Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-07-19
Spends Last Day Of Life Sitting on Brink Of His Temporary
Grave at Hot Springs
MADE CAREFUL pREpARA7loNfoR TAKING HIS LIFE
Later Left For Chief Hayes Of Kansas City Which Explains
the Act as Due TO ILL., Health Letters from Prominent
Men Tesifying to His Popularity and Reliability.

Last night about 1880 o'clock, the
body Of Robert Alexander, a colored
| policeman. who came here from Kan
sas City in March seeking health, was
found In a cooling tank at the Las
Vegas Hot Springs. 1t was at first
believed that the man had suffered
from fainting spell and had fallen
into the tank. Later developments,
however, proved that he had wlfully
taken his own life, This morning
after many circumstances had been
adduced which supported the suicide
theory, a note was found among the
mans papers which said. Notify
Chief Hayes Of Kansas City did this
on account of poor health. Robert
! Alexander"
The body was first seen by some
| girls who were inspecting the He,
Springs grounds, Two Of them looked
over the edge Of .he tank, saw the
lifeless form and forthwith screamed
so Justify that some boys were
| fishing nearby came to investigate,
They reported the ghastly find to VIM.
| Prayer. the Montezuma watchman,
who at once sent word TO the officers
in the city
City Marshal Ed Ward repaired to
the west side, where he obtained per-
mission from Deputy Sheriff Sena to
bring In the body. In the meantime 1t
was learned that Alexander had gone
70 the srxfMgs quite early in the day,
and The street car men reported that
he had sat for many hours near the
brink Of the tank. He had inquired
of MIR. Prayer the time a short time
before the six o'clock car came and
the watchman supposed that he had
gone down on that
| When. however, 1t was learned that
Alexander had not returned to his
quarters in Whites lodging house
opposite the city hall, 1t was regarded
as certain that he was the man who
had lost his life in the tank The
| city marshal and w. NJ. Lewis went
| up for the remains, reaching the city
with them at three o'clock this morn
| ing.
Alexander hac carefully prepared for
the deed. The day before yesterday
he had sent his belongings to his sis
ter, Mrs. M. Ragsdale, OF Leayenworth,
Kans. Yesterday morning, before
going to the canyon, he had sent three
post office orders, one for hundred
dollars. one for twenty-five dollars and
one for thirteen dollars. 1t Ii believed
that these sums went also to his sis.
ter. but only the local post office
authorities know for certain.
Alexander was noted character In
Missouri and from the letters he had
upon his person, he must have been
highly popular. For a number Of years
beginning In 1898, he served as Dep
uty United States marshal for the
western Missouri district under Gen.
eral Joe Shelby. When he came ia
New Mexico last March seeking relief
from lung trouble. he had been a
member Of the Metropolitan Kansas
City police force for five years. He
had several letters from Hayes, one
Of which advised him strongly not
to resign from the police force. "You
will draw a dollar day as long as
you are sick.' said Hayes, ''and II
you resign you will get only $237. II
will be better for yourself and your