The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
A TRAGEDY At VALLEJO.
William Stanton, Marine, Kills
Medora Reach and Wounds
Himself.
Letters Found Near Their Bodies De.
clare That the Deed Was Pre-.
meditated by Both.

VALLEJO, CAL, Dec. Lying on a
marble slab IN Hanna's undertaking par
lors is the body of Medora Hattie Reach,
otherwise known as 1.-The Woman of Mys-
terry" with a bullet wound in her neck
and another near her heart. On straw
mattress on the floor OF the City Jail is her
slayer, William Stanton, a marine, with a
pistol-shot wound through his left lung.
There is very little chance of his recovery,
as he is bleeding internally.
The woman had been resident OF
Vallejo for the past two years. Stanton
had known her for a lonser period. he
having a mother and relatives residing
in Haywards, where the young woman
formerly lived. There, as here, she always
kept her real name mystery. On the
left arm of Stanton are tattooed the in
itials ''H. NJ. K, June 5, 1896" which he
says are those of the woman's right name.
The two were about to leave for Sacra-
mento this afternoon, and just before the
time for leaving for the boat to go to the
capital city. by way of Vallejo Junction,
Stanton shot the woman, killing her in
stantly, and then turned the pistol toward
his own heart and fired. The bullet
ranged trife too high and passed through
his lung. The two had quarreled last
evening, and Stanton, from letters left
body after he was dead. had made up his
mind to kill three men--two sergeants on
the Independence, who had been witnesses
against him in recent trial by court
martial for being drunk and asleep on
duty, for which he was reduced to the
ranks, and the other resident of Vallejo,
who had sued him for bill. Before going
down to the house where the woman re-
sided Stanton had borrowed three car
tridges for the pistol.
Following the report of three shots the
inmates of the house burst open the
door of the woman's room, which was
locked, and found Miss Reach lying on
the floor dead. Stanton had fallen across
her body and lay there breathing heavily.
pistol was lying near his right hand,
and the room was in the utmost confusion.
The young woman was fully dressed, with
her hat and fur cloak on, as though they
were ready to leave the house for their
trip.
Lying beside the pistol were three letters
written by Stanton, one addressed to
Major Pope, U. 8. M. c., commandant al
the Marine Barracks, Mare Island; one to
the landlady of the house in which the
tragedy occurred, and the third contain
ing receipt for money paid to local
merchant. The letter to the land lady was
seemingly from both of them, though in
his handwriting, expressing regret for the
deed committed in her house and leaving
the woman's jewelry and his purse to her.
In this note Stanton regrets that he could
not meet the three men he desired to KILL
He declares that the deed was premedi-
tated by both.
Stanton was formerly a foor-walker in
J. ]. O'Brien's store at San Francisco, and
was known by many people in that city
and also at Haywards, where his mother
is the owner of much valuable property.
She has been sending him remittances OF
$50 month until he was recently reduced
to the ranks. His mother has been tele-
graphed for. DR.. Vallejo says there is one
chance in ten OF Stanton's recovery.