Boarded for Six Weeks
by the Police Department.

W. u
who lived in an untenanted rookery on
Main street. was one of the most imuor
tant witnesses for the people at the preiml
nary trial of Tyrell, charged with having q
hand in the blowing up of John Curtin'S
lodGing-house late last September. Ora
ham was confirmed opium-fend. desti
tute, and dependent upon old acquain'
tances. He slept in the abandoned house
at night. and prowled around the front
during the day. He was always expecting
a remittance or draft from friends In the
East, but neither one nor the other came
TO shed light into his anxious pocket.
After testifying before the Coroner
jury on September 80. Graham left the
water front and his old companions and
was seen no more by them. What became
of him would probably be forever unknown
If he had not taken or been given an over
dose of opium Yesterday morning.
After giving his testimony at the CoTo-
ner's inquest Graham was taken to the
International Hotel on kearny street and
assigned to room So. The police gave Sc
curity for his board and lodging, and he
had all the opium and whisky that he de-
sired-so say the lodgers at the hotel. He
was drunk on one occasion for three days.
according TO one Of the employees CT the
iostelry. Another says that he was con-
etantly under the influence OF opium. The
proprietors say that they knew nothing OF
the man beyond the TACT that he was there
under police surveillance.
Emily Williams, chambermald, was
passing Graham's door between and 10
O'Clock yesterday morning, when she
heard him groaniDg within. She opened
the door and found him lying unconscious
upon the bed. His feet were cold and she
thought be was dying. Tbs Chief of Police
was notified that his important witness
had probably taken an overdose OF opium,
and then Graham was hastily conveyed to
the Receiving Hospital.
The woman who heard him grOaning re-
membered that she had entered his room
on Monday afternoon and found him sit
ting on the bed reading letter. He ap-
peared to be respondent A man fairly
we'll dressed was with him. She had seen
the man before, but did not know him.
Other employees OF the hotel had seen
Graham's guest. but they could not tell
who he was or whence he came.
Graham was the most important witness
who testified against Tyrell, and his evil
derce intimated that the one-eyed prisoner
knew q great deal about the explosion and
the events that preceded it. He appeared
before the Coroner five days after the ex-
plosion, and was asked why he had not
given his information before. He replied
that he expected money from town1n the
East, to which place he proposed to re-
turn, and did not want to get mixed up in
the affair.
81 have been in San Francisco" he said,
s'about three weeks. l came from China
all my life. / am staying with friend at
the corner of Harrison and Spear streets" !"
This latter statement OF the witness may
have been a mistake. but the books OF the
International Hotel show that be went
there on the 29th. and that lie was there
until he was removed to the hospital. con-
seQuently he could not have been staying
with any friend at the time he testified.
He said when questioned by the Cor
oner that he saw TyrelI in Doyle's saloon.
adjoining Curtin's, a short time prior TO
the explosion. He then retired TO his
shanty and was walking on balcony try
ing to work off the effects of a pipeful of
opium when he saw Iyreil ana TWO
others enter Cnrtn's yard. One of them
had a parcel. a few moments later, after
Graham had retired to his wisp Of straw,
he felt the explosion.
Graham was taken to the Receiving Hos
pital, about noon, in an unconscious con-
ditIon, and Drs. COffman and Simpson at
once applied the stomach pump to him.
He gradually recovered consciousness, and
about 2 o'clock he was able to sit up in
chair in one of the corridors. A police
officer was detailed to stay with him and
keep him from sleeping. Every few Sec
onds his head would drop on his breast,
but few vigorous shakes from the police
officer, followed by grunt of disapprOval
from Ora ham, brought him back to earth
again. By 10 o'clock last night he was
pronounced out of danger.
AT that time he was seen by CALL re-
porter, and although he was somewhat
haZy about what took place in the Inter
national before he relapsed into uncon-
sciousness, he was able to give an intel
ligent account.
81 took a chew of OPIUM" he said, "be-
fore turned into bed, which was about 10
o'clock last night. | remember waking
I'D about o'clock in the morning, bur
what l did then l cannot recolect. | re-
member nothing more till l came to my
senses here"
WHO was with you yesterday afternoon
about o'clock in your bedroom"
Graham hestated for a few seconds and
then said, nobody" On being pressed
he admitted that friend of his was with
him and that bis name was Pratt, but who
he was or where he lived he declined to
say, as he did not wish his name men,
toned. He declared, however. with en-
pbasis that Pratt was a warm friend.
"Who was with you at night before you
went to bed?'
''There were two or three friends in
whom l have the utmost confidence, but
there is no use in mentioning their names"
Had you been drinking?"
'No, sir; l hadn't touched drop Of
drink. l tell you what, whoever showed
that opium down my throat meant to give
me good Dose"
do you think. then. there was an at
tempt made to poison you"
''lt looks pretty much like it. / have
done nothing but pick opium out of my
teeth since / came to my senses"
To tell you the truth" he continued
earnestly. 81 am afraid of my life. l have
had my life threatened severaltimes, and l
would not be surprised any day to get a
bullet in my BRAIN"
who threatened you"
THAT | don't know | mean l don't
know who the men WERE"
Then ne went back TO the opium, re-
marking that 1t must have been very bad
stuff he had been dosed with.
fob