The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-07-09
MORCAN'S ASSAILANT
TAKES OWN LIFE
PLUNGES TO DEATH FROM TOP OF
CELL DOOP.
Considerable Confusion Follows Dis.
cOyery of Fanatics Last Act
Dies of Fractured Skull.

| D1eS or fractured SKULL
Mineola, N. Y, July Crank Holt,
tie Cornell university professor, who
snot j. P. Morgan in his home near
Glencove last Saturday, committed sui
eide in the Jail at Mineola tonight.
While several of the jail authorities
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, Holt's
keeper said he was positive that the
prisoner was killed in his own cell,
,, where he said he found the body.
! TGere were many conflicting reports
as to the manner in which Holt met
his death, but it was definitely estab-
lisned through DR.. Cleghorn, the jail
physician, that Holt died of frac-
tured 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 ne at
tempted suicide early this morning,
when tie pencil with which he tried
to sever an artery was taken from him,
was addressed to "My dears," and fol-
lows:
81 must write once more. The more
1 think about it the more see the
uselessness of living under circum-
stances sucn as these. Bring UP the
dear babies in the love of God and
man. God bless you my sweet.
"Affectionately,
Crank.
"P. s.-All please pardon me for all
the heartaches 1 Eave brought you.
Pray with me thatShe slaughter will
stop. My heart breaks. Good bye"
At midnight there was still consfd-
erable confusion in the Jail and con-
! hicting 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
O'Ryan, the keeper detailed to watcn
Holt's cell, declared that Ee 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
81 was Is feet from the cell when
it happened and my back was turned
heard noise and then ran into the
cell and looked around. 1t was dark.
81 couldn't see at first. Then |
found the body in a pool of blood in
corner of the cell.
! "Holt +. ad been in remarkably good
spirits. He mad laughed and joked
earlier in the evening. That made me
suspicious"
Several of those about the jaid said
they heard an explosion, the report
coming from Hollis cell. This noise,
| it was believed, was due to the fall
ing of boards from the top Of the cell.
jeremiah Organ, the keeper detailed
to watch Holt, said he was Is feet
away from the cell when he heard a
loud report He looked in the direction
of the CELL but it was dark. Entering,
he found Holts body in pool of blood
in the corner.
THE excitement tnat followed the
noise brought Warden Hulse and other
Jail attendants to the scene.
District Attorney Lewis J. Smith and
DR.. Cleghorn, together with several
constables, were soon on the scene and
Immediately began an investigation.
Dr.. Cleghorn denied report taat
Holt had killed himself by chewing
percussion cap.
"He repeated that death was caused
by a fracture at the top of the skull
An explosion which would have blown
his head off would have followed an az
tempt by Holt to chew percussion
cap, the physician said.
"A thorough examination of Holt's
cell failed, according to the authori-
ties, to disclose any weapon or imple-
ments of any kind which Holt could
have used to kill himself.
| Coroner Walter R. Jones, after view
ing ose body, said:
f'Undoubtedl! suicide, and IN
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