The herald., 1896-04-01
KILLED HIN OFF UP NORTH
A LOCAL NEWSPAPER MAN "SUlCIDED" AT
PORT TOWNSEND
W. L. Jones, Formerly Of Port Townsend.
WASH, Is Shuffled Into the Next World by
Admiring Friends With Proper Epitaph.
The Story In Pull

W. L. Jones, a former resident of Port
TOWNSEND, WASH, who Is at present an
editorial attache of the Journal OF this city,
was recently killed off by some friend at
his old home.
Jones was the founder and for years the
owner of the Port Townsend Daily Leader,
and he is still interested in property in
that city. A recent issue of his old pubii-
cation prints this somewhat remarkable
story:
The friends of Mr.. w. L. Jones in Port
Townsend who were 80 unfortunate as to
night to read in the Evening Call news to
the effect that he had committed suicide at
his home .'near San Diego" The story, it
was stated, was given on the authority of
Mr.. Vaughn, who had just returned from
that place. The ''news" was published in
the Call without any qualification
whatever, it being definitely stated that
and that he contemplated the rash
act was evidenced by the fact that week
before committing it he sent his wife and
children to the home of her parents in the
east. After their departure and up to the
time the end came he put all his affairs in
shape and made all arrangements for the
opposition of his body and property. The
deed was committed in small town near
San Diego, where Mr.. Jones had been liv-
ing for some time"
In spite of the positive statements as
quoted, the intimate friends of Mr.. w. l..
Jones were 10th to believe that there was
any truth in the story of his suicide. 1t
there were people here vino lost no time in
saying so. 1t is true that he had been in
poor health at times during the past few
years, but his family relations were known
to be of the mostpleasant character, and he
was sufficiently possessed of this worlds
goods so that he was not obliged to worry
on that score. and there could be no motiye
assigned for his suicide.
Then his friends began to pick flaws with
the alleged facts in the Call story. 1t was
learned that Mr.. Jones had never lived in a
''small town near San Diego" He lived
in San Diego until last December, when he
went to Los Angeles and there took up
newspaper work. The reference to his
wife being ''sent to her parents home in
the east'' was pointed out by his friends as
being erroneous, because her parents are in
Portland, where they are pioneer resi-
dents. Then, too, Mr.. Jones is so promi-
nent and well-known in San Diego that his
suicide would have been noted in the dis
patches all along the coast; whereas moth
ing has been sent out in regard to it. So
his friends here who really deliberated
over the Calls story, set it down as mis-
taken, but cruel publication. No man was
ever more highly esteemed in Port Town
send that Mr.. W. L. Jones, and he counted
his firm friends here by his acquaintance.
He was an exceedingly energetic, enthusi-
astic citizen, and sincerely regretted, as
did his numerous friends here, when sick
ness compelled him to leave his work here
and 20 to Southern California.
Late last evening Mr.. Vaughn was seen
by morning Leader reporter, and he pro-
tested that there must be some mistake in
regard to the story, as he had not intended
TO- give out the impression that it was really
w. l.. Jones who had committed suicide.
Although the persons name he mentioned
was Jones, he said he was positive the ini-
tials were not w. L. Hence it may safely
be assumed that the entire story about the
suicide of Mr.. W. l.. Jones is mistake.
Jones removed from San Diego to this
city several months ago, and was yester-
day occupying his desk at the journal Of
flee, as usual, in spite of his prematurely
sensational ''suicide.''