The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-18

An inquest was held over the body
OF John Y. Smith, the dynamiter, before
Justice Morris Sommer yesterday after
noon, at which a number of new facts
bearing on the case were brought out.
Smith left three separate communica-
tions, which were complaints such as
he made long ago against everybody
who had anything to do with his con-
viction. He calls them all liars, but
solemnly swears. in his last words, "
that he is innocent of the crime.
II is extremely improbable that he
made any confession the same day, as
the Storm Starter made out yesterday
Sheriff Howells and other officers tes-
titled under oath that they never heard
of a confession, and by these and other
circumstances, accompanied with a
statement from Smiths attorneys, that
sensational story, given in such Won
derful detail. received a pretty hard
knock in the head.
1t was established that the dyna-
inter was secretly using small guam
titles of morphine regularly, and that
he spent the hours just previous to
taking the fatal dose, playing cards
with his cell mate, Albert Preece. In
this Smith again demonstrated his
fathomleSS character. From what
matter of doubt.
Letters Left By Smith.
These are the letters left by the dead
dynamiter The first one read:
Everything in life has deceived me.
VIII the reader of this believe that O..
w. Powers. Rolapp, Pike, Crookston.
Belnap and Franks told bare-faced
lies on me? / can have no object now
in saying So but 1 swear with my last
words that they maliciously lied on
me. Ex-Governor Thomas lied, and
Arthur Pratt had the profoundest
respect for Pratt thought as much
of him as a brother. Oh. corruption
and sad life. 1 am tired of thee.
SMITH"
The second was as follows:
Two fiends got their pray, bribed &
psrjured evidence. Stole an innoSent
life. I solemnly swear with my last
words that l am innocent of this base
accusation of o. w. Powers & N G.
Dow. Oh. that justice may overtake
them, but to think that people will
vote and elect a governor that will
place a low and corrupt hown like n.
c.. Dow in a POSSESSION where he can
abuse & perscute a lot of helpless men.
He would bread crimenols; it is JUS
tice and kind treatment that make men
do better JAMES M'DONNELL-,
side of one of the sheets:
Il wish the court to give my pistol
to my attorneys-& / am sorry l can
not pay them better. They done the
best they could to show up Dow and
Biddlecome's job-but Judge Norel is
very unjust man 10 a poor mamie
stands in with the political corruption.
a victumized man who has suffered
for sixteen years. unjustly. by enemies
whom | have never injured in any way.
There is no justice for Door man.
Adieu. JOHN SMITH.
After being sworn, the jury, consist
ing of T. c. Waltenspiel, John Cruik-
shank and S. NJ. Hornbucl1le, viewed
the remains, which had been conveyed
to O'Donnells undertaking establish
rnent early in the morning. The jury
again repaired TO Justice Sommer's Of
fee. where the testimony was heard,
Assistant County Attorney Gunter
conducting the examination. A verdict
of suicide was returned.
Night Tailor Gulbransen was the first
witness examined. Smith was placed
on the first floor Of the rotary, the
jailor said. after his trial Friday. About
O'Clock Saturday morning, the pris-
oners called to him that Smith was
sick. He went to his cell and found
him lying in ;he hammock. half dress
ed.
Thought Him Shamming.
The TAILOR called him by name and
asked: Whats the matter?" Receiv-
ing no answer he called louder, at
which Smith opened his eyes and shut
them quickly.
y thought he was shamming then"
continued the witness, and left him.
thinking | would get a doctor if he got
worse. I went back to his cell a little
later. and he hadn't moved. except that
one of his feet was hanging down.
Tailor Thomas came on about Z and l
told him to go look at Smith. 1 knew
nothing more Of him until ! came on
Saturday night. He seemed to feel
better until II o'clock. but he got worse
after thataand died about o'clock this
morning."
The witness stated that Deputy Sher- !
if McDuif. and Hunter and COrbin. two
prisoners, were present beside himself
when Smith died.
Juror Waltenspiel asked the jailor
IF it was customary TO leave sick pris- |
oners from . until without ply
siciaa."
no" was the reply, 1--WE call a doc
tor at once Il we find it necessary. but !
10 request was made for ore, and I |
wouldn't take any chances with a des- |
Perate man. I thought it sham
The Cell Mates Story.
Albert Preece. or Prince as he is /,
sometimes called, said ne had occupied |
the cell with Smith for a month The |
dynamiter seemed in good health and |
spirits Friday night, he stated, and |
when he retired at S:45, Smith was
still awake. lying on his bed.
We had been playing cards" said |
Preece, and at $40. were quitting. but |
/ said we had time to play another
hand, and We did so. 1 then got up /
and made my he'd. / couldn't sleep on
account of the heat, and got up at 20
O'Clock and took a drink OF water.
Smith was in bed and 1 saw nothing
unusual
At 5 o'clock in the morning Smiths
sroans woke me up" continued Preece.
81 hollered 10 him twice. but got no
answer. and shook him, but he didn't
wake up. We called to jailor, but the
jaiior said he thought he was all right
and went out. Smith kept grooming tin
$50 and the jailor came in again. /
told him he ought to get a doctor. and
that ! thought he had taken NOR
phineT
why did you think that?" inter-
rupted Mr.. Gunter.
Because he had ii there When I
first went in with him z month ago. /
saw him with it, and when l asked
him, he told me it was morphine Smith
was using ii right along"
With a gun ?''
Hidden In His Hat.
mo. He took it on his tongue. He
had some hid under the sweat band of
his hat, and a bottle of it hid in the
$500, - x,,-..-.s -.