Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-11

to investigate, and the efforts or the
officers to capture Sutherland and his
pal, Fred Horning, resulted in the
tragedy of wednesday.
Appeared Harmless
Not one person in a thousand would
have anticipated any resistance on the
part of Sutherland, say the police.
The dead murderer, a slim, boyish-
appearing young fellow, anaemic and
without the least semblance of a crimi-
nal in his features, was the thousandth
chance.
Capt. Auble. with more than score
of years experience in dealing with all
classes of thieves, burglars, holdup
men and criminals of every description,
had not the least idea that he. would
have trouble in effecting the arrest of
the young fellow, but Sutherland, with
his mind keyed up to the highest ten
sion and probably his blood fast cours-
ing through his veins under the stirnu-
lating effect of drugs, imagined HIM
self to be bandit with a price on his
head and who was wanted by the au-
thorities either dead or alive, refused
to submit to arrest, and when the
package which he was carrying under
his arm was seized by Capt. Auble,
who commended Sutherland to con-
slider himself under arrest, the young
murderer jerked out his revolver and
fired three shots in rapid succession,
mortally wounding one of the bravest
officers that has ever been connected
with the Los Angeles police depart
ment.
Capt. Flammer also was deceived as
to the character of the man. He ar
rested Horning after a struggle, but
never thought that there would be any
demurrer on the part of the men.
Fortune favored Sutherland in his es-
hn nf GhnnfinU
So quick was the shooting done that
Flammer, who was struggling on the
floor of the little house into which the
prisoner had been thrown by the Off
Ger, had not time to rush to the door
of the place and peer out before Suth-
erland was some distance down the
street. The serious condition of Auble
caused him to render aid to the stricken
officer before he started in pursuit of
the prisoner. 1t is agreed that but for
the circumstances of the affair being
as they were, Flammer would have
stopped Sutherland with bullet within
few feet of where Auble fell.
From the tone Of the numerous let
ters left by the slayer of the police
captain the egotism of the man is
marked. So constantly had he applied
his imagination to deeds of outlawry
that his thought became centered on
this one subject until he actually be-
lieved he was a bandit of type worse
than any the west has ever produced.
While he believed IL perfectly just to
rob houses and to hold people for ran
som, he had q peculiar honor and
truthfulness. So marked was this
strange trait that 1t manifested itself
when he was writing letters to his rela-
tives and friends preparatory to be-
ginning his campaign of crime. This
letter was addressed TO his brother
~ II d.
ley apartments, Long Beach. He apol-
ogizes for having lied to get money
and declares he did it for the sake of
his wife. =.
Certain to Ee Killed
There can be no doubt. say the po-
lice, Sutherland realized that with his
lack of experience he would, in the
event he attempted to carry out one of
his many plans of criminal operations,
be detected, and would have to submit
to arrest or make his escape by killing
an officer. Then he figured that he
would be hunted like a wild animal.
and would sooner or later come TO
violent end. To prepare for any out
come he wrote to all his relatives and
acauaintances and instructed them
what to do in case of his death.
The fact that Sutherland took his
own lie 1QSLSdu Vi lighting uiAIiA 80
was riddled with bullets supports the
theory that the man was not OF a
criminal nature and that the exciting
circumstances had brought him to
realize his true position. He may have
been rudely awakened Immediately
after the shooting and secured the pol
son with the intent to end his own life
in his room, but probably decided TO
make an attempt to escape and use
the drug as a last resort. While this
indicates a peculiar kind of courage,
vet it is not the courage that Suther-
land would have the readers of his let
ters believe.
It is true that conditions may have
had something to do with his not
showing fight when covered by the
guns of three officers. He was weak
from loss of blood, due to the wound
in his left forearm, and had not eaten
since the night before, and as he was
said to have been addicted to the drug
habit perhaps lack of the stimulant
rendered his nerves in such condition
that he was about ready to fall from
collapse But, true to his declaration
that he never would be taken alive, he
drank from a bottle which he carried
in his left hand a quantity of cyanide
Of potassiurn, even while the guns of
his captors were pointed at his head.
He died few seconds after the hand
cuffs were slipped on his wrists.
Surgeons say it Is probable that his
brain was abnormal.