The San Francisco call., 1897-04-07
FOUND HANGING IN
HIS PRISON CELL
Kleupfer, the Newhope Muir
derer, Anticipates
the Law.
His Life Choked Out by a Moose
Formed From a Silken
Handkerchief.
Was Awaiting Trial at Stockton for
Killing Two Men While
Cr: Zad by Liquor.

STOCKTON, CAL, April 6. = Charles
Francis Kleupter, who slew Charles r.
Dodge and Alexander Borland at New
hope on February 2 was to have been
brought into court this morning to have
the date set for his trial for the murder OF
Dodge, but when the rays of the sun
peeped into the cell through the iron
grating of the small window he was seen
to have passed beyond the jurisdiction of
any earthly court. J. 3. Broulette was in
the cell with KIeupier. and when he
awoke at the first light of day he saw the
body of his cellmate hanging from the
cell bars.
Kleupfer hanged himself early this
morning-perhaps shortly after midnight.
1t was nearly u o'clock before Boulette
fell asleep. and the body of Kleupfer was
cold when seen by him at about 4:3O
o'clock.
The manslayer had meditated the deed
for days, and, perhaps, since his impris-
onment began. He made all preparations
with the greatest care. So quietly did he
kill himself that for several hours after he
had ceased breathing the man in the cell
with him slept on, while those in the cell
opposite heard no noise, no groan, no
struggle. =
He rolled the mattress up in heap and
placed 1t on the floor, under the window.
lie then took his blankets, folded them
and placed them on top of the mattress.
Then he tied red silk handkerchief under
his Jaw and. over his head. so as to keep
his mouth closed. That wss done so that
he could not Cry out or groan. He then
tied another red silk handkerchief about
his neck and fastened the other end to the
second bar from the top of the window.
His preparations completed, he let his
feet slide from the blankets, having first
thrown towel over his face.
In this way kieupfer hanged himself
and ended all. The anxiety of tedious
trial, the worry and the fret and the dis
grace of it all were not to be borne by him.
He probably died without a struggle, for
the towel. that had been just thrown over
his head and allowed to hang over his
face, had not fallen off. His arms hung
loosely at his sides.
When Broulette awoke and saw the
body af his cellmate hanging from the
bars. he called for the jaiier. and Deputy
Hanks went down to the cell. He did
not look in, for he little dreamed that he
had been called to cut down the BODY of
the Newhope prisoner. Brouiette called
again, and this time Hanks looked into
the cell and saw the dangling corpse
The Sherlffs Office was notified, the Dis
trlct Attorney and the Coroner were sum-
anu upon Ine dTr1Nal Dcput1eS
Jory and Shuster the body was cut down
and taken TO the morgue. Letters were
foun d that had been written TO the Coro-
ner, to Jailer Benjamin, 10 the prisoners
brother, who arrived here yesterday from
Custer, Idaho, and to ]. G. Swinnerton,
the prisoners attorney. The letter to the
Coroner merely requested him to give his
body TO his brother, so that it might be in
TERED in Oakland. The letters to the at
torney and the prisoners brother were re.
garding private business affairs.
Charles F. Kleupfer was awaiting trial
for the murder of Charles r. Dodge and
Alexander Borland at Newhope, on the
night of February 2 Dodge and Borland
were In the hotel kept by Arthur Thorn
ton, when Kleupfer entered. He had evil
IDENTIFY been drinking, and Immediately
began to raise disturbance. His conduct
became so Objectionable that those present
demonstrated, but this only made the man
worse and he became very boisterous.
Dodge and Borland endeavored to in
duce him to leave the place. but he would
not go. They then assisted in an attempt
to eject him, but Keupier showed fight.
and drawing his pistol fired two shots,
both OF which took effect One bullet
struck Dodge in the head and the other
pierced Borland's skull, each penetrating
the brain. Neither man spoke after the
bullet struck him. both expiring within
few moments.
After the shooting Kleupfer ran across
the street and barricaded himself in his
room. There he defied arrest until Off
GERS arrived from Stockton, when he sub
mitted. He was brought to Stockton hur-
rledly, there being reason to fear that a
Iynchlng might be attempted.