The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-04
a SUICIDED in A CELL.
|u,h S. Squler, Under Life Sentence,
Hangs Himself
L.ar CONFINED At THE POLICE STATION
-,cted Of Murder in Liberty
\ c.,nty and Was Being Taken
to the Penitentinry.

Elijah S. Squler' VINO was placed IN
/, the police station Friday night. was
~ hanging to the grating of the cell
.., o'clock yesterday morning by
r.rnkey Charlton. who, on approaching
/. body found it cold in death. strangu-
.,,r having resulted from the use OF
,rnroyised from a blanket in the cell.
Tho dead man, who was % years of age,
r,ser a life sentence of Imprisonment
,hs state penitentiary for murder
.r,mitted in Liberty county, and had he
,,tsn his own life he would have been
wan 70 the penitentiary yesterday to
-, nut the sentence. He was locked up
!, ,bs police station Friday night by
.,sser Agent Sisk, who had him and
.ysral other prisoners in charge en- route
ina penitentiary. Squier, who was a
.rons. healthy man, about six feet tall
"A weighing 200 pounds, had not init
n,t.d that he intended taking his own
"a In fact for some time after he was
bocssd up he seemed to be in rather buoy
4, spirits. telling a fellow-p prisoner that
beeyed his friends would get him out
l, me penitentiary, and that he would soon
80 bis wife. whom he desired very much
4 Ne with again. He sang several songs
hs,ore the prisoners at the station retired.
M last one being Break the News to
Mother"
The prisoners were all locked in their
eslls about II o'clock Friday night. but
inst before the locking up Squier asked a
felow.prlsoner for knife, saying that he
wanted to trim his finger nails. No knife
was given him, but a prisoner got drink
q, water for him This was the last time
he was seen alive. 81
Since his conviction In Liberty county
souier has been confined in the Harris
county Jail for safe keeping, Transfer
Agent sisk took him from the jail Friday
sferoon and removed him TO the police
station. where other prisoners destined for
fhe penltentiary were being kept during
The night When MIR. Ssk put handouts
o. sauler at the Jail the young man OBJ
jected, saying that If the officer would
loaye the handouts of he would give him
mo trouble. To this Mr.. Sisk replied that
be must do his duty, and in handwriting
bis prisoner he probably prevented bold
dash for liberty. since on the dead body
81 the prisoner was found slingshot made
Of closely rolled tin foil tied in one end
Of 8 silk handkerchief This weapon was
fastened to the inside of the prisoners coat
slseve and would have proved very danger
Gus In the hands of the strong man that he
vls,
Whatever hope that Squier had had con-
eefping his release must have been dissi-
paed when he found himself on the way
10 the penitentisry, for while he had ex-
PRESSED the belief that he would be re-
leased and seemed to be very hopeful, this
hope fed from hLS and in his despair he
i1aght death as a relief. That ne was
thoroughly determined to die was shown
By the manner in which he proceeded to
bring about his death. He tore strips
from his blankets and with them made a
rude rope, One end OF this he tied 10 the
grating only few inches above his head
and, looping the other end, he placed the
nocse about his neck. In order to produce
s'Nngulation is was necessary for him to
While he could at any time before con-
i'lcusness left him have prevented death
o' putting his feet on the floor or clutch
ing the bars Of the cell, he showed his dog
sed determination to die by slowly
Nanglng himself to death.
\ y
justice Malsch held an inquest over the
0oay soon after It was discovered, al
which the following evidence was ad-
duced:
MT Forrest: 81 am clerk at the po-
nee station. Late last evening deceased
N brought in by Captain Sisk, who in
'eaaed TO take him to the penitentiary
sas morning to serve a life sentence for a
murder In Liberty county The deceased
vas registered as E. s Squier"
sonn Charlton: II am turnkey at the
lvice station. went to count the pris-
"usls THIS morning to see how RAINY break
,.sss ! should order. When l got to the
~, occupied by the deceased I found the
~. hanging by some strips of blankets
~"ered the lever. but found life Isx-
s,, N y the body. I locked him up last
Aisa' before left"
onarles Johnson: 81 brought the de-
$500 u lrom the county iail TO tho police
IA isst evening in the patrol wagon
va, ras 10 charge OF Captain slsk. who
,os,r sung to take him to the pententiary
ng cut It down" -'0' L
tha r0s cawthon: IT am a prisoner al
--nre station and my cell was next &c