The herald., 1898-12-27
DETERMINED TO Die
WADED INTO THE OCEAN AND
THEN SHOT HIMSELF
An Unknown Suicide Near Redondo,
VIM. Brooks, an Old Soldier,
Found Dead Yesterday

Fearing that bullet from a revolver
might fail to kill him, the unknown man
whose body was found near Redondo Sun
day had weighed down his pockets with
rocks, and waded out into the sea to be
drowned. Who the man was has not been
learned, although Coroner Campbell held
an inquest yesterday.
About five miles outh of Redondo, and in
the vicinity of fishing camp, hunter dis
covered the lifeless body OF a man lying on
the beach. There was bullet hole on the
side of his head, about an inch above the
right ear. The coroner searched the clothes,
which were of dark material, but no article
which would have shed light upon the iden-
titv of the man or his reason for his taking
his life, was found. He had waited until a
low tide, and then walked out as far as
possible to pile of rocks some distance from
the shore, where, after filling his pockets
with rocks, he placed the revolver TO his
head and fired, topping into the water.
The waves washed the body about, and
finally cast it upon the beach. How long
the man had been dead is not known, but as
portions of the face had been eaten by flsh,
and the body was badly swollen, it evidently
had been in the water nearly week. "A
verdict of suicide was returned. The man
weighed about 140 pounds, was of'medium
height, and apparently go years OF age. The
most noticeable thing about him was single
tooth, the upper incisor on the right side.
SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT
William NJ. Brooks, an inmate of the
Soldiers home, was found dead in room
in the Watson lodging house at l23 South
Main street, yesterday afternoon, shortly
after 4 o'clock. Some arsenic in paper and
two empty bottles which had contained
choroform were found in the room, and it
is thought the old man had taken both
drugs. Whether he did so with the inten
ton of committing suicide, or merely died
from an accidental overdose, is not known,
but it is probable that he deliberately took
his life.
Brooks went to the lodging house last
Friday. He complained to the landlady
of suffering from rheumatism, and remained
in his room nearly all of the time until yes
terday. Mrs. Watson noticed that he was
in poor health, attributing his condition
to muscular rheumatism, but Brooks evil
IDENTIFY was a sufferer from rheumatism OF
the heart. In order to relieve himself from
pain, he purchased two three-ounce bottles
of chloroform last Saturday. Sunday alter
noon Mrs. Watson raped on the door of
Brooks room, and after some trouble
aroused him. In answer to her question
he answered that he did not desire any
thing to eat. The next time she saw him
alive was yesterday afternoon about 2
clock. Mrs. Watson went to the door OF
his room shortly after o'clock and raped
She received no response, and becoming
alarmed, sent for Police Officer Broadhead
who entered the room through a window.
Brooks was found, fully dressed, stretched
out on the bed, dead There was no note
found in the room, but in addition to the
empty chloroform bottles and arsenic, a
tumbler containing traces of arsenic was
discovered.
The suppositon is that Brooks had used
the chloroform to relieve his pain, and find
ing the agony more severe than usual, swal-
lowed the arsenic and ended his life. The
deceased was 62 years of age, and had been
members of Company A. Sixtieth New
York infantry He was admitted to the
Soldiers home in September. two years ago,
heart disease being named as his ailment.
INQUESTS TODAY
Coroner Campbell will hold three inquests
today. The first will be on the body Of
John Hogan, the old soldier who committed
suicide at the Soldiers home Sunday by
severing the jugular vein with razor. At
2 o'clock in the afternoon an inquiry will
be made at Orr Hines undertaking rooms
into the cause of the accident which result
ed in William Burke's being killed by San
Diego train Sunday afternoon. An inquest
will also he hold nm the hodv of VIII; n,