Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-19

money alleged to be due Adams To uphold his claim
of sef-defence which his plea at the trial. Colt
said, among other things-
"He [Adamsl made the remark that meant to
cheat him In the meantime we both had been fgur-
ing on different papers, parts of the account Word
followed word until came to blows. The words
you le' were passed and several slight blows, until
received blow across my mouth and more, which
caused my nose slightly to bleed. do not know that
felt like exerting myself to strong defence. l be-
lieve / then struck him violently with my fist We
rranpled with each other Mt the time. and 1 was
showed against the wall with my side next to the
table. There a hammer on the table, which L
then Immediately seized hold of and instantly struck
him over the head. The selling of the
hammer and the blow were instantaneous. I think
this blow knocked his hat off but will not be posi-
tive At the time 1 only remember his twisting
my neck handkerchief tight that 1t seemed to me as
If lost all power of reason; still l thought was
striking away with the hammer. The hrst
sense of thought was it seems, though his hand
or something brushed from my neck downward.
faint idea remains that showed him Off
from me so that he fell over but of this cannot say
I then sat down, for felt very weak and
sick After sitting for few minutes aud seeing so
much blood think went and looked at poor Adams
who breathed quite loud for several minutes threw
his arms out and silent. recollect at this time
taking him by the hand, which seemed lifeless, and
the horrid thrill came me that had killed him..
The document goes on to tell in detail how ne
washed himself and his teltale clothing in the Wash
ington Bath House, Pearl street. near Broadway"
He says:-"I then went home. 1t wanted, when got
home about five minutes of eleven o'clock lit a
light as usual Caroline wished to know why l came
in so late 1 made an excuse, saying l was with
friend from Philadelphia, think and that should
get up early in the morning to see him Off"
He had already stripped the body wrapped it in
pieces of an old awning, packed 1t In the ooX, which,
filled with books, had stood in his office disposed OF
the clothing and everything else belonging to the dead
man and scrubbed the floor with water which he drew
from the pump in the street and afterward threw In
the gutter.
In the morning he early and was nearly
dressed when Caroline woke up" In the words OF
his confesson-"I stated to her it was doubtful II
ould return to breakfast; did not return; went TO
tbe office and found all, apparently as had lett IT.
went after some nails and got them at Woods store.
The store was just opened. returned to the office,
nailed ND the box ON all sides and went down to the
East River to ascertain the first packet to New Or
1oons / returned to my office by way of
Ioveioy's Hotel, opposite the park went to the
eating room and called for hot roll and cup OF coee;
I could not eat but drank two cups of cohee. went
to nv Office locked the door and sat down for some
time I examined everything about the room' wiped
tbo walls in one or two places and then went home
and to bed'
Colts trial was the sensation of the day and caused
nc much popular excitement have any of the great
rrder cases of recent times 1t lasten ten days and
was conducted by District Attorney James r. Whiting
rho defence was "sef-defence" and was intrusted to
several of the ablest lawyers of the period
The Amazing Escape.
In spte of the most desperate efforts, which began
egitimatelv with the employment of the most brilliant
legal talent that lavish expenditure of money could
proyjde progressed valanty from court to court and
ended gnoby frantic but futile attempts at bribery
nothing could save the doomed man from the ven
geance of the law and the jury after deberat1ng FOR
several hours brought in verdict of Murder IN tne
first degree" The Governor was Appealed 10 IN VAIN
and John G. Colt was sentenced 10 DC hanseu u"
November IS, 1912.
During all this time Colts common law wife, caro-
line Henshaw had been answering in her loyalty ana
deqotion and had visited him daily in the Tombs Colt
himself was less true to the woman who loved MIN
so faithfully and begged to be allowed TO marry her
before he hanged.
Strange to say this grewsome permission was
granted and at lfpast eleven of the day named 1or
the execution the presented herself at the cell
door, attired in straw bonnet green shawi, claret
colored cloak trimmed with red cord and a muH She
was accompanied by the Rev. MI. Anton, John How
ard Payne, the author of Home, Sweet Home ana
brother Of the prisoner. Colt was cheerful set-pos-
sessed and even jocose, and the marriage was imme
diately soemnized in the presence of Justice Merritt
the Sheriff, Colts brother, David Graham, Robert
Emmett and John Howard Payne.
The execution was set for four o'clock The gal
The bride and bridegroom allowed to be alone to-
geher for a time and at the conclusion of the cere
mony all but the unhappy couple withdrew from the
cell.
Suddenly, and just the clock was trembling on
the stroke of four, cry of fire was heard The Gu
poa of the prison in blaze and the engines were
soon rafting and changing in the streets.
In spite of all this confusion and distress the Sheriff
remembered his duty and that man must die. Mr..
Anthon who had just performed the marriage cere
mony was now sent to the cell to notify the
demned wretch that his last moments had come. The
cell door had been considerably closed during this
sad parting interview and when Anthon slowly drew
1t open the sight that met his eyes caused him 10
spring back with a cry of terror and dismay.
The woman gone and on the bed lay the body
of a man with a knife in his heart!
Next morning, November 10, 1912, the HERALD
printed a long editorial, entitled, "The Last Day of
John c. Colt His Extraordinary Suicide and DEATH"
and in another alluson to the subject which the
chief if not the only topic of the day. it raised the
important question, "Who gave him the knife?
Caroline Henshaw Tor Colo disappeared promptly
from public notice. and the body found the bed
was given decent burial by Colts grief stricken fam
lily.
81, Oft Tho