The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13
DR.. A. G. Hicks Dined With Him
at the Cliff on the Fatal
Friday.
THINKS HE FELL IN THE DARK.
Tale of His Last Carouse-Local Police
Disappointed by Failure of
Clew.

The following telegram, received last
night from Tacoma, turns considerable
light on the closing hours in the life of H.
Cranston Potter of Tacoma, whose body was
found in the surf at the ocean beach on Sun
day:
TACOMA, WASH, Feb. 12.-Dr. A. G. Hicks.
who was with Howard Cranston Potter on the
trip In San Francisco which ended fatally for
Potter, arrived this evening from San Fran
cisco.
1t was he that dined with Potter at the Cliff
House on that Friday night.
1--WE finished dinner about $780," said he
this evening Potter wasn't intoxicated:
neither was |. We had quart bottle of cham
payne together at dinner. He was slightly
obstinate, and when | suggested that we go
back to the City and attend the theater he de-
INJURED. He didn't want to go to the theater
Then wanted to go back on the cable, but he
wanted to go back on the steamcars, to board
which would necessitate going down the hill
and over the place where grading is being done
she would not go on the cable, but started
downhill for the steam cars. hurried off and
caught the cable-car leaving at 2 AS.
81 believe that Potter. in the darkness, lost
the road and went over the cliff. man who
never touched liquor would be liable to do the
same in the dark"
Hicks denies that Potter led swift life while
in the City, and is positive that there was no
woman in the case.
Captain Lees still adhere9 to the opinion
that Potter was accidentally drowned, and
in support thereof points to the fact that
DR.. Barrett, who made the autopsy on the
body, found the lungs full of water. If he
had been murdered and his body thrown
into the sea there would have been an ab-
sense of water in the lungs. The bruises
on the hips and elbows of the body also
showed that it had been tossed about by
the action of the surf.
"The statement" said the captain last
nIOht htbat Potter ia llrino tn
some one on Market street on Saturday by
a Mr.. Hood has been proved to be mis-
take on the part of Mr.. Hood.
What could have been the motive for a
murder? Potter's watch, silver watch
box and purse were found in the pockets
of his clothes. True, there was only 10
cents in the purse, but 1t was shown by
Christensen, the barkeeper at the Cliff
House, that Potter asked him if he could
lend him So, which, however, he did not
get"
The captain believes that, after leaving
the Cliff House. Potter wandered down to
the beach. and in his intoxicated condition
got into the surf and was lifted off his feet
by the undertow and was drowned. 1t is
probable that he may have stumbled into
quicksand, and was drowned while at
tempting to extricate himself
Captain Lees said last night that he ex-
pected man to call who might be able to
throw some llgnt upon tne a1Ialr. lie
waited till close upon 10 o'clock, but the
man did not make his appearance. The
captain said he would be sure to turn up
this morning. He declined to say who
the man was or what he was expected to
tell.
A gentleman called at police headquar-
ters last evening. He said he was friend
of Potter's family and he was anxious 10
get the facts about his death so that he
could write to the family Detective Glib
son gave him all the facts in the posses
sion of the police.
The inquest on the body will be held at
the Morgue this morning at 10 o'clock.