The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-04-20
Ed Mayo Committed Suicide in
the Lookup Yesterday.
Was Arrested for AssauIting the
''Do Right" Prcacher-Stran-
gIed to Death.
FOUND Ar sos +. NJ. O'CLOCK

humiliation OF being locked up In the
city prison, and hanged himself late
yesterday afternoon in the lookup. His
body was found swinging to one of
the water pipes by Changing over
seer Joe Purchase about 5:05 o'clock.
The last time Mayo was seen alive
was about 1880 O'Clock when he ASK
ed colored female prisoner for a
match
The rope had been left hanging
somewhere in the corridor. and was
easily obtained by the prisoner.
When Overseer Purchase went in
to the corridor at 5 o'clock he was
startled to see Mayo hanging to the
rope, but It did not dawn on him for
an instant that 1t was anything but
Joke, or possibly some ruse of the
prisoner to make his escape.
He shouted to the motionless body
to know what was the matter, and
receiving no reply perceived that
Mayo was dead He then called for
assistance and Acting Captain viii
Baker and several others from the
chiefs office. ran downstairs.
Charles Leverter, another prisoner,
held the body while Detective Baker
cut the rope Mayo had been swing
ing with his right foot barely touch
ing the floor. The rope had been at
tached to the water pipes above the
CELL and death resulted from strang
ulation.
Coroner Grow was called and after
viewing the remains ordered the body
taken to the Paducah Undertaking
establishment.
Coroner Grow this morning at
1915 held an inquest at the Nance
& Pool undertaking parlors, assisted
by County Attorney Eugene Graves.
He heard five or six witnesses.
The evidence developed the fact
that Mayo was left in the lookup
corridor just outside the cells for
colored prisoners, not having been
tried IN poliee court.
The rope he used was such as Is
usually found on windows to support
the weights. 1t is used about the
lookup to tie up the shackles of the
prisoners, and keep the chains from
dragging, and pieces of it are hung
up around the walls with the chains,
balls and shackles.
II is supposed Mayo got the rope
yesterday at noon when he ate din
ner, and concealed IL in his pocket
He told one or two persons that he
was going to kill himself, as he was
in trouble" but no attention was
paid to him.
He evidently went about self-de-
struction in a calm, deliberate way,
no one else was in the lookup at the
time. He first tied the rope to the
water pipe along the ceiling in the
corridor and then tied the other end
about his neck. He did not use a
slip knot. or moose, but tied two hard
knots, one on each side OF his neck
He then stepped off the bench, and
strangled to death. He was found
soon after O'Clock and the body was
still warm.
City Jailer Tom Evitts stated that
Mayo formerly worked under him on
the railroad, and was usually a hard
working. well-behaved negro.
Nothing was developed In regard !
to any trouble he had except that |
with the colored preacher.
There was not scrap of paper or
anything else found on Mayo. The |
following verdict was returned by the
jury;
Paducah. KY, April 20.
eve. the jury, after hearing the |
evidence in the case, find that Ed. /
Mayo, lying before us dead. came TO
his death by hanging himself"
(Signed) j. HENRY SMITH,
w. III. MCCONNELL.
II. y. ALLEN.
W. NJ. SMITH,
GLEN FRANSIOLI,
W. S. CARNEY.
Mayo was about 35 years old and
well-known colored man, especial
ly among railroaders. lie was in the
lookup for breach of the peace.
He accused j. @. Dean, the do
Right" preacher II is said, of caus-
ing trouble between him, Mayo, and
Caroline Hill. lie claimed to have
been taking care OF the woman for
several years, giving her all his mon
ely, and that she few days ago stole
$50 from him and gave Il to the
preacher. lie obtained a warrant for
her In Justice Young's court, and
the case was transferred immediate
ly 10 the grand jury,
After the preliminary hearing had
come up before Justice Young, how
ever. the preacher and Mayo met at
Seventh and Ohio streets and had a
fight, in which Mayo is alleged to
have beaten up the preacher aud
kicked him when he was down. The
case was called In police court yes
terday, and II developed that Mayo