The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-16
Body LAeliberated for About
Twenty Minutes After
Hearing Witnesses
TWO SUSPECTS
ARE RELEASED
Note Found on Body W41ich
Warned Him to Change /
His Boarding Place !

After celebrating twenty minutes
the coroner's jury investigating thu
cause of the death of Chief Yeomaxl
Paxton LeCente, who was found dead
at the homo of Morris j. Houlfhaa6
early Saturday morning with bullea
hole through his heart, and a pistol
near his hand. returned a verdict Of
suicide. and Houlihand and wife who
had been held for investigation wers
released.
From the evidence which was taken
at the hearing, it appeared that IS-
Conte had been stationed at Pensacola
for about two years, and during q
part of that time had roomed with the
Houlihands at the corner of Coyle
and Belmont streets. Testimony was
taken, and letters were introduced to
show that Mrs. Houlihand had been
separated from her husband but had
returnsd recently, though infatuated
with LeConte,
Evidence submitted concerning the
death itself gave scanty outline OF
the action, and indicated that Le
Conte had gone to the Houlihand
i C.
and asked Houlihand to go down town
and have a drink. Houlihand re-
fused, though his wife accompanied
the petty officer down town, and they
returned to the house shortly. This
was about 1890, and LeConte told
the couple that he was going to his
room Before retiring however. he
asked Houlihand If he was still angry
with him, and receiving a negative 4
reply, shook hands, and went to his
room.
No further action took place. ac-
cording to the evidence until 1890,
when Houlihand rushed 70 the street
to get police officer, after the shot
was fired. 1t was. stated that he
told the police that the man was dead
in his room, having shot himself. and
that the door was locked on the in
side. According to the evidence he
called the attention of the police to
the fact that the door was locked on
the inside, though other evidence was
submitted at the hearing tending to
show that while the door leading into
the hallway was locked on the inside.
the other entrance to the room, Lead
ing into the Houlihand's quarters.
was locked on the outside.
When the police entered the room
the body of the man was found lying
sprawled on the floor with a bullet
hole through the right breast and
heart. The dead mans coat and hat,
were on chair near the body, though
his shoes were on. The bed had not
been occupied, apparently.
On the body was found a note,
signed "A Friend" urging LeConte to
stay away from the Houlihand home,
declaring that his life was in danger
there. The note which was quite
lengthy, stated further that unless
obtained other quarters he
would be killed, and ''he would never
know who killed him." Both Houli-
hand and his wife denied that they
wrote the letter.
c. A. Frater, a taxicab driver tes-
titled that LeConte had twice threat
ened to kill himself, but that he
thought he was only joking.
The pistol found lying beside the
body was identified as the property
If the dead man. The shot had evi-
1ently been fired at close range as
,he undershirt was slightly scorched.
No announcement has vet been
made concerning disposition of the
body, but It .s believed that it will
De shipped 20 Philadelphia where it is
the deceased had a wife
and two children.
The Navy Department was repre-
;ented at the inquest by board COM
posed of Past Assistant Surgeon Gull
,ertson, Captain Brewster, ard Lieu-
enant Pennoyer. After Coroner
Johnson had concluded the investiga-
ion and the case had been placed in
he hands of the jury, the board con-
lucted an investigation, examining
III of the witnesses in the case. The
ury was composed of w. J. Roberts,
James Whiting, T. G. Rupert. c. r.
E. z. Ward and c. George.