Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-06-10
Evidence Supporting That The
Dry Is Addnced at Corr
oner's Inquest.
YklUABLES ARE ALL MISSING
Absence of Powder Marks Weaken
Suicide Theory-Porter Spells
a Sensation.

ShiNeSo, June D. - EVlQence sup
porting the theory that DR.. John T.
Binkley, Sr., of Evansville, Ind, met
his death at the Wellington hotel
here Wednesday at the hands of a
robber was adduced at the coroners
inquest yesterday. The evidence pre-.
sented did not disprove the hypothe
sis of suicide, but materially weaken.
ed it.
The testimony adduced was that
DR.. Binkley was eighty-two years old
lover of his family and of the
church to whose creed he subscribed
the Presbyterian. Save for a left
hand crippled by rheumatism, his
health was good, his spirits were
high at the prospect of family re.
union, and suicide seemed the far.
thest thought from his mind.
Found by Daughter.
With other members of his family,
he came to Chicago Wednesday and
remained in his room while the 9th.
ers went on a shopping tour. When
his daughter, Mrs. George Upchurch,
returned, about 5 p. NJ, with her
daughter Elinor they found the
shades drawn and the old physician
apparently asleep in an easy chair.
The food of light let in by raising
the curtains disclosed his blood-stain.
ed face. He sat with his right hand
nearest to the bed, which was a foot
away. The pistol lay on the bed with
one chamber empty. The bullet had
entered his left cheek and lodged in
his brain, inficting a wound from
which it is said death must have been
instantaneous.
Pockets Were RifIed.
His coat and vest were found open
and the wallet which he carried in an
inside vest pocket was missing, as
was his watch. A small sum-$2. Al
was found on the dresser in the room.
His valise, in which he carried few
medicines and toilet articles, and
which had been on his knees when
his daughter left him to go shopping,
was found in the public toilet room,
twenty yards from the room. of the
existence of which the decedent is
said to have been in ignorance, his
own room being provided with SINH
lar facilities. The door of the room
was not locked. DR.. John T. Binkley.
Jr., a son of the Evansville doctor
and founder of the Chicago hospital,
testified that death had taken place
half an hour or forty minutes before
the return of Mrs. Upchurch and her
daughter.
Found No Powder Marks.
The coroner's jury physician. DR..
Joseph Springer. testified that, con-
trary to current reports, he had found
no powder marks surrounding the
wound.
From the crippled condition of his
left hand l should say that he had
not fired from that hand, and the po-
sition of the wound would indicate
that the right hand was not used"
said DR.. Springer.
kilograms from Evansville height
ened the mystery. On top Of state
ments by members of the Binl1ley
ldully ueCldilllS llldl me uCclOr new
er carried a weapon, word was re-
ceived that the only revolver owned
by the latter had been found in it's
usual place in the Binkley home in
that CITY,
SpoiIs Sensation.
Moran. the porter, spoiled a sensa-
ton when he took the stand. Miss
Upchurch had testified that she was
sure her grandfather had been muir
dered because after she fed from the
room with her mother, following the
discovery of the body, she was seized
by some one who attempted to de-
tain her Moran explained that he
was the person in question and that
he had restrained the woman because
of her hysterical condition and to
segregate them from the crowd gath.
ering in the hall. The hearing of
further evidence was postponed until
June 10.