The San Francisco call., 1910-08-02


three persons, including his wife and
child: mortaliy wounding a fourth and
seriously wounding fifth. Bert S. Dur
ham q discharged employe of the local
fire department. ended man hunt that
began at i o'clock this morning by
shooting himself in the head in the
business section Of the city at 7:15
Q clock this morning Durham died at
O'Clock this afternoon.
His victims were:
Donald F. Grant. engineer. engine
company No. 8, San Diego fire depart
ment
Mrs. Bert S. Durham and child
Peter Sampseli, captain hose COM
pany No. 3. who is dying.
Guy Elliott, driver hose company No.
3, who has chance TO recover.
FIREMEN SHOT
The firemen were shot. Mrs Durham
and child were beaten to death while
they lay asleep IN their room in q
downtown lodging house the murderer
using steel bar wrapped in a hand
kerchief. After killing his wife and
child he vanished. and up TO the. time
he shot himself was seen but once or
twice by his pursuers.
Ills motive in killing the firemen was
revenge. He had been discharged from
company No. 3 after repeated quarrels
with his captain. That was some
months ago. Why he killed his wife
and child is unknown. although Mrs
Durham had feared for her life for
some time. Il is believed that constant
brooding over his discharge unbalanced
his mind
Durham planned his crime with the
cunning Of a maniac. He turned in a
false alarm from box No. ., Second and
Spruce streets. at 12:s5 o'clock this
morning He was armed with two re-
KolTers. and selecting a dark spot near
the box he awaited the arrival of his
victims
HEARS THREE SHOTS
Driver Woods of the engine made q
fast run tothe box and shortly before
reaching the fire plug, which is situat-
ed st the northwest corner, heard three
distinct shots. He says he thought
little Of them. believing that they came
from some Of the more frightened
neigbbors who were trying to bring
the apparatus 10 the scene of the fire
Later it was found that prior TO the
time the engine reached the plug Engi-
neer Grant, had been shot and that he
had fallen from. the rear Of the engine
into the street He was dead when
picked up. by some Of the members of
his own company.
Captain IA nipsell. and Guy Elliott,
the other victims were on the hose
wa gon which followed the engine. Just
how they We're shot is not known. but
from the best information obtainable
II seems that Elliott leaving the wagon
as IL slowed up. started TO look for
the blaze. He is said to have heard a
voice cry. Here il is back here" and
when starting toward the voice the
shot was hred which laid him low.
Captain Sampsel. who was following
Elliott, received the next shot in the
lungs
RUSHED To HOSPITAL
By the time the noise from the shots
had died away the auto chemical was
on the ground. and the two injured men
were rushed 90 St. Josephs hospital.
Assistant Chief Senecord, who ar
rived with the auto chemical. was one
Of the first TO recognize the assail-
ant as Durham. The first Information
10 the police department came through
him and quickly brought out police
men in automobiles, who patrolled the
district in which he was supposed to
be hiding.
The news was quickly flashed to the
sheriff's Office and a posse, armed with
KVinchesters and repeating rifles, took
to, the roads in automobiles.
RETURNS TO HOME
According to member of the fire
2 department Durham was seen about
half an hour after the shooting Of the
hremen at Second and Spruce as he
was running down street toward
Second.
II is believed that il was at this time
that Durham went TO the lodging house
and killed his wife and child.
The bodies Of Mrs. Durham and child
we're discovered at 4 o'clock this morn
ing by q party who were sec rching for
the murderer, and who visited the
apartment of the Durhams. believing
he might have returned there after
lsnooting the. fremen.
The hunt for Durham continued
through the night. but he lodged his
pursuers. leaving them without a clew.
He boa rded q car in the residence sec
ton of the city, rode quietly to the
,,laza. in the center of the business dis
trict. and calmly Tired the bullet into
his BRAIN
chief Aimgren at an early hour said
that Mrs. Durham had long expected
that her husband would do some act of
violence and had fears for her own life.
Trreouentlv Durham had uttered threats
a1ainst the fremen of Company 8. She
warned the fremen Of the threats and
thought they had taken 1t up with the
r,olfce. It seems, however, that Samp-
sell -laughted at the threats and neld
no fears Of Durham.
Durham was about 35 years old and
his wife was a year or so' younger. The
chiId was ? years old