The San Francisco call., 1895-12-29
.FORD'S ATTEMPT TO. DIE.
The Painter Who Shot His Wife
Last Month Yesterday Cut
His Throat.
The Wife, Just Out of the Hospital.
Comes to Visit and Nurse Her
Dying Husband.

Last November John E. Ford, the paint
er, fired three shots into the body of
his wife, Lizzie. This was at the Roseuale
lodging house, 32l Ellis street.
Yesterday the law of retribution began
to operate upon the man VINO tried to
murder his wife. He was taken from the
City Prison to the Receiving Hospital with
his throat gashed by razor. And the
same hand that shot his wife welded the
razor. Lizzie has recovered, but John will
probably die.
Only day or two ago the wife left her
sick bed at st. Mary's Hospital. Yester-
day afternoon, in company with her sis
law, she visited her dying husband
at the Receiving Hospital. Husband and
wife appeared to be thoroughly reconciled
and at their meeting yesterday were quite
affectionate toward each other.
John was waiting trial for the murder
Gus assault upon hiswife. Remorse preyed
upon him and he did the act that will
probably obviate the necessity of a mum
dane court passing Judgment upon his
sins.
About 4 o'clock in the morning Ford
began to shave himself. One of his cell
mates asked him what he was doing. He
said he was shaving, because he wanted to
appear at his best before Judge Campbell
in the morning.
After shaving, Ford crawled under one
of the benches on which the prisoners sleep,
and drew the razor across his throat. One
of the "trusties," some minutes later, on
looking into the cell, noticed that Ford
was missing. He gave the alarm. Sergeant
Shields and Corporal Parrotte ran into the
cell and the sergeant, while looking under
the bench for Ford, struck his head against
it and cut his scalp in three places.
Ford was dragged from under the bench
and hurried to the Receiving Hospital.
DIR. Fitzgibbon found that the slash was
nine inches long. The larynx had been
cut through and several arteries and veins
and the external jugular severed. The
pressed a grave doubt as to FoSd's re-
covery.
The bloody razor was found under the
bench. 1t was evidently new and the
mystery is how Ford got possession Of it.
Captain Robinson wrote this question on
piece of paper and held it up to the
wounded mans eyes. Ford wrote back
that prisoner in the adjoining cell had
left it there three weeks ago when he was
taken to the County Jail. This is not
credited, as all the other prisoners said
they never saw it before. The prison Of
ficials believe that Ford wife or his sister
gave him the razor on Friday night as he
had previously asked for one to shave him.
self before appearing in court.
He had written two letters which were
found in his vest pocket. One was ad-
dressed to his wife at 107 Taylor street and
the other to Mr.. Graham, 129 Grove street.
They were inclosed in envelopes of the
Baldwin Hotel. The letters are closed and
if Ford should die they will be handed to
the Coroner.
Ford was asked in writing why he had
cut his throat and he wrote, "Despon-
dency." He had been addicted to drink
for years and drink and jealousy caused
his attempt to kill his wife. After he shot
her he jumped out of two-story window
and severely injured his back.