The record-union., 1895-03-13
He ONCE KILLED A WOMAN HERE.
Close of the Career of a Noted Char
aCter.
Horseshoe Brown Murders His Wifi
In San Francisco, and Then Com
mits Suicide.

A man named Harry Brown, but who
is generally known as Horseshoe"
Brown, killed his wife in San Francisco
yesterday and then took his own life. 1t
is thought his mind had become affected
through recent financial losses, or a NOR
bid fear Of losing some OF his money, and
that the terrible crime was the result of
dementia.
The affair recalls Browns brief career
in this city some twenty-five years ago,
when he killed woman in a low resort
here and was sent to the State Prison,
from which he was subsequently par
doned By Governor Booth. Prior to his
coming to Sacramento he had led a GRIM
! inal life.
Speaking of Brown to San Francis
! reporter yesterday, Police Captain Dun
leavy OF that city said, after telling of
BroWn's escape from the jail while
charged with grand larceny:
Along in 1872 Brown tired of sailing.
| he could not come to San Francisco, but
he turned up IN Sacramento, where he shot
and killed woman of the town, with
whom he had been living. There was a
| great hue and cry when the murder was
discovered, but Brown contrived to slip
through the officers fingers, and coming
to TINS city, again shipped on Panama
steamer and was safe from pursuit before
we knew that he had been in town.
This last escapade, so to call it,
seemed to make him bolder Tor he
| slipped back into the city few months
later and fell into the hands of one of the
harbor police officers and a special
named Joe dunno, who afterward went
to the States prison himself
After his arrest Brown was sent to
Sacramento tried for the shooting of the
n tod ovNH
years in San Quentin. But he was too
smart to serve out his term. During the
administration of Governor Booth the
discovery was made that Brown was
dying OF consumption. 1t was said that
the near approach of death had Wrought
| wonderful change in the hardened
Brown. lie had been converted through
the minlstrations Of the prison chaplain
and was sincerely repentant for the
wicked life he had led. The change of
heart was radical and most edifying, and
so worked upon the sympathies of the
good but simple people who visited the
prison that they interested themselves IN
his behalf and succeeded in so represent
| ing the pathetic side of the case of the
dying and repentant convict to Governor
Booth SO strongly that pardon was
| issued.
Brown returned from the penten-
tlary to San francisco, and to the great
| surprise OF those who had petitioned for
his pardon, regained his health and
| strength Immediately. 1t is needless to
say that he at once resumed his old wavs,
The sickness which had resulted in his
pardon was brought about by eating
| soap-a familiar convict-trick but one
that was comparatively unknown at that
| time. .
shortly after his release from the
penltentiary Brown married a girl from
the country. She was a recent arrival
and Brown met her in a dive, where she
was selling beer. The newly married
couple then moved up on to X carney street
and opened a sailor boarding house in
what was known as Battle Row. be-
tween Pacific and Broadway.
subsequently Brown conducted board
houses in different parts OF the town.
and. like most of the boarding masters.
made money rapidly. He was worth at
the time OF his death in the neigh borhood
of 100000, l should think. During his
career as boarding master he paid
special attention to shipping of crews for
whalers and sealers, and there was
hardly any kind of crooked work in that
connection in which he did not have a
hand.
"As I said, this is most fitting end to
a long career of crime"
Another story, told by a friend of
Brown, is that he had really suffered
money losses and was nearly or quite
"broke.''