New-York tribune., 1919-06-30
Leaves Notes Saying He
Is Innocent of Crime
and Preferred To Be
His Own ExecutiOner
Guards Left Him
For Five Minutes
Still Alive When Found,
but Neck Was Broken:
HadProcured dNew Rope
Staff Correspondence

MINEOLA, L. l., June 29.-Dr. Wal
ter Keene wilkins killed himself in
the Nassau County Jail tonight.
He was to have been sentenced to
death Tuesday morning for the mur-
DER of his wife. At 7:45 this evening
two keepers found him dangling from
a rope in the prison bathroom. His
neck was broken.
DR.. Wilkins left five letters, which
he had spent the afternoon in prepar-
ing. In one of these, addressed to
Charles N. Wysong, his attorney, he
reiterated his absolute innocence Of
the crime for which he was to die, and
added that since death was only lit
tlc way off he preferred to have 1t come
now
Rather than be driven across the
State of New York by Carman Plant
tthe county detective whose evidence
helped convict him) and delivered up
TO Sing Sing prison." the physician
wrote in another letter to J. P. Healy.
of ITO Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, 81
prefer to be my own executioner. Be-
sides, it will save Justice Manning
from looking into my face when he
tells me have had fair trial.
Prociaims His Innocence
"I am absolutely innocent of this
crime"
The physician was still breathing
when they cut his body down. Physi-
clans from Nassau County Hospital
were called in. They worked for fif-
teen minutes with a pulmotor, to no
effect. At few minutes after they
pronounced him dead
Before DR.. Wilkins was taken back
to his cell on Friday, after he had
heard the jury pronounce him guilty he
was led to the Office of the warden,
William Hults, and there searched in
the presence of his attorneys.
During the search he produced from
his wallet of his own accord a pair of
manicure scissors and handed them to
the warden, with the request that he
be allowed to have them back again.
This plea was denied.
The rope that he used to kill him
self was six feet long and the diameter
Of clothesline. Where and when he ac-
qured it will be the subject Of an in
vestigation.
About the dead mans body another
rope, evidently prepared by his own
hands from torn strips of sheeting, was
found.
No Chance for Accomplice
There are no windows in his cell
which overlook the Jail yard. and the
window in the bathroom likewise is
not accessible from the outside. It is
claimed that it would have been i'm
possible for the physician to have had
an accomplice throw the rope into his
cell or into the bathroom.
Apparently the physician spent the
afternoon setting his affairs in order
then took his own life deliberately
From noon on he remained in his cell,
writing steadily.
All through the day John Mills and
William Henderson, the keepers as
signed 10 him, kept watch upon him.
They explained last night that their
erd.rs we're to visit his cell every five
ninutes
At TAO Henderson appeared at the
aeer He says he found DR.. wilkins
easnging his collar and brushing his
sair. The old man appeared perfectly
Composed.
'Es been fine, cool day." the
Keeper quotes him as saying; II think
wsil be clear Tomorrow"
When the next visit TO the cell was
nads at 7:45 1t was empty. The keep
searched and finally discovered in
we washroom how the physician had
"supisd the FIVE minutes.
Dnrng this interval Dr.. wilkins
Lss,'ec one end Of the rope 10 an over
.sa .a pipe. rolled waste paper can
sysnasr the dangling end. climbed upon
,., can, slipped his head through the
'''ss' and leaped, mapping his spine.
His Neck Broken
q, me Keepers cut him down and give
~ Aisrm. When DR.. Cleghorn, the
cttva,"h s.ta,h physician, arrived there was
MI. ia'nt futter In tho prisoners
y.e Further examination, showed
s"ss ms neek was broken.
.AShs nxtpre of letter or msssane
Dr' wilkins wrote In his cell this
conssuAsd an yags foar