The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 22, 1896, Page 1

"VOLUME LX .—NO. 144. PRICE FIVE CENTS. DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT SACRAMENTO ‘James L. Lowe Kills Addie| Schilling and Commits Suicide. Shoots the Woman Wittout Warning in a City Hall Corridor. THEY LOVED AND QUARRELED, P’ ‘Tresgic Ending of the Young Record of a Misspent Career. Man’s 4 SACRAMENTO, CaL., Oct. 21.—As the clock was striking 10 this morning, and | just without the portals of the local tem- | ple of justice, James L. Lowe, scholar and | lawyer in embryo, shot down the partner | of his guilty love, and ended his ruined and wasted life by blowing outhis brains. | The shooting occurred in the hallway some twenty feet from the door opening | int> the police courtroom, and but nfewJ feet from the open door of the City Attor-| ey's cfice. The City Attorney was atthe ‘ time engaged in making out comriainu’ to be sworn to by the arresting officers. Suddenly the report of a pistol rang through the building, followed almost im- | mediately by a second shot, and simulta- | neously the piercing screamsof a woman | startled every one within hearing. The | next moment 8 woman sprang into the | City Attorney’s office and fled through into the adjoining office of Judge Davis. She was May Melville, the companion of the murdered womsn. Policeman Michael | Fisher, who was in the office of City At- | torney Miller, ran.out into the hall just in | weapon snapped without exploding, and he then re-cocked it, placed the muzzle back of his right ear and blew his brains out, “The whole thing happened so quickly that it was over before I could rise to my feet. The next instant Douglas covered | me and ordered me to throw up my hangs and I did so, and was very lively about it, for he had shoot in his eye.” A friend of the dead man, who was standing in front of the City Hall in com- pany with Lowe and conversing with him. said: “Jim seemed to be ina very good hu- mor when I met him, and after we had chatted a few minutes he asked me for a cigarette. Just at this moment May Mel- ville and Addie Schilling passed by us, going into the Courthouse. As Addie went by she gave Jim a very contempiu- ous look and tossed her head, as much as tosay: ‘I'll fix you’ In a moment he turned perfectly white, and when I handed him a cigarette his hand trembled so that he could hardly take it. At this moment bis attornev, Senator Frank Sprague, came up and banded him aletter. Jim read it, thrust it into his pocket, left me abruptly and entered the building. The next moment the shots ran oat, and when 1 ran upstairs I found the woman dying and Jim dead.” May Melville, the companion of Addie Schilling, s “We were sitting on the bench atthe head of the stairs chatting, when Jim Lowe came vp and stopped in front of us. I never saw such a fiendish expression upon a human being as he wore. It was such a horrible look tbhat I shdll never forgetit as long as Ilive. Just assoon as Lowe began firing I jumped up and ran away. He never spoke a word to either Gertie or-myself to give any indication of | what he intended to do.” The chief actor of the tragedy was James Lowe, a young man who was a comparative stranger in this community, but who had become quite wzll known among a certain fast set. He has been here four or five months. He dressed neatly, carried a cane and was considered quite “swell.”” Lowe was a genial fellow, well educated, an entertaining conversa- tionalist, and he made many friends. He was the son of ex-State Senator James R. Lowe, a prominent lawyer of San Jose, and had studied law himself. Addie Schilling, the woman in the case, was a girl highly educated, vivacious and a musician and vocalist of no mean abil- ity. Itis'claimed. that she was born in * JAMES L. LOWE, Who Killed Miss Addie Schilling and Himself at | Sacramento. time tosee Addie Schilling,formerly Gertie Stonehouse, the victim of the assassin’s pistol, fall to the floor, but before he could interfere the murderer placed the muzzle of his pistol to the back of his right ear, pulled the trigger and fell dead within a few feet of his victim who, with both Inngs perforated by bullets, lay prostrate, face downward, gasping her life away. Lowe's death wasinstantaneous. Seem- ingly not a muscle of his body stirred after Le struck the floor, nor did his hand re- | lease its grip upon the gold-headed cane | be always carried. His victim, however, ved for upward of two hours without ever regaining comsciousness. Both bul- lets from Lowe’s pistol struck the un- fortunate woman in the chest. One struck three inches above the hcart, passed di- rectly through the right lung, marked the top of the bench on which the woman was sitting, struck the plaster and fell to the | floor. The other bullet passed through the right lung and lodged beneath. the skin of the back. At the time of the shooting Officer James Donglass was in a closet but a few | feet away, and as the third pistol-shot rang out he rushed into tte hall, pistol in hand, and seeing 8 man standing in the vicinity of the two victims, ordered him to throw up bis hands, believing that he | was the one who had committed the shoot- ing. The onlocker promptly complied with the stern command of the officer, and Douglas was soon undeceived by his brother officer, Fisher, who hud been an -witness of the last part of the shoot- This bystander was Perry Johnson, o, in speaking of the tragedy, said: “Iam a watchman for the Sacramento Transportation Company, and having 9s- sisted in the arrest of a band of hobos last evening was sitting in the open win- dow at the hall waiting for court to open, | as I was required as'a witness. Presently I noticed two women come upstairs and sit down on the bench, where they bezan chatting in an animated manner. The younger of the two had some lettersin her hand which she alluded to as she ‘alked. Two orthree minuteslater a man Qame upstairs, walked in front of the women, and without seying & word drew | a revolver from his pocket and fired two shots at one of the women, who fell from the bench to the floor, while the other woman fled screaming into the City At- torney’s office. The man then stepped i} i 3 [Drawn from a pho right temple, and pulled the trieger. The | MISS ADDIE SCHILLING, the Victim of James Lowe’s Murderous Rage. tograph by Bagg:‘n.] WELCOMING THE ADVANCE AGENT OF PROSPERI’I'Y. woman’s weakness—and she was an out- cast. Later, it is claimed, she met a soldier in the ranks of the United States army, mar- ried him and their wedded life lasted for a brief five months. She procured a di- vorce and entered upon a life of shame. Eventually she drifted into San Jose and started & lodging-house., There she met young Lowe. He became infatuated with her and forsook wile, family and all to ac- company her. For a time the course of {heir guiity love ran smoothly, but eventually his funds dwindled away, and at last, driven to desperation, it is claimed that he set fire to his residence to | procure the $980 insurance he carried, | and left San Jose in her company for Sac- | ramento, where he has since resided. It | is claimed that, this sum being exhausted, he began to draw upon the woman’s re- sources, and at times treated her with brutality; so much so that, fearing for her life, she applied to the police to rid ber of her burden. It is claimed that on the night on which Lowe is said to have burned his residence he confided his scheme for obtaining a fresh supply of money to the woman, saying as the sound of the firebells rang out in thenight air: “There goes my house. I set it afire with a tireball and time fuse, and within |a few days we’ll be fixed for money again.” It is thought that this fact was in some way conveyed {o the insurance compa- nies. Atall events, the latter detailed an inspector to inquire into the’ matter, and for several days past he has been in Sac- ramento tracing the matter out. Several nights ago, in company. with Policeman Talbot, the room occupied by Lowe was visited for the purpose of obtaining evi- dence of Lowe's crime. At the time the officers believed the room to be vacant, but they found it occupied by Lowe and two companions. Fearing that his sus- picions would be aroused and that he wou!d flee from the country they placed the men under arrest and preferred a charge of vagrancy against them. The men were released on bonds the Indiana and when a child accompan- ied her parents to this coast. Her father purchased a large tract of land in Lompoc Valley, Santa Barbara County, and en- gazed in the cattle business, being, it is claimed, very successful. Addie was his pet and there wes nothing too good for her. Asshe passed into young woman- hood, the old story was repeated—a fasci- across the hall, placed his pistol to his pating drug clers, man’s duplicity, next day, and it was to answer to this charge this morning that brought Lowe to the Potice Court and his death. Thn‘t the crime was premeditated has been proved beyond a doubt, as Lowe had openly threatened the women, and, it, is claimed, has written of his intention to others. The following letters, taken from the women’s had as she fay on the floor Contiued on Fourth Page, ILLINOIS DAY AT MeKINLEY'S HOME Large Delegations Pour in From Morning to Night. Pilgrims 1 Lincoln Make a Fine Display. From the Home of ENTHUSIASM UNRESTRAINED. Handsomely Usiformed and Wel!- Drilled Voters Add to the Aanimated Scenes. CANTON, Oxuro, Oct. 21.—Major McKin- ley bad the liveliest Wednesday he has experienced in the campaign to-day. There were three laige delegations, num- bering in the aggregate about 9000 people, and several small delegations which de- manded their share of time, attention and speeches. The day was called Illinois day and there were many trainloads of visitors {rom that State. Some of them arrived as early as 5 o’clock in the morning. Among the first to come were those from Spring- field, who wore badges on which were the words “Pilgrims from the home of Lin- coln to the home of McKinley.”” The ora- tory which Major McKinley listened to to-day was of a higher character than that usually addressed to him, and while there were large numbers of farmers and work- ingmen among the visitors there were, who bore the stamp of successful urban life. % tl.‘hough it was Illinois day, the citizens of the famous old Nineteenth Congressional District of Ohio, the district of Wade and Garfield, had decided it as a fitting time to pay their respects to' McKinley, and they, with Colonel W. H. Pond’s superb Mc- Kinley regiment-of-Cleveland, very gon- siderably outnumbered - the visitors from the more distant State. For the first time in the campaign here glee clubs made a distinct impression upon the throngs of visitors' and campaign songs were potent enough te sway a vast audience. The Weber quartet of Chicago was loudly and repeatedly'encared wkhen it sang the Ohio and 1llinois, State songs. Major McKinley was in excellent form to-day, and his voice, notwithstanding the facc that a shaxp cold wind was blow- ing and that he had to address people on all'sides of him, was clear, farreaching and effective, The weather was clear and bright, but cold. 3 At 1 o’clock Major McKinley received a call from the members of the McKinley Club of Lowell, Ill., and a large party of friends from Poland Township, Mahoning County, Obio. This delegation, made up of nearly 200 persons, received a cordial welcome from the candidate. It was in Poland Township that Major MeKinley spent the greater.par: of his boyhood-and from which he went as a soldier to serve his country. .These points were brought out m the brief introductory address of Judge George Farrell of Youngstown, who acted as{ spokesman. When Governor McKinley had finished his brief talk he greeted each of his old neighbors with a hearty handshake and a pleasant word. The mounted escort of Chicago rode.up to the, McKinley residence just as the Poland-township people were leaving, and Major McKinley, after reviewing them from the platform erected on” the front of hislawn, complimented the escort upon its excells A “The Garfield Club of the ofd Nineteenth Ohio’ District and their friends, to” the number’ of 3500, wefe the next callérs. ‘Theyarrived on four special trains ‘and’ were accompanied by several brass bands and glee clubs. The old Nine- teenth District embraces the portions of the counties of Lake, Portege, Trumbull, Ashtabula, Mahoning and Geauga. All of these localities were represented here A | too, an unusually large humber of men | to-day and the enthusiasm was unre- strained. After filling the McKinley lawn the crowd literally blocked North Market street in front, and Major McKinley was obliged to abandon the porch for the more prominent position on the platform, where he could be more readily heard by all. His appearance on the platform was the signal for a tremendons outburst of cheers. The McKinley Glee Club of Niles, Ohio, and the Weber Quartet of Chicago ren- dered several campaign selections and then Captain Wallace, president of the Garfield Club, introduced Coneressman Northway as the spokesman. When M jor McKinley had finished he introduced State Senator James R. Garfield, who spoke briefly. Among others who accom- panied this dele; son and Lieutenant-Governor A. W. Jones. The great Illinois delegation pressed close behind the army of “enthusiastic yoters from. Garfield’s old_district. Illinois _and Chicago peaple, escorted by the Black Hussars and the Canton 'troop, passed in review before: Major. McKinley before he addressed them. After the pa- rade General John McNulia spoke in be- half of the Chicago Republicans, with J. Calhoun for the State of Illinois, Robert J. Given for the Republican clubs of Chi- cago, and P. J. Miniter for the labor or- ganizations, Major McKinley addressed them in reply at some length. A short time after the Illinois delega- tion departed about 500 laboring men of Chieago and Illinois called on r Mc- Kinley, and told him they wan to ‘as- sure him that the workingmen of the country understood the question at issue, and that they considered him one of their most trusted and useful friends. M. H. Madden was spokesman. Mr. McKinley responded briefly. At sunset the Cleveland East. End Me- Kinley Regiment, a handsomely uni- formed and drilled body of enthusiastic voters, marched up to the McKinley resi- dence. They were preceded by their own mounted escort, their own pioneer corps and their own bands. It was the most impressive, the most elaborately uni- formed ‘and carefuily drilled marching | club that has been seen in Canton. While their spokesman, F. G. Hogen, was ad- dressing Major McKinley, each man lighted a torch, and in a moment’s time 1000 lights were swinging and flashing in the street. In the evening the Republican march- ing clubs of Massillon paid Major McKin- ley a visit and was briefly addressed by bim. SILLOWAYE: AN IMPOSTOR. Robert T. Lincoln Expeses the Sorry-Rec- ord of the Man Who Is Fighting _ McKinley. : CHICAGO, Irr, Oct. 21. — Robert T. Lincoln' to-day declared’ that he believed “this man who called himself Colonel Sil- lowaye is a simple impostor and that noth- ing he says is entitled to the least faith or credit.”, f * Sillowaye is the man who claims to have inchis possession.a letter alleged to have been Written in 1890 by Major McKinley, in which the writer is represented as op- posed to granting pensions to, veterans of th e Civil War. - Mr. Lincoln further said that in 1893 and in 1894 lie received marked copies of a Boston newspaper containing "a long account of the distressed circum- stances of a Colonel William A. Sillowaye, in which the latter’s’ valuable military services were vaguely referred to, as well as his special claim on charity for having saved President Lincoln from being cap- tured by rebels. One of the headlines asked, “Why aoesn’t Robert Lincoln help this man?” 4 In September, 1894, Mr. Lincoln received a letter from the éditor, of the American Nation, published in Boston, vouching for Sillowaye and asking Lincoln to assist in securing a pensioh for kim. As Sillowaye had claimed to have a letter from Presi- dent Lincoln thanking him for bisservices Robert Lincoln offered, if the letter was sent for examination, 1o return it, together with a sumof money as a gift. In reply to this'a rambling’ letter ‘was received, in which Sillowaye said the letter was in the possession of his daughter and he had ‘teen unable to get it. B “«An’ examination of the army’ register shows no officer’ by the name’ of Sillow- *sald Mr. Lincoln, “and ‘the steamer on. which Sillowaye:claimed to have been employed as an engineer in the iver boat hired: by the War Departm Continving Mr. “Sillowaye wrote that the saving of my bail, | dre agitators. To-day the management of father from capture tcok place May 13, 1863. His statement is to the effect that he steamer Brooks was attacked by rebe!s May 13, 1863, down the Potomac, and that he in some way undescribed saved the President from capture. On page 474 of part 11, volume 25, of series 1, Records of the War of the Rebellion, is found a tele- gram dated Washington, May 13, 1863, which is addressed to Major-General Hooker and signed by President Lincoln, requesting General Hooker to come up and see the President that evening, and following that telegram in the book is the reply of General Hooker stating that he would come. “From all these facts I therefore have no doubt whatever that this man Sillo- waye is a simple impostor.” HANNA ANSWERS JONES' CHARGES. Says the Accusation That Voters Are Co- erced Is an Insult to Both Employer and Employe. CHICAGO, Irn. Oct. 21.— Chairman Hanna this morning gave to the press the following: The manifest policy of the Silver Democratic managers in this campaign, as set forth by their candidate for President shortly after his nomination, has been to create the belief in the minds of the workingmen that they were being coerced by their employers to vote con- trary to their convictions. The chairman of the National Committee, Hon. James K. Jones, has emphasized this poliey in a pcroclamation in which he boldly charzes the employing classes of the country with having entered into & conspiracy to coerce their employes into voting contrary to their opinions. This is & very grave charge and it has now assumed & form that justifies giving it some attention. It is an insult both to employer and employe. We do not believe that one is despotic enough to attempt to coerce, or that the other is so cringing as to be coerced. Em- ployes and employers are all free American citizens, knowing their rights and capacity of asserting and maintainjng them. To coerce a voter is a crime against the laws of the land, and if Messrs. Bryan and Jones know of coer- cion they make themselves accomplices of the criminals by not informing the proper authori- ties ana taking steps for prosecution. It has been the policy of the Republican party since its organization to protect every citizen in the exercise of his elective fran- chise, and 1t will still adhere to that policy. While we consider the charge absurd and be- leve that American workingmen and em- ployers are too patriotic to be either coerced or to coerce, the Republican National Commit- tee will 1o anythingin its power to protect workingmen in the free and untrammeled ex- ercise of their rights as citizens and will cheerfully unite with the National Democratic Committee in any movement having that ob- ject in view. Coercion of voters is not only an un-Ameri- can, unpatriotic and despotic usurpation of the rights of a free ci:izen, But itisa wrong that will inevitably recoil upon its perpetraté ors. Itis an arbitrary use of power thatis in direct confliet with the principles of our Gov- ernment. The civil compact of majority rule means free majorities, for whose protection all constitutional powers should be used and without which a political victory would be barrén of results worthy of a great partf. This committee will spate no pains to secure to -every ~citizen. whatever " his politios, the right to east his vote sccordiog to his convictions and. tp haye his. vote honestly counted. MORRISON SCORES ALTGELD. Caustic Open Letter From the Chairman of the Interstate Commerce ‘Commission. CHICAGO, IrL., Oct. 21.—An open letter has been received from Hon. William R, Morrfson, chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, to Hon. Benja- min R. Burroughs of Edwardsville, [Il., containing some caustic criticisms of Go' ernor Altgeld's administration and his attitude on the silver question. The letter carries with it the conclusion that Colonel Morrison will not vote the State Demo- cratic ticket in full, although he does not explicitly say so. In part Colonel Morri- son says: If beliet in the silver provision of the Chi- cago platform is the only test of merit, what claim has the Governor on its advocates? His leases provide for the payment of rent in gold; whether to him personally or as presidentofa corporation is immaterial. They show that he believes and expects free coinage.wiil resulfin adepreciated silver dollar, and hjs utterances for free coinage can have no higher purpose than to delude those who do honestly believe init, The Democratic party of the State has only lost its regained power. It will doubtless outlive the domination and controlof Gover- nor Altgeld, Hon. H. E. Taubeneck and Hon, Jehu Baker, but it will more certainly survive this leadersnip if asa party it can be relieved from tbe scandal of laws disobeyed, oaths broken and treasuries plundered. The writer repeats the published charges that Altgela violated his oath by borrow- g State money, allowing the unlawfal use of State money by the deceased Treas- urer Ramsay, and by unlawfully opening the treasury vault after his death. B hE U S Watson Scores a Point. TOPEKA, Kaxs., Oct. 21.—In the man- damus proceedings in the Supreme Court, instituted by Chairman Breidenthal of the Populist State Central Committee against - Secretary of State Edwards to compel him toinsert Watson’s name on the official ballot, the court this evening, two-thirds of the judges concurring, de- cided in favor of Breidenthal and ordered Edwards to put‘Watson’s name on the official ballot. The action ofithe court seitles the -ticket, and eight tickets will now be presented. 3 Three More Miners L:hargul With Murder as a Result of the Grand, Jury's "' Investigations. LEADVILLE, Coro., Oct. 2L.—Follow- ing the arrest of Eben «Costley last night, three more miners were' arrested this: afternoon. < They are: John Geary, John Mullen and John Bfennan, while a warrant is out for another man who has not vet been located. The ar- rests are the resuit of the Grand Jury’s in- vestigation of the Coronado affair, and the men arrested are not to be admitted to s they are charged with the delib- erate murder of Jerry O’Keefe, a city firs- man, who was shot down while perform- ing his duty on the night of the Coronado fire, 1t is impossible to learn the evidence that the Grand Jury has'secured against these men, but it is supposed to be of a sensational character. A plan is on foot by a number of lessees here to gradually dispense with the services of the union ‘mén in’ their employ, whom they claim ‘the Sedalia property discharged the entire force of twenty union men, but resumed operations to-night with a force of non- union workmen. i A court-martial will be held at Camp Mcintyre to-morrow-to try several impor- tant cases. FURTHER ARRESTS AT LEADVILLE. ONE HUGE WAVE SUNK THE ARAGD Dashed the Vessel Onto the Unfinished Coos Bar Jetty. Captain Reed Had Guided His Charge Almost Out of Danger. EMPTY BOATS WASHED ASHORE Bodies of None of the Drowned Res covered —Eye-Witnesses Tell of the Disaster. MARSHFIELD, Or.,, Oct. 1. — Two masts projecting a few feet above the swell at high tide mark the spot where the steamer Arago lies beneath six fathoms of water, just beyond the end of the upfinished jetty at the entrance to Coos Bay. The vessel has not moved since it was carried out of its course by a huge billow, dashed on to the rocks, and then lifted again and literally planted on the crest of the bar. The decks of the steamer have been swept clear, and it is evident that the hatches are broken, as a quantity of merchandise ‘which was stored in the lower hold has drifted ashore. The beach has been patrolied all day by the life-saving crew, but none of the bodies of the drowned has been recovered. The impression now ob- tains that the disaster was not due to the negligence or incapacity of the captain or his officers, all of whom behaved with great heroism. No blame attaches to the members of the life-saving crew, who acted with promptness and bravery. The following is a corrected list of those lost: John Norman, passenger; R. Wal- ters, passenger; J. Sparks, passenger; E. McGraw, passenger; George Patience, pas- senger; W. E. Brown, chief engineer; R. Paterson, steward; F. Fernandes, cook; J. Kruger, sailor; Harry Sander, sailor; Wil- liam Whitile, - fireman; A. McDade, fire- man; E. Wall, fireman, and Ben, mess- boy. Some trunks, valises and cases of butter and honey have come ashore from the wreck. - The trunks are usually stowed in the hoid, and the finding of them makes it certain that the force of the wayes has burst open the hatches. The hull is intact, .. This.proves- ness of the ves- sel. agshe has been subjected to 3 terrible buffeting from the elements. Two of the ship’s boats, badly smashed, were found on the beach this morning. Itis thought that one of them was the boat from which the chief engineer and crew were lost. It was found in the vicinity of where the unfortunate men were last seen alive, making a brave fight against heavy odds in the surf to right the boat. The boat com~ ing ashore would suggest that the bodies would also be thrown on the beach, but there is a strong undertow along this por- tion of the coast which carries a body into deep water, burying the remains in the sand, never again to be.viewed by iriends or relatives in this world. This is the general rule, and though it is hoped there will e an exception in this case previous experience is to the contrary. In regard to the occurrence of the disas- ter.a few words explanatory of the sunken jetty would not be amiss. The jetty was built by sinking piles in the sand ahead of the work. A track was then constructed on the piles and rock was dumped from cars until the embankment was of suffi- cient height to make the whole substantial, As/ the work was advanced across the spit and into deep water near the bar the jetty was subjected to the full force of the seas rolling in from the ocean. Especially was this severe during winter storms, and while an appropriation was being ex- pended repairs on the track were con- stantly necessary. ‘When the last appropriation was ex- hausted all work was discontinued, and the portion in deep water soon showed evidence of the ravages committed by the breakers. The piles and track were washed away for a distance of 200 feet, leaving nothing to show the dangerous embank- ment of rock hidden from view at all stages of the tide. Vessels give it as wide a berth as pos- sible, but when’crossing out, owing to the trend of the current being south, they are obliged to hug the jetty as closely as safety will permit to prevent driiting to« ward the south spit. It was on the end of this sunken jetty that the ill-fated Argo struck. One eyewitness slates that the vessel was caught by a minature tidal wave, cariied out of her course and dashed her onto the rock embankment. Another wave carried her clear off the jetty into deep water, where she rapidly filled and sank, going down stern foremost. A. W. Neal of Marshfield, who was one of the first to reach the scene of the wreck, states that.from the information obtained from Captain Reed the Arago was steam= ing out over the bar. When she was abreast of the outer end of the jetty, the captain noticed that the swell and current ‘were setting the steamer on to the jetty. He immediately ordered the helm put starboard, and she was answering her helm nicely when an immense swell lifted her stern and set her with terrific forca ‘down upon the jetty. Captain Read A PERFECT BRBAKFAS F('JOD-