Evening star., 1926-03-19
MADMAN K|LLS6,
THEN SHOOTS SELF
Real Estate Dealers Insane
Action Is Traced to Wife's
Divorce Suit.
BY the Associated Press.

PLACERVILLE. Calf, March 10
John M Coins, Stockton real estate
man. killed six persons yesterday and
then ended his own life as posses were
chasing him over dangerous mountain
highways.
Hard pressed by posses. Coins sent
bullet into his brain as his auto
mobile plunged over a mountain cliff
near Eidorado. a few miles from here.
ending a day of tragedy in the upper
San Joaquin Valley.
The dead:
Mrs. Florence Podesta Coins. his
wife: Mrs Minnie Podesta Clark, his
wifes sister; Mrs. George McNoble,
wife of former president Of the State
Bar Associations; Alex Marengo. Mrs.
Alex Marengo. and their married
daughter. Mrs. Henry Dutra.
Coins began his maniacal round OF
killing when he heard that his wife
was seeking divorce.
Shoots Wife First.
He went first to the Podesta ranch.
near Stockton. where he shot and
killed his wife and her sister. Mrs.
Clark. Escaping from the ranch, he
returned to Stockton and sought the
band Of Mrs. McNoble. who he had
heard, was advising Mrs. Coins con.
cerning a legal separation. McNoble
had also represented Coins in a num-
ber of suits Coins had brought against
the Southern Pacific Railroad and
later against insurance companies as
result of railway accident in which
Coins lost foot. The actions failed
but McNoble received a settlement
of $2.500 from an uncontested insur-
ance policy.
Learning that McNoble was in San
Francisco, the craZed man went 70
McNoble's home. where he found the
attorneys wife, whom he interrogated
regarding Mrs. Coins divorce plans.
Mrs. McNoble denied any knowledge
of them, whereupon Coins shot her
three times. killing her almost in
stantly, as one of her children looked
on.
Coins then drove madly to Gait.
about "a miles north Of Stockton and
shot and killed Marengo. his wife and
their daughter. Mrs. Dutra.
Mrs Dutra's two small children, 3
and years old. were the only wit
nesses, but farm hands heard the
shots and saw Coins climb into his au-
tomobile again and drive northward.
Motive Is Doubtful.
The motive for the Marengo killing,
aside from Coins possible insanity,
was that some years ago Marengo
figured as prosecuting witness In
charge of horse stealing against Coins.
From Gait, Coins started at mad
pace toward Placer County, where he
owned property. 1t is supposed he in
tended to go into hiding there. Mean.
while officers of four counties were on
:cl>, t. Ill
tions were guarded.
| the lookout for the killer. The whole
countryside, from Stockton to Sacra.
mento, was in a state of alarm.
! The tragedy. however. was ended as
quickly as 1t started. AS Capt. Carel
Slatterback. State traffic officer. and
w. S. Bigss. supervisor of Eldorado
County. two of his pursuers; bore
down on him near Eldorado Coins
car suddenly swerved from the road.
The officers found the murderer with
bullet from his own gun in his
brain.
| 1t all happened in the space of a
| few hours.
| Something of what had been going
on in the mans mind was revealed
| in two wills found in Coins room.
One. written on the back of photo.
| graph Of Coins and two dogs. taken
on the lawn of his home. said:
| 'On my right is my faithful dog
Rover. on my left Is by faithful
trained sheep dog Beauty. l trained
her from a puppy, and she has de-
| veloped into a most valuable sheep
, dog and a companion and has been
| my most faithful friend in the most
| trying conditions and hardships. May
she be treated well.
Leaves Home to Son.
! This is my house bought for my
future home and happiness. How
ever, my wife. Florence Podesta
| Coins refused to live in this fine
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