The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-07-09
Holt Commits Suicide by PIung-
ina to Death From Top of Cell
Door-Greaf Confusion FOL-
lows Discovery of Fanatics
Last Act.

Mineola, N. Y, July 6.-Frank
Holt, the Cornell university profess
sor, who shot J. P. Morgan in 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 into the narrow court below,
Holt's 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 it was definitely
established through DR.. Cleghorn, the
Jail physician, that Holt died of
fractured skull. DR.. Cleghorn found
that death had been instantaneous.
District attorney Smith searched
Hollis 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 addressed to "My dears,"
and follows:
az must write once more. The
more | think about it the more l 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.-Au please pardon me fol
all the heartaches have brought you
Pray with me that the slaughter will
stop. NY heart breaks. Good bye"
At midnight there was still consid
cradle confusion in the Jail and con-
fiicting stories as to the manner in
which Holt was killed were told by
those attached to the institution. The
attendants disagreed as to the place
where the body was found. Jeremiah
Organ, the Keeper detailed to watch
Hollis cell, declared that he was pos
tive the body was in a pool of blood
in the cell when he first saw it.
"It sounded to me like an eXplo-
sion," said Organ, giving his version
of what occurred. "You will have hard
work to convince me that it wasn't.
THE cell was in partial darkness as
the lights had not been fully turned
on.
''I was Is feet from the cell when
it happened and my back was turned.
I heard a noise and then ran into the
cell and looked around. 1t was dark.
81 couldn't see at first. Then |
found the body in pool of blood in
corner of the cell.
"Holt had been in 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,
it was believed, was due to the
falling of boards from the top of the
cell.
Jeremiah Organ, the keeper de-
tailed to watch Holt, said he was Is
feet away from the cell when he
heard loud report. He looked in the
direction of the cell, but it was dark.
Entering he found Holt's body in a
pool of blood in the corner.
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
scene and Immediately began an in
vestigotion.
Undoubtedly a suicide, and un-
doubtedly the man jumped. 1 cannot
give an official version until an au-
tosy is performed by the Jail physi-
clan, DR.. Cleghorn."
DR.. Cleghorn, after performing an
autopsy on Hollis body at Hampstead
stated that Holt had died of a hem
orrage of the brain caused by de-
pressed fracture of the skull.
DR.. Cleghorn said he found large
confused wound, which extended
from the top of the head to below the
eyes and that both the top and base
of the skull had been fractured.
DR.. Cleghorn said he found no evil
dences of any explosion or bullet
wound.
Lied to Police
Holt, a few hours before his death
tonight, had admitted to detectives
that he lied when he said he made
the capitol bomb out of sulphuric
acid and match heads. He also said
he did not tell the truth about his
movements in Washington and New
York. Holt made the admissions when
confronted by evidence tending to
show he made the capitol bomb in
a bungalow which he rented near
here ten days ago.
Bombs En- Route
Throughout the day New York de-
tectives were working on clue which
led them to believe Holt was the man
who received the dynamite and who
rented the bungalow and there made