The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-01-20
ARCH CRIMINAL
TAKES OWN LIFE
DIES OF POISON IN NEWPORT
JAIL PROTESTING. HIS IN
NOCENCE

NEWPORT.-Deat by suicide in
the county Jail at Newport was the
fate of William Vane, escaped federal
prisoner, who was captured Friday
while asleep in a lonely cabin near
Bead lake by Deputy United States
Marshal Fred Thorp and Special
Agent E. L. Wells.
DIR. j. w. Wallace, who was called
to attend Vane by Sheriff F. A. Deer
ing of Newport, thinks that the pris-
oner took strychnine. An autopsy to
determine this will be held today and
the body probably brought to Spo-
kane Miss Ruby Vane, daughter,
who died last November, is buried
there
Besides his widow Vane is survived
by two children, a son, Alex, age 21,
and a daughter, age 18, living on a
farm in southern Oregon.
Murmurs, MAMA, Forgive Me-"
Vane's cell at $40 a. m. yesterday
and talked with him for several min
utes Vane seemed to be normal. Ten
minutes later Sheriff Deering heard
him moaning, and found the prisoner
partially conscious and repeatedly
murmuring, MAMA, forgive me-" The
sheriff thought he was checking, and
loosened his tie. He revived some
what, and when asked if he had ta-
ken anything, replied, the sheriff
says:
me something. | am innocent"
How Vane got the poison is not
known. He died in convulsions. The
coroner has decinded not to hold an
inquest.
Suspected of Many Crimes.
William Vane, convicted stage
coach robber and perjurer, had for
years been a thorn to the federal
state and county officials of this
region. Although man of wealth
a justice of the peace and lawyer
of professed high principles, he was
of completely in a wide
variety of crimes, but sufficient evil
dence was never obtained to convict
him.
By his own statement, he variously
claimed England and Scotland as his
birthplace. He came to Newport
from Oregon some 18 years ago, but
nad previously resided in California.
At Newport he first took a home
stead near the head of Indian creek,
a few miles from where he was cap
,ured Friday.
Vane was once the owner of the
Newport townsite on the Idaho side of
he line In 1907 he sold part of
his to the Idaho & Washington
Northern, which was then building
lorth, for $4,000.
The money obtained from the sale
# his land to the railroad company
md other funds he loaned on first
mortgages, charging never less than
o per cent and usually more. Stories
urrent among the officers Of Bonner
ounty in which he resided give him
redit for practices that would dis
,race a Shylock.
Money Made in Dives.
The Vane property in Newport was
argely a redlight adjunct to the
own of Newport, Wash, and during
he construction of the Great North
m and the Washington & Idaho
Jorthern, with the saloons wide open,
e reaped a harvest. 1t is told of him
hat he would sell one of the women
he shack in which she lived, allowing
er to make the payments monthly.
hen when one of these contracts was
early completed, he would either
S Justice of the peace or through
ther means, make it impossible for
er to finish payment, regaining the
roperty himself.
Beats His Creditors.
In 1912 he became interested with
slatives in mercantile business in
rockton, Mass. In 1913 the business
allied and Vane turned over all his
to third parties and his
eal estate to his daughter Ruby,
nee deceased, and to his wife Mary,
sfore eastern creditors could start
lit to collect $4,000 on notes which
: had indorsed.
At the time of his death Vane was
lder conviction to the penitentiary
1der both federal and state charges,
i'd had sentences hanging over him,
lContin11od or, nano \