Imperial Valley press., 1930-08-30
SLAYER
CHEATS
JUSTICE
Texas Lawyer Who Killed
Wife Destroys Himself
With Explosive.
WAS WAITING TRIAL
Explosion Fails To Hurt
Any Other Inmates Held
In Jail.

AMARILLO, Tex, Aug. 50. (U.Pl
Timing his action with cold, cal,
culating accuracy, A. u. Payne took
his life early today in the same
manner in which he killed his wife
two months ago.
An explosion Of nitroglycerinc,
which had hung in vial Oh "A string
around his neck for weeks, blew
away the attorney 5 chest as he lay
on a bunk in Potter County jail here.
BY waiting until 10 minutes after
midnight to commit suicide, Payne
made it possible for his children
to collect 10000 insurance on his
life. The policy's suicide clause eX-
pired at midnight.
A Potter County grand jury re
turned an Indictment Yesterday
charging Payne with murder in con
Lcction with the death of Lis wife,
June 27. MIS-. Payne was killed and
her II wear old son seriously MANNED
when three sticks of dynamite,
placed under the front seat of the
family car by Payne, exploded as
:hey were driving along IA downtown
street here. PAYNE was to have been
tried September -.
\ coroner S jury which held an in
quest Immediately following the ex-
plosion, returned Il verdict that
Payne met death from "self infliet
ed injuries, believed to have been
caused by a violent explosion.
Three other prisoners had been in
the cell shortly before the explosion.
Two of them. r. l.. Condor and Com
modorc Pulliam, left the cell with
some letters which PAYNE gave them
to mail relatives. The third pri-
soncr, Vernon Churchill. remained
sleeping in the bunk below Payne.
Condor said Payne had shown him
n tiny bottle which the attorney
said contained nitroglyeerine. He
had carried il for several weeks on
& long string around his neck
Churchill. who admitted he was a
safe blower. said Payne had come
to him for information regarding
nitroglvccrine.
81 told him even a small quantity
would blow him - pieces" Condor
said. " He smiled and thanked me. -
Pulliam and Condor were in an
adjoining cell when the blast oc.
CURED. Churchill, although sleeping
only few feet from Paync's bunk,
was uniniurc6. The Jail cell was
wrecked only slightly. Doctors said
PAYNE died Instantly.
Children Make Visit
Since Payne confessed killing his
wife, he repeatedly asked to be clcc
trocuted. When he insisted no de
Tense be prepared for him, con
trovcrsv onsued with his attorney,
Sid Payne, bis brother, who insist
ed that he was insane and that n
plea of not guilty would be made
when the trial opened Under the
law, the attorney $ plea would be
recognized.
Pavne's 5 two children, Ladell. II,
and \. u. Jr. who was injured in
the explosion which killed his,
mother, visited Payne in his cclF
shortly after the Indictment was re-
turned yesterday.
Payne then asked Jail officials to
place him in solitary confinement,
$50 | can communicate with the
spirit of my wife"
Officials today said the request
was obviously made in order that
he might have better opportunity 10
commit suicide.
Ben PAYNE of Roswell, \. NJ, and
Sid Payne of Tulsa, brothers of the
attorney, arrived at the jail soon
after the explosion. Neither dis
PLAYED much emotion when told of
the brothers. death.
Gle has been dead MS far as we
are concerned ever since he took his
wifc's life Sid Payne said. "Wc
have mourned him since, and the
fact that he has taken his life adds
very little to our quota of grief
The final page in Payne's diary
told of the spiritual visits of his
wife which prompted him to commit
suicide.
"Until last night my wife object,
ed to my taking my own life, the
diary said. "But she appeared to
me again and has assured me she
believes suicide is the best way.
81 waited until after midnight
August 20 to take my life because
my insurance policy would be year
old then and my children will be
able to collect