The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-10
holt ENDS OWN LIFE.
FRACTURES HIS SKULL IN LEAP
FROM CELL DOOR.
Much Confusion in Jail Follows Find
Ing of Body and Various Reports
are Circulated IA to- Method Used by
Prisoner-Leaves Note to Family.

Mineola. N. ". July 6.-Frank
Holt. the Cornell university profess
sor. who shot j. u. Morgan I'm his
home near Glencove last Saturday,
committed suicide in the Jail at
Mineola tonight.
While several of the Jail authori-
ties declare that Holt killed himself
by climbing through the opening at
the top OF his cell door and then
plunging to the narrow court below.
Holts keeper said he was positive
that the prisoner was killed in his
own cell. where he said he found the
body.
There were many conflicting re-
ports as to the manner in which Holt
met his death. but II was definitely
established through DIR. Cleghorn. the
Jail physician. that Holt died OF "a
fractured skull. DIR. -Cleghorn found
that death had been instantaneous.
District Attorney Smith searched
Holts cell Immediately. after arriving
at the jail and found letter written
on yellow paper. This letter. which
Holt must have written before he at
tempted suicide early this morning,
when the pencil with which he tried
To sever an artery was taken from
him, was addessed to MY dears"
and follows:
Il must write once more. The
more think about II the more / see
the uselessness of living under cir
cumstances such as these. Bring up
the dear babies In the love of God
and man. God bless you my sweet.
"Affectionately,
Frank
"P. s.-All please pardon me for
sllithe heartaches have brought you.
Pray with me that the slaughter will
stop. My heart breaks. Good bye"
AZ midnight there was still consid-
eraole confusion In the jail and con-
fiicting stories as to- the manner in
which Hoi, was killed were told by
those attached to the institution. The
attendants disagreed as to the place
whore the body was found. jeremiah
oRyan. the keeper detailed to watch
Hoits cell. declared that he was pos
itiYe the body was I'm a pool OF blood
in the cell when he first saw IL.
1T sounded to me like an explo-
sion" said QRyan. giving his version
OF what occ1rred. "You will have hard
work TO convince me that II wasn't.
The cell was In partial darkness as the
lights had not been fully turned on.
II was is feet from the cell when
10 Happened and my back was turned.
Il heard noise and then ran into the
cell and looked around. II was dark.
II couldn't see at first. Then
found the body In pool OF blood In a
corner OF the cell.
Holt had been i'm remarkably good
spirits. He had laughed and joked
earlier in the evening. That made
me suspicious"
Several of those about the Jail said
they heard an explosion. the report
coming from Hollis cell. This noise.
IL was believed. was due TO the
falling of boards from the top of the
cell.
The excitement that followed the
noise brought Warden Hulse and
other Jail attendants to the scene.
District Attorney Lewis j. Smith
and Dr. Cleghorn. together with sew
eral constables. were soon on the
scene and Immediately began an in
vestigation.
DIR. Cleghorn denied "a report that
Holt had killed himself by chewing a
percussion cap.
He repeated that death was caused
by fracture at. the top OF the skull.
An explosion which would have
blown his head of would have fol-
lowed an attempt by Holt to chew a
percussion cap. the physician said.
A thorough examination OF Hollis
cell failed. according to the authori-
ties. To disclose any weapon or i'm
plements OF any kind which Holt
could have used To- kill himself.
Coroner Walter X. Jones. after
viewing the body. said
Undoubtedly a suicide. and un-
doubtedly the man jumped. can not
give an Official version until an au-
topsy n performed by the Jail physi-
clan, DIR. Cleghorn."
The body was then taken to the
morgue In Hampstead. where Dr.
Cleghorn was prepared to perform an
autopsy Immediately.