Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1895-07-24
AT THE SCENE OF SMITHS DEATH
story of the Man Who Had Hold or min
when He Cut His Throat.

When He Cut His Throat.
A. Geruln, German who resides on
the nat below the north end of Monroe
street bridge. was picking berries
along the river bank when Smith came
tearing and tumbling down the hill
and dashed into the river n few yards
distant. IL was Gerulff who had hold
OF Smith when he cut his throat, and
who pulled him out OF the water.
Il thought he was a crazy man."
said Gerulff. when questioned after
ward. He rolled and tumbled down
and then got up and ran into the river
only little way above where / was.
thought he was trying TO drown him.
SELF. He went cut little way and
plunged In all over and the current
carried him to within few feet OF me-
rushed into the water up to my knees
and grabbed him by the shoulder and
lifted him up. He did not say a word.
As soon as ! got him on his feet he
reached In his left inside coat pocket
with his right hand. pulled out "a razor
and drew IL across his throat two or
three times before knew what he was
about. He sank down and the razor
fell In the river. dragged him ashore
and two men came and helped me
carry him up on the bank. He lived
four or five minutes. but never spoke
word at any time"
There were three cuts, two almost In
the same place, squareiy across the
throat. The other was above ana as
deep as the others. The razor cut deem.
severing both jugulars. the windpipe
and the carotid arteries on both sides.
The place where Smith went down
the bank was almost directly in front
of Major Waters residence. For the
first IS feet the angle Is about 45 degrees
and the hill ~ covered with sharp.
loose rock. Below II IL also steep till
the bottom is reached. Ii would be al
most impossible for a man 10 pick his
way down carefully without slipping
down. and as Smith was running. and
almost exhausted, II ss not TO be won
dered that he fell and rolled as he
went down.
The rocks on the bank where Smith
was carried out OF the river were spat-
tered with blood. and there was a trail
OF blood TO where he was laid down
to die.
A crowd of curious persons ea.b-
cred around the body. A large number
Including several ladies' living In The
neighborhood. contented themselves
with looking down from the crest ar
the steep hill Smith was smoothly,
shaven. except his mustache. and tha
| gaping wound in hts throat contra sted
hideously with his fair skin, rendered
whittier than ever by his long confine-
ment In jail. Smith was a compare
livery young man. being In the thlrties,
with blonde hair and mustache aud
/ blue eyes.
| Two men from Smiths undertaking
rooms arrived with a stretcher, and a
black cloth was thrown over the body.
| which was placed on the stretcher and
carried up the xigzag trail to the dead
wagon.
During the excitement immediatei,
! following the flight of Smith the re.
naming prisoners We're not Idle. The
door between the cell room and office
was closed. but i3 men confined in an
upper cage were at large I'm the corridor
They rushed downstairs and SELLING d
heavy ball and chain vigorously at
tackled the brick wall on the west side
The wall is about "a inches thick. but
they selected weak point. where there
is water hole five inches In diameter
used for drainage. BY swinging the
ban. weighing 70 pounds. they had sue.
ceeded in battering out the bricks, max.
ing hola about three feet square
through TO within five inches of the out.
side. A few more blows would have
given them their freedom.
Deputy Sherlff Goodsell arrived a few
minutes after Smiths escape and un
locking the door OF the cell room dis
covered the prisoners at this work. In
stantly he drew his revolver and free
one shot. for the purpose OF intimidatinI
them. He commanded them TO return
TO their cells. which they did withou
resistance.