Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-16
SHOOTS HIMSELF
WITHOUT A GUN
NEVADA PR0SPECT0R USES
LOADED CARTRIDGE
ExPLoDES 1T BY HAMM ERlNG
CAP WITH SPIKE
r. c. Cunningham at Hospital suf-
fering from Serious Wound
and with Slight Chances
for Recovery

Thomas Stanley Cunningham, about
| 35 years old, well known miner Ond
! prospector of Rhyolite, New, sought q
peculiar method of ending his life
when he placed cartridge against
his breast and exploded the shell by
hammering the cap with railroad
spike. The bullet entered his left side,
and tore piece out of the lung, i'm
bedding itself in his back.
The wounded man was found lying
on pile of ties along the Santa Fe
| right of way, in front of the house
of John A. Connect, 1881 Marmion way,
| at $3.50 o'clock yesterday morning. He
| was in a semi-conscious condition and
| was suffering much pain.
He was clad only in corduroy trou-
| sers and a red flannel underShirt His
| hat, shirt, coat and vest were missing
and no trace of them could be found.
The undershirt was nearly burned off
and Cunningham's breast was severely
powder burned.
The injured man was found by
| Thomas Connect, 10 years old, who,
with his father, shingling contractor,
was starting to work. The young man
ran over to Cunningham and saw
blood oozing from wound in his
chest. C. F. Baker, an attorney, ar
rived at about the same time. The
men offered Cunningham stimulants,
but he asked for water. When QueS-
toned how he came to be in such
condition the wounded man replied:
Il don't see what they wanted to shoot
me for"
He was taken to the receiving hos
pital, where the police surgeons attend
ed him. Detectives Murray and Nc
Cam, who Were detailed on the case,
made every effort to ascertain the
manner in which Cunningham was
shot, but he muttered incoherent
words. some of which sounded like
Oscar and "a Jap last night.
When he revived from the anesthetic
the detectives questioned him closely.
He seemed to be rational, but MS
stories were varied.
He stated he was injured some time
ago at Seattle when thugs held MN
up and beat him on the head with a
club. His skull was fractured and 1t
was necessary to trephine it and insert
a silver plate He declared he always
desired to kill himself when under the
influence of liquor.
He said he came to Los Angeles
Wednesday from Nevada ana regis
tered at the Natick house. He had
plenty of money and proceeded to nave
a good time. In the course or searcl
for LIQUID refreshments he met with
two fellows They were without funds
and he gave them some money and
bought them something to drink. Then
he said he got drunk and remembers
nothing until he found himself near the
pile of ties where he was shot.
Several Theories
caunra1 the
cries: One that he had been held up
and robbed, then shot; another that
he was mixed up in something OF
shady character and another that ne
was attempting to shield some one.
h FINALLY. after much questioning,
Cunningham said he had shot himselt,
because he was disguised When ne
awoke in the morning and found MIN
self near the pile of ties, minus most
of his clothing and all ms money :, , soile
.I did not use a revolver" Cunnngz
ham stated. Il felt in my pocket ana
drew out a cartridge that l had re-
moved from my gun when L unloadeo
it and left it at Rhyolite.
"Do YOU mean to tell me that you
fired that bullet into your BODY "ltn-
out a gum" Murray demanded.
Certainly. found q railroad splke
and hammered the cap until the car
and it did the work"
Murray hurried to the place where
Cunningham was found and after
scrutinizing the ground, which mad
heen trampled over by many persons,
found the missing shell. 1t was SO
caliber cartridge and the base was al
most hammered to pieces. lie hao
evidently pounded on the brass cap Tor
fifteen or twenty minutes before ne
succeeded in exploding it.
The detectives were puzzled as TO
what became of Cunningham missing
clothing. but after the wounded mans
story of how the shot was fired was
found to be true they decided that the
missing articles were discarded by
cunningham before he reached the
nlace where he was found and Wele
appropriated by tramp.
Sheriff John Howe of Rhyoilte, VINO
hanpened to be in this city on business
visited the hospital yesterday after
noon and identified Cunningham as
nrospector who with Frank Hicks has
q valuable claim in that section.
Cunningham has two brothers, wal
ter and Roy Cunningham, OF 2oZ4
Frederick street, San Francisco
At late hour last night the wound
ed man was in a critical condition ana
the surgeons say his chances for re-
covery are slight.