The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-07
Suicide of One Of the Boys Ac.
cused of Murder by His
Sister.
GRIEF OF ADA MREYNOLDS.
Overcome When She Learns of the
Tragic Sequel to the Trouble
She Had Caused.

STOCKTON, CAL, Dec. 6.-Prompted
either by fear of the consequences OF his
crime, or overwhelmed by sense of
great injustice done him, Albert McReyn-
olds, the elder of the two brothers accused
by their sister Ada of numbering Express
Agent NJ orris at Chinese Camp, committed
suicide in the Sonora Jail some time last
night, or at an early hour this morning,
by cutting his throat with a pocket-knife.
The Sheriff sleeps in the Jail building,
but his room is removed from the Jail
proper, which is left at night with no one
to look after the prisoners. No unusual
noise was heard during the night, either
by the Sheriff or by the prisoners in the
place, and it was not known until 8 o'clock
this morning that McReynolds had killed
himself. At that hour the jailer opened
his cell door to give him his breakfast.
The prisoner was found lying on the
floor in pool of blood, and near his right
hand lay the knife he had used. A hasty
examination showed that he was dead.
Where McReynolds obtained the knife
is not known. The deed had evidently
been committed several hours before the
body was discovered. There was hor-
rible gaping wound in the throat, which
had been cut wide open, the blade sever
ing the windpipe.
Great excitem ent was caused in the town
by the news of the suicide, and people gen.
orally regarded it as an evidence of the
brothers guilt. Wesley McReynolds, the
other brother, was told of the sci f-murder.
but, although evidently Mortified, said
nothing. Miss Ada McReynolds, the
cause of all the trouble, was overcome by
the news of her brothers death.
| The suicide left no note and made no
confession to any one. From his manner
none OF those about the Jail had any idea
that he intended to kill himself.
The charge against the brothers was
being investigated by the Tuolumne
County Grand Jury in session at Sonora.
but the general impression was that they
would be turned loose for lack of sufficient
evidence. So far as can be learned no i'm
portant testimony which could have made
McReynolds despair had been brought
forward. His sister had declared to the
Grand Jury that her accusation against
her brothers was untrue, and that it had
been made in order to get the insurance
money which Detective Reilly told her
Morris had left for her benefit. The de-
tective, she said, had sworn that her
brothers should not be harmed il she
"gave them away" This being the case,
she invented the story merely to get the
money she said.
According to the sisters story. it was
| Wesley, the younger brother, who shot
Morris, but of course Albert was equally
guilty if he accompanied HIM to the ex-
press office, knowing that the murder was
to be committed.
An inquest was held over the body of the
suicide this morning, but no facts were
brought out other than those stated. The
deed has added to the belief that the
brothers were the murderers of the express
agent, and the Grand Jury is now taking
evidence against Wesley McReynolds.
Ada McReynolds was arrested again to-
day and taken to Jail. AT present she is
held only as a witness against her brother.
The McReynolds have been held in soli-
tary confinement ever since their arrest
last Sunday, no one besides the Jail Off
cials and CALL representative having
been able to see and converse with them.
Yesterday Albert was strong in his denun-
citation of the manner In which he was be-
ing treated by the authorities.
"They won't give me chance to see any
one," he said, land they are working
every channel to fasten that murder on
me and my brother"
The young prisoner was very much de-
pressed. He frequently wept and buried
his head in his hand, exclaiming:
'sThis is awful awfulP'
Grant Mowry, brother-in-law of the
prisoner, was with THE CALI representa-
tive on the occasion of the last visit and he
endeavored to cheer him up.
Don't give way like that" Mowry
said keep stiff upper lip and you are
sure to be acquitted, for there is no evil
dence against you."
The prisoner would not be comforted,
however He said he felt sick physically
and mentally.
''I did not have a single thing to do
with that killing" he repeated time and
again, land l can't understand why
have been brought here and jailed. Poor
old mother, wonder what she thinks of
the whole thing?"
McReynolds had not yet been informed
that his mother had made frequent ap-
peals to the Sheriff to see her boys and
girl and had been denied admission to the
Jail.
The prisoner, while terribly detected
and laboring under the belief that public
feeling was against him, did not allude in
any way to the probability OF his commit
ting suicide.