The morning call., 1894-11-23
CLAIM SHE WAS MURDERED
An Official investigation Is Beino
Held.
INCIDENTS THAT INcRIMINATE.
"I Must Hurry Home to Cook Johns
Dinner" With Her
Hands Full.

The relatives of Mrs. Kate Travis, who
is supposed to have committed suicide in
her home at 800 Baker street about 7
o'clock Tuesday evening, have demanded
an official investigation into the tragedy in
which she lost her life. They declare that
she did not shoot herself, and 90 so far as
to suspect that she was murdered.
Alice Mckenzie, sister of the deceased
made an investigation on her own account
yesterday among the neighbors On Grove
street, near Baker, and in the afternoon
she stated her convictions that Mrs. Travis
was the victim of foul play. Then she
went to the Coroner's Office and told the
deputies that the case called for an inyes-
igation. There was positiVelv nothing on
which to lay theory of suicide, she de-
ciared, but rather there was strong cir
cumstantial evidence of murder.
Coroner Hughes received private infor-
nation earlier in the day from a neighbor
of Mrs. Travis, which aroused his sus-
picions. IL was the first intimation he had
of crime having been committed, and he
deemed it sufficient grounds to warrant
him notifying the police authorities with
view of having the case thoroughly
looked into. He also instructed DR.. Emer-
son, the autopsy physician, to make a
second and closer examin alton of the fatal
wound in Mrs. Travis right temple so that
there would be no doubts regarding it later
on. The case is now in the detectives
hands and will be analysed before Satur-
day, when an inquest will be held On the
remains.
1t is expected that many peculiar if not
suspicious circumstances in connection
with the tragedy will be developed before
the COroner's jury, as the evident dis
crepancies liz statements already made
will need great deal of explanation.
The Travises lived together in the rear
of a saloon at Baker and Grove streets.
John Travis owned the saloon. Rumor
has it in the neighborhood that he was
Jealous of mis- wife, a really handsome
woman. of 80 years of age, much younger
that he. year ago they married in Den
yer. On Tuesday morning they went
downtown together, and after doing some
shopping Mrs. Travis went to visit friend,
Mrs. Reid, I'll Eleventh street. Oakland.
According to her husbands story she re-
turned about p. NJ, when he was behind
the bar serving two men with liquor.
Then he says he lit the street and hall
lights, and while in the hall he heard a
gurgl1ng eOund in the parlOr. AS he lit
the hall light he saw his wife lying with
her head and shoulders out of the bedroom
door and her body in the room. She was
bleeding from the right temple, and he
ran to a drugstore On Lyon street to get
doctor. Soon afterward the crowd gath
cred.
Mrs. Reid of Oakland stated that Mrs.
Travis was in hurry to get away. 81
want to get home early to cook Johns din
ner," she said at O'Clock when leaving
to catch the 80 train.
1t is supposed that Mrs. Travis delayed
in San Francisco. as she did not reach
home till o'clock. Her actions indicated
that she was afraid of her husband. When
she entered the house her veil was raised
just above her eyes. and she had re-
moved her gloves and held them in one
hand, and carried small parcels in the
other. The peculiar incident is that when
the neighbors found her dying her hat
was on, with the veil around her forehead.
The gloves lay beside her hand, drawn
out, as ladies are accustomed to do with
gloves; the bedroom key, which Travis
says he gave her, lay beside the PROSTATE.
figure, and near it were parcels she, had
just brought home-a pair of shoes for
herself and some other little articles. The
temple was not powder-burnt to that
extent that close contact with the
weapon Invariably causes.
Johnson, the bartender, who left the
saloon a few minutes before she arrived,
saysft was he who lighted the gas lights,
which statement does not agree with the
one Travis made. Travis said he went to
the Aid Society building across the street
to telephone for a doctor, but could not
get in. The society people say he did not
call.
Mrs. Travis never spoke of self-des true
ton, and her nearest friends declare she
was light-hearted and bright when they
saw her last on the day she died. Her
sisters were not informed by her husband
that she was dead, and it was through the
newspapers they first learned of her alleged
nicide. They resent the thought of sui
eide, and will endeavor TO have justice
done to her name.