The San Francisco call., 1908-07-05
RECORD DAY FOR
SELF-DESTRUCTION
Celebration of Fourth Free of
Usual Victims, but Many
Suicides Reported

Fire crackers and explosives claimed
few Of the usual number of fourth of
July victims in San Francisco yester-
day, due largely TO the vigilance Of the
police, but the day set new and ap-
palIing record in suicides and sudden
or violent deaths.
For some strange and ineXplieable
reason many persons chose the day
to end their lives. Others We're
found dead under mysterious cir
cumstances pointing to foul play,
while others still were killed in
fatal accidents Two of the list We're
women. Until late last night the cor
oner's office was kept buster than ii
has been in many a day in taking
charge of the victims OF the grim game
with death.
THE DAYS RECORD
Mrs. Eva b. Woods. killed in elevator
accident at the German hospital
Mrs. Ella l. Williams. 123B Castro
street, asphyxiated by gas.
Captain Robert Grendly, wei known
retired mariner, dies suddenly in his
nome at lZZ4 Mason street
DaVOnni de Bernardo, brother OF the
king Of newsboys." killed. the police
believe. by dose Of knockout drops
body found i'm Turk street saloon
-Scow Jack" jacobson, character on
water front, cuts throat with razor.
Gafrado Rinaldi. 425 Lyon street
victim of United Railroads car accident
dies at German hospital
Unknown man sleeping in Southern
Pacific freight yards run over and
killed
Fred Martin. conductor on Geary
street line. commits suicide by drinking
carbolic acid.
Raleigh Conklin, 1922 Ninth avenue,
hand blown of by dynamite cap in
Sutro forest.
Thomas Robinett and John Nordain,
burned and slightly, injured by eXplo-
sion Of dynamite cap in Sutro forest.
CRUSHED IN ELEVATOR
Stumbling as she entered the ele-
vator in the annex Of the new German
hospital Mrs. Eva p. Woods, an aged
inmate OF the institution. caught the
controller handle in an effort to steady
herself. and was terribly crushed when
the car shot upward and threw her
against the bottom of the floor above.
Attendants rushed to her rescue. but
the old lady lost consciousness imme-
diately and died shortly after She was
taken from the elevator.
NEGLECTS TO TURN OFF GAS
Mrs Ella Lee Williams, 63 years old
has been on a visit TO her son, T. 3.
Williams, a theatrical agent. at his
home, l23B Castro street. for several
weeks Mrs. Williams was a sufferer
from asthma and Friday night it is
supposed that she was attacked by the
disease during the night After taking
medicine to relieve herself she neglec-
ted to turn the gas completely off when
she returned to bed. She was found
dead yesterday morning by her daugh-
ter in law. The room was filled with
gas.
GahradO Rinaldi. proprietor of a fruit
stand at 425 Lyon street, fell off a Nc
Allister car and his left arm was sew
cred by the wheels of the front truck
He died yesterday afternoon at the
German hospital.
GIVEN KNOCKOUT DROPS
few minutes after Davonni dc
Bernardo entered a saloon at Turk and
Taylor streets he was found dead in &
back room under circumstances which
the police hint point strongly TO knock
out drops as the cause. 1t is believed
however, that the drug was given hin
in another saloon. and not in the one
where he died. The city chemist viii
make an examination to find traces OF
the drug if possible. De Berdardi was
the brother OF the character known az
the king of the newsboys."
"Scow Jack" jacobson. a character
Of the water front, applied for place
TO sleep aboard a scoW at the foot o.
Fnbert street and was found dead yes
terdsy morning with his throat cut by
a razor.
Captain Robert Grendly, for many
years a sea captain along the coast
was attacked with heart disease il
his home at 1924 Mason street anC
died a few moments later. Captain
Grendly retired from active servic,
some time ago. He was So years old
An unknown man, sleeping under
boXcar in the Southern Pacific freigh
yards, was run over and killed whe1
an engine backed down on him. En-
gineer John Ewing was arrested.
CONDUCTOR COMMITS SUICIDE
While temporarily insane, Fred Mar
tin, conductor on the Geary stree
line. committed suicide last night b,
drinking four ounces OF carbolic acid
Pospich, 12501k Point Lobos avenue, 70
eight months. Just before takinl
poison Martin broke up the furnitur
in his room and Mrs. Pospich wa
running for a policeman when he kille
himself
BOYS INJURED BY DYNAMITE
Three boys who found box O
dynamite caps while hunting in Sutr
forest yesterday morning narrowly es
capped death when one of them, Raj
eigh COnklin, 16 years old, of 1S2
Ninth avenue. attempted to light on
Of the caps with a match. 1t explode
and tore off three fingers OF his righ
hand. His two companions, Thoma
Robinett and John Nordani, were in
jUred and burned by the force iof tn
explosion, but not seriously hurt.