Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-21
OFFICERS FAVOR
MURDER THEORY
MANY THINGS POINT TOWARD
GRAVE CRIME
Position Of Body, Absence Of Motive
for Suicide and Nature Of Wound
viii Figure In the In
vestlgatlon

The police have. strong suspicious
that Jesse M Wilcox, who was found
dead at his home, 633 San Pedro street,
Monday night, with a bullet wound
in his breast was murdered. They re-
fuse to give any grounds for these
suspicious, saying that everything will
be brought out at the inquest to be
held this morning.
. But from the position In which the
body was found; from the, absence of
powder marks on the underclothing;
from the fact that the revolver, which
is supposed to have dealt the death
wound, was hidden in the bed, to-
gether with other corroborotve circun-
stances, there is good evidence to sup
port theory of murder, say the police.
Would Like Questions Answered
Questions which the officers would
like answered include the following:
Where was Mrs. Wilcox at the in
slant the shot was fired?
What did the wife mean when, ac-
cording to an officer, she exclaimed: Il
wonder if they will hang me?"
Did the amount of insurance carried
, by Wilcox lead to his death?
y According to the story Of Mrs. Will
cox, she found her husband lying on
the floor of his bedroom when she re-
turned from calling upon her negro
washerwoman. He was clad in his I'M
derclothes and blood was ooZing from
a bullet wound in his left breast.
She said that he was just breathing
when she entered the room and with
a Shrek that was heard by her neigh
bors she threw herself down by the.
side of her dying husband
Ever since the tragedy she has been
i L. e. l.N fea-
viewed.
Detective Steele had a talk with her,
but he refused to give out any infor-
nation in advance of the inquest this
morning.
Sergeant Walker was at the house
shortly after the shooting and he made
a careful examination of the premises.
very suspicious circumstance was
that the revolver was not by the side
of the wounded man, but was found
later hidden in the bedclothes.
Shot With Large Revolver
1t was a 41-caliber Colts with one
chamber empty. Blood clots were
found on the bedclothing.
While 1t Is possible that Wilcox shot
himself in bed and then rolled out upon
the floor in his dying paroXysm 1T does
not seem probable, according to those
who have investigated the case.
According to Coroner Trout it looked
as though the man had been shot in
bed and that after the murderer left the
dying man was just able to reach the
floor before he expired.
None of the neighbors heard the shot.
The first they knew of the tragedy YEAS
when shriekS of "Murder!" uttered by
Mrs. Wilcox, We're heard.
A. G. Stephan, who lives next door,
and C. J. Smith, another neighbor,
rushed into the house and saw Wilcox
lying on the floor. He was unable to
give any account OF the affair. M. H.
Wilcox, the father, living at $50 East
Twenty-seventh street, said he was
unable to form any theory as to suicide
or murder His son had apparently
been very happy in his married life
and he knew of no cause that would
have led the young man to take his
own life.
Capt. Flammer, chief Of detectives.
said last evening that he was not at
liberty to say what the report on the
Wilcox death was.
AT the inquest this morning all the
facts as gathered by the officers will
be made public. We cannot give out
any advance information" he said.
When asked If the circumstances sur
rounding the case did not point to
murder rather than suicide, Capt.
I0plltu. Will say lidl
there are some very peculiar circum-
stances in this case, and If you go on
the theory of murder you may not be
far out of the way. But you had bet
ter wait until this morning before
forming any conclusions"
Chief of Police Auble would not make
any direct statement other than to say
that detectives were working on the
case.
lou must remember that a careful
Investigation must be made before the
police can form a theory" he said.
''The officers are getting at the facts
and cannot tell you now what all the
evidence, when Joined together, will
show"
Police Work on Murder Theory
While not committing themselves the
police were without question working
OH the theory of murder, and one Of
ficer minated that 'there would be
sensational developments this morn
ing.
"Supposing that you came out with
story that would put some one on his
or her guard" he remarked significant
ly. Then the police might have lot
of work chasing the murderer-assum-
ing that it is a murder" he added
hastily
Who would be most likely to kill the
decedent?
Who would have quarrel with Will
cox and be able to slip out of the house
without detection after killing him?
Why was no shot heard by the neigh
bors?
How long had Wilcox been lying on
the floor with bullet near his heart
while his wife was visiting her washer
woman?
These and other questions will be
answered at the coroner's inquest which
will be held at Pierce Bros undertake,
ing rooms at 10 o'clock thisAmorning.
Undoubtedly the theory of murder
Is correct" said Coroner Trout last
evening in an interview. Il am not GER
tain of this, but from the autopsy per-
formed by DR.. Campbell this afternoon
! should say that all Indications sup
port the murder theory
ano 90 ,,onhau found thot tho hulIat