The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-18
FROM THE
DECK into THE
ARMS OF DEATH
Ira gic Suicide of J.
w. Tracey.
HE WAS Determined TO DIE
A BRAVE OFFICER OF THE CoRo-
MA REsCUEs THE BODY.
Wild CONSERVATION on Board-The
Hapless Deputy Sheriff De-
spondent Through Aber-
ration.
HE WAS Determined TO DIE
A BRAVE OFFICER OF THE CoRo-
MA REsCUES THE BODY.

]. w. Tracey, deputy Sheriff OF this
city, committed suicide shortly after
o'clock on Thursday afternoon by plung-
Ing into the ocean from the northbound
steamer Corona on her way from San
Diego to San Francisco, about an hour
after leaving Port Hartford.
Deputy Tracey had gone down to Whit
tier with some prisoners on the preceding
southbound trip of the Corona, and had
acted very strangely on that occasion,
being missing at one time for such a long
period that the officers Of the vessel were
notified and search was made. When
found he could not make any explanation
| beyond saying that he had been think
ing"
On the return trip his mind seemed more
at ease. He had been chatting with Mr..
| Nash, the chief officer, when he suddenly
excused himself and started for his state
room. Mr. Nash inquired what he was
going to do, and Tracey replied, II was
lust thinking and passed on to his room.
standing on the starboard deck near his
stateroom door saw him steal out of the
room in his underclothes. Upon seeing
them he Immediately went in again.
Their attention was diverted for an in
slant, and in that moment he stepped
again from his room and plunged directly
overheard. He came to the surface and
struck out instantly in good shape.
In spite of the great confusion which
prevailed, a small boat was lowered al
most Immediately from the still moving
vessel, which was swung around to re-
turn to the place where Tracey could
plainly be seen swimming
The water was so smooth the small
boat could be easily managed, but so
skillfully was the Corona handled that in
spite of the fact that she was going ahead
full speed when the accident occurred she
ming before the small boat could reach
him, the bow of the vessel passing within
twenty feet of him. Life buoys and ropes
were thrown to him from the vessel.
Tracey was swimming with cool, regular
strokes, apparently mechanically, until he
saw the hull of the vessel loom up near
inches of him. Then he seemed to realize
that the act of desperation which he had
deliberately committed, and which the
shock of the water had driven from his
mind, was about to be undone. He drew
his hands back from the buoy and DELHI
erately turned his face down into the
water, apparently making no further ef-
fort to save his own life.
Seeing that the body was going to sink
before, the small boat could reach 1t, the
hoard, half dressed. and with no life line,
taking the chances of being drowned by
the death grasp Of the now T entirely I'M
was thrown to him and he was dragged
with his burden into the small boat. From
there they were hoisted to the saloon
deck.
Every effort was Immediately made to
resuscitate the unfortunate Tracey by Dr.
w. ]. May and another of the passengers,
L. D. Tandy, engineer of the General
Electric Company, who has had consid-
cradle experience with reviving people
after electric shocks, using the DArson-
vile method of artificial respiration.
After working for nearly an houT the
hopeless task was abandoned and the
body was laid out in one of the state
The widest excitement prevailed on
board the Corona, and the passengers
stood around in groups the rest of the
day discussing the occurrence from every
possible standpoint.
No information could be OBTAINED from
any of Tracey's fellow-travelers as to his
mental condition. Chief officer Nash, who
was the last one who talked with him,
did not notice anything unusual In ms
manner, but some OF MS 1rlenuS IN TINS
CITY saw that he had been subject to cpl
leptic seizures, which had made him. very
despondent. He was in the habit of
drinking heavily and having fits Of de-
preston as result, and he had also peen
He had been employed as deputy I'M
der ex-Sheriff Whelan, and had been given
intermittent work under the new regime,
but he feared that this was only tempo
rary. although those in the office with
him saw there was no danger of his being
deposed, as he was both popular and effl-
cient. . r,-..
Yesterday morning at o'clock the body
was removed to the Morgue, and from
there to the rooms OF the United Onoer-
takers. .,o l.
at Fifteenth and Castro streets Inc
funeral will be held from there.
Mr. Tracey was a widoWer, with -wo
children. He had been living with n! ms
sister who will retain the care Oh the
children for the present.
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