The San Francisco call., 1898-01-06
SUICIDE THE COMMON THEORY John H. Dow Was Very Despondent Friday
 Night
"Babe" Wilson Proved by a Presidio Soldier to Be
 in China.
A Williams Woman Now In the Case-Evidence of the Keys
 FavOrs Self Murder.

Whether John H. Dow, the proprie- tor of the shooting gallery at S15 Kearny street met his death at the hand of an assassin or killed himself may never definitely be settled, but one thing Is certain, as each day goes by the evidence seems more and more to shift toward the suicide end of the balance. The absence of a motive for murder, the presence of several for suicide, the manner in which those who fell under suspicion have man. aged to acquit themselves of any con- nection with the affair, the condition of the room and body at the time the man was found dead, and other small CT circumstances, all tend to convince the impartial investigator that the man had tired of life and made way with himself.
 In the first place there was only one entrance to the gallery, and this door had a double lock, different keys being used from the outside and inside. When the body was found the door was locked from the inside, one set of keys being in Dow's pockets and the other on shelf. No way can be found to explain how the murderer, if such there be. could have locked the door on the inside and made his way out except through the transom. and in this case the circumstances are such as to make any transom theory out of the question. The pistol lay in just such a position as it would have been if dropped from the mans hand after the commission of the deed, and the hand was stretched out over 1t. The fact that the man had carried the pis- tol himself, as is testified to by the n 1I nl -Nr~ NtrRt
 Then it is known that Dows finances were in bad condition and that he was sick and Respondent. Only the evening before the death occurred he went into Peterson's Cafe at 623 Rear ny street and ordered eggs, soft boiled, from the waiter, Frank Martinson. When they were done he was unable to eat them, and in response to query of the waiter, with whom he was well acquainted, as to what was the mat ter, he said he was i'll. He seemed to be not only unwell, but in a very de- | spondent state of mind.
 Frank s. Hayes, to whom the anony- nous letter referred as the short, stout. red-headed man." has shown that he had nothing to do with Dow's | death. Hayes is employed by the Mon | arch Business Exchange. 1346 Market street, and has demonstrated that he | only saw Dow three times, once going to see him about two months ago to inquire for another person if the place were for sale.
 It is now proved by the testimony of a soldier at the Presidio named Ran kin that the woman, Babe Wilson, ! who has figured somewhat as a suS- pect, has been in. China since last July Bohen sent for Rankin last night and he said he had known the woman inti- mately for a long time and produced two letters which he had received, one of them being received from Shanghai about two weeks ago.
 The only theory so far advanced in favor of suicide is that the man could not have shot himself a second time. ! But a man has been known to have lets in his brain. These were only of twenty -calibre, and it may have been that the third one was the only bullet that produced instant uncon- sciousness. At least the police incline to that theory.
 Mrs. Dazel again visited Captain Bohens office yesterday afternoon and made an additional statement. She claimed that a woman, who is known as Mrs. Williams, was in the habit of visiting Dow. She saw her Christmas night in Dow's shooting gallery. After she had left Dow called Mrs Dazel and told her that in the future not to recog- nize the woman.
 "She always wants money" he re marked. 'I am getting tired of hel constant demands
 Mrs. Dazel describes Mrs. William: as being about 40 years of age anC rather tall She does not know wher, she lives.
 After hearing her statement Captain
 Bohen at once detailed Detective Crockett to find Mrs Williams. He be lieves that she may be able to throv some light on the death of Dow.