The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 24, 1898, Page 16

16 THE SA SWORN TESTIMONY IN REFUTATION OF EXAMINER LIES The Yellow Journal Tried to Buy the Story of the Livernash Suicide for the Purchase of Which It Denounced and Maligned The Call and Traduced the Dead. Positive Evidence Which Completely Exonerates Every One Concerned in the Matter FRANCISCO CALL, TH DAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1898. Except Those Connected With the Mission-Street Ghoul, Which Is Officially Branded by the Action of the Coromer’s Jury as a Malicious and Untruthful Defamer of Character. At the inquest into the death of John who committed suicide ght, the Coroner's jury rning rendered a verdict ath resulted from a gun- rough the heart, and that death by a pistol shot ! sworn testimony developed the | t the many sensational asser- by the miner regarding | utterly groundless and It was alse shown the letter produced by Livernash on the e was written for the further shown story sol h i it ) was offered $100 for it by A. | {as’to the man and two other things in went into the business office the sten- ographer there said to me: “There is a gentleman just left here by the name of Livernash, who wishes to see you. said: “I just came down to go to the editorial rooms to see him. Call him back.” The stenographer rushed out and called Mr. Livernash back, and he went inside the counter. He toid me that he had some valuable information—some valuable news that he wished to dispose of to the paper. I asked him what the nature of the news was. He said, some- thing very sensational, that would make a front-page story, second only to the blowing up of the battle-ship Maine. I told him I wanted to know more about it than that. He then gave me a little outline of what it would be; that some State officer in connection with the har- bor, the water front, was about to ab- scond with about $3000, and that he had knowledge of the fact, and would write it up, and he would also give information connection with it, but he sald, ““It will be | 2 - " TESTIMONY FROM THE GRAVE. [ " I have sold a story to The Call for $i00. To m = my dying breath | swear they do not know what m m isin it [ ] - (Extract from story writfen by J. J. Livernash just before his death.) i —E-5-5-8-8-5-uE at| M. Lawrence, managing editor of th paper, but that the offer was declined. The te y of all the witnesses | was direct to the effect that there | was nothing in either the appearance | or manner of Livernash that would in- | . that he was either of unsound or the influence of liquor. | 1 s deliberate, cool and | and he attended to the de- is plan in a manner that gave | ry indication that he perfectly un- stood the full import of his actions. evidence was also conclusive | showing that the manager of Call bought the story in perfect good faith that it detailed the em-| bezzlement of Government funds by an | official, with the distinct understanding | that if after the story were sent to him it was found available and bore Inves- | tigation the sum stipulated would be | paid for it. The evidence was all to the effect that there was nothing in the manner | of the man to indicate that he contem- plated suicide or that the story, which he offered, in any manner related to | himself. | Notwithstanding the efforts of an im- pertinent lawyer named Long to em- | barrass the proceedings and harass the Coroner, the testimony was so clearj and pointed that the jury had no dif- | ficulty in arriving at a verdict within five minutes after it retired to the juryroom. As the first witness was called, the following conversation en- sued between Coroner Hawkins and Long: Attorney James Lnng-l”rlor to proceed- | ing with this inquest, I wish to state that | I would ask a continuance until the ar- | rival of the wife and sister of the de- | ceased. Coroner Hawkin: derstand, Mr. Lo questions to be inquest. Attorney Long—Well, all right; but we | it to say that the family of Mr. Liver- | nash is not here, and we simply ask that | justice be done the Livernash family and | that they be granted till 2 o'clock to come | here. | The Coroner—I will not permit the de- lay. Call the witnesses. W. S. Leake, manager of the San Francisco Call, testified as follows: | As far as having any knowledge of the | death of Mr. Livernash, I don’t know that | 1 have any at all. If you wish to know | what my dealings were with him_prior | to_his death, I will willingly give them. Last Friday evening, after having my | dinner, I went to the San Francisco Club, and while there—I think it was between § and § o'clock—I received a_telegram from the editorial rooms of The Call, notifying me that a man by the name of nash was there, who professed to | have some valuable ne which he wished to dispose of to The Call, but | he refused to talk to any one except some | one in authority. 1 told the messenger to telephone back that I_would be over | there about 10 o'clock. Near 10 o'clock 1 left the San Francisco Club and went down to the business office, and as I eve You thoroughly un- that I will permit no | ked by a lawyer at the % ____ ADVERTISEMENTS. s L - E P ] SKIN-TORTURED | BABIES And rest for tired mothers in a warm bath with CUTICURA SOAP,and asingleapplication of CUTICURA (ointment), the great skin cure. CuricurA REMEDIES afford instant relief, and point to a speedy cure of torturing, dis- figuring, humiliating, itching, burning, bleed- ing, crusted, scaly skin and scalp humors, ‘with loss of hair, when all else fails. i S04 throughout the world. Porren Drve 4wp Cwn. Conr... Gole Props... Boston. 0 + How o Cure Skin Tortared Bables,” free. ir Besutifed by, SKIN, SCALP ™ oitsolossss | me I told him I would meet him in fif- | want my wife to have it.” lnlghl. and she may not permit B o BB N R ] a good story. and I want to sell it to you for $1%0. I don’t want you to pay for it unless the story is a good one.” I told him to wait for me fifteen mihutes, as [ would be back in fifteen minutes; he said no, he would go out and would be back in fifteen minutes. He then walked out. I then conferred with Mr. Martin and others and ascertained who this man was; ascertained that he was holding a pos tion on the water front, and satisfied mjy self as far as I could that he was a re- libale man. Oh, by the way, when he left teen minutes in my own office. In fifteen minutes I went up, and the office boy sald Livernash was {nside waiting for me. I called up Mr. Martin, the business man- ger of the paper, and told him to bring the stenographer up. The stenographer followed Mr. Martin a few minutes after- ward. He, Livernash, started in to tell me about the story again, and he said that before he gave me the story he wanted me to enter into an agreement with him that if the story, after investigation, proved satisfactory and of enough impor- tance to be published that I would pay 3100 for it but if, after investigation, I did not think it worthy of publication, I would be under no obligation to pay for it at all. He sald he wanted that agree- ment made out in the name of his wife. I told him that I would not do that; that I wanted no financial dealings = witk women. He said, “I am in %nanc!h} trouble. If it is known that the money s coming to me, it will be attached, and I I said, “Under ve 1o _Gbjection ur wife will be pro- those circumstances 1 ha to fixing it so that yo tegted in :msfinauer' We then called the stenographer dictated a statement in Subetanee to tai efect, that Mr. Livernash called at such and such a time and made a statement that he had important information to dispose of to The Call, and if the story was worthy of publication it was to be published over his signature and that we would pay him $100, and if after investi- gation 1t could not be substantiated the story was to be returned and nothing aid for it. After that was written out e said there were too many words in it. He then dictated an agreement, which was printed in the paper afterward. He dictated that himself, which I signed. During the conversation he showed no excitement whatever, and the only time | that he showed any feeling was when he referred to the treatment he had recetved | at the hands of his brother and the treat- | ment his sister had rece:ved when she ap- plied for employment to the managing editor of one of the papers here. And that was only a feeling of indignation so far a3 I could discover. asked him how long it would tal get the story ready, and he sala: T send it back to you by 11 o'clock.” I said: “No, you won't send it back to me; bring this vourself.” He sald: “I don't know whether I can get off, for the rea- | son that I am married to 2 German lady and she doesn’t like me to be out late at % me to come.” 1 said: “Then this settles the whole thing. You have exacted a prom- ise that this story shall be published as you write it, and you must bring it back yourself, as there may be-some objec- Honable things in there that cannot be published. 1 insist upon your coming | ack here with the story vourself.” He sald that he would come if it was a pos- sible thing. He said: “If I can get away from my wife T wili come back myself and if T can’t I will send it by one of my friends.” 1 sald: “Who is your friend?" He safd: A man by the name of Allen, who is a little deaf.” I said: “Give me your signature so I will know the story is from you. 1 don’'t want some one to ring in some bogus news.” After that he told me the story would have to be fllus- trated and would occupy about three columns of space, and there were several pletures to go with it. I asked him how was to verify this statement, as it was to be published the next morning. He sald: “There will be no trouble about that, My sister and wife know all about this.” T safd: “In that case 1 wish you would have your sister and wife sign the statement. That will be evidence enough to me that they know about it.” He said: 1:Noi 1 don’t care to bother them about He then asked me what the prospects were for his sister getting employment on the paper. He BROke of her literary ability, being a much better writer than her brother, and that he would like the privilege of bringing her around to intro- duce her. I told him I could not offer much encouragement, but was willing to glve her an opportunity, and if she showed literary ability, no doubt she could get on the paper.” At no time during the conversation dia he show any signs, as I have sald before, of being_excited or under the influence of liquor. It was the first time I ever saw him, and the last me. Coroner Hawkins—Is that all you ki about_the case? 7 e A.—Now, after he left T went over to the editorial rooms; and I can't tell the lapse of time exactly, but it was not very lon, before the office boy rushed in and sail to me that man was dead. I said, “What man?’ He sald, “The man that was in the room with you.” I asked him where he got- the information, and he said some one telephoned it. Then in walked a gen- tleman whom I found out afterward was Mr. Allen, and he said: “I have a ackage for you. Mr. Livernash has shot imself dead.” He then told me where he had killed himself and handed me this package. I broke the package open and found a statement. It was the state- ment published in the paper, and also Mr. Livernash's pho(o%‘rash. That was the first intimation I had that he had committed suicide or contemplated com- mitting suicide. It was as much a sur- prise to me as it could possibly have been to his wife. I think I then told one of the reporters—Mr. Hugh Burke—to take a carriage and go with Mr. Allen and tell his sister of the sad affair, and let her break the news to Mrs. Livernash. I believe I turned the manuscript over to Mr. James, who prepared it as it was presented in the paper the next marnlnf. There was no talk of suicide at all while he was in my room. Neither did he ac- cuse any one, or intimate anything of the sort to me. On the contrary, he talked very rationally, was as cool a man as there was in the room. He said the story was In regard to a large defalcation, and that it was a matter that his sister and wife knew all about, and that he wanted his sister’s picture in the story to make it complete. Q.—Is that all you know of the case? A.—Yes, sir; I believe that is all. - —Did you bring the letter? A.—No, sir, I did not bring it. Q.—Will you let me see it; bring it here? A.—Yes, the letter is intact, with the ex- ception of the first page, from ‘which the fac-simile was made and presented in the paper, and the last page which has about four or five words and the signature. In the preparation of the fac-simile it was either destroyed or mislaid. The other portion is intact and can be produged. Also a copy of the a%reemenl dictated by Mr. Livernash himself. Coroner Hawkins—You will send th~m down? A.—Yes, sir. That is all you know about the case? A.—That is all at the present time. Q.—All that you knew of the sulcide was when this man Allen came in and told you? A.—The office boy had just told me that this man had killed himself. Be« fore he got through, however, Mr. Allen came in. That was the first intimation I had of his committing suicide. ‘W. J. Martin, business manager of The Call, testified: 1 was present at the con- versation that took place between Mr. Leake and Mr. Livernash. can add nothing to Mr. Leake’s testimony. The man was as sane as any man I ever saw in my life. I stood within two feet of him in the office, and paid particular attention to what he had to say. He was closely questioned by both Mr. Leake and my- self. He seemed to lay stress on the fact that he wanted employment for his sis- ter, and promised to bring his sister round the next day, and he was told that if she showed the ability claimed we would try and provide for her. He dwelt on the importance of this exposure on the water front, and made that the basis of the story. That is about all I know, sir. Q.—Was there anything in his conver- sation pr actions that would lead you to get out of him what it was, and he said it was somebody short in his accounts, and it would be a first-class story. Then, after talking with him some little time, he stepped outside, and was going away, and 1 turned to come back into the office— that is, the private office of Mr. Martin— and there I saw Mr. Leake and Mr. Mar- tin going downstairs. Then I told Mr. Leake Mr. Livernash was just in to see him, and he told me he was the man he was going to look for. He said, ‘Go and et him.” T said, ‘I don’t know if I can.’ e said, ‘Go ahead and try.” I went up Market street and 100 feet ahead or so I met Livernash in company with another gentleman. I told him that Mr. Leake would like to see him. He came back to the office, and then Mr. Leake and Mr. Martin brought him behind the counter and started to talk with him. Then the next I noticed they all went out, and where they went I don't know: I went back to the office, was sitting there, and in a few moments Mr. Martin came down and told me to take my notebook and go upstairs. There first Mr. Leake dictated A Juror—Yes, sir. you whether you dict now. Are you satisfied C00000000000000Q200000 dike story. I told him that it would have to be verified and he then said that he would like to see the principal. 1 re- ferred the matter to Mr. Leake. The next I knew of the story was when Mr. Leake told me to reserve space for a possible 3000-word story that might come in, but which would require verification before use, and I had better hold some good men {n the office so that it could be veri- fled, but about 11 o'clock I heard of the story and the result. That is all I know. I heard that the man had committed sui- clde at some place on Mission street. B. F. Allen of 60 South Park testi- fied: I was just about to eat supper when my wife came and told me Mr. Livernash wanted to meet me at the corner of Sec- ond and Bryant streets. I said 1 would be there in fifteen minutes. .Then I went down to the saloon and went out and walked back again and met him. He sal T want you to go up town with me.’: . He said: “I have a story to write. I have got to go to Chinatown. I will tell you more later.” He said: “Where is your pistol, I may need it.”” I said: “It is in the second-hand store on Third street.”” He said: “Has it got any cart- ridges in 1t?” I said: *“No, I have got some home,” and he said: “Go and get them.” I went home and got the cart- ridges and gave them to him. I met him on the corner of Third and Bryant streets, Then we walked up to the second-hand store and he handed me a dollar and a half and I went in, he following right be- hind me. The man said I might have the pistol for six bits. So I gave the pistol to“Mr. Lllxi'(ernash and he loaded it. Ve walked ou.side, and I h six bits back that he had ven %‘ged'rr!;‘el: he said the story he s going to get was up in Chinatown, and he hz . to see a wharfinger that was £g0ing to sa.p out on account of $3000. He wanted to write him up, and thought there might be some trouble, but didn't believe that there was any danger, but wanted the pistol to pro- tect himself. said he was going to sell the story to Andy Lawrence for $250. We ked to i.e Examiner office. rie am going upstairs to see Law- He told me to go and get him an unruled writing tablet for two bits. He said: “You paid for the drinks across the street. Here is another half. Take that if you need it.” We walked across the street, ordered the drinks; I paid for them; sat down at the table with him. He was holding the tablet and writing. I E{(‘ked up the Bulletin and was reading it. e stopped wriung, got up and ordered beer a couple of times and then sat right down. Then some parties were si ging in there. I was paying attention to them. When he got through he ordered another glass of beer. We went back to the Ex- aminer office to see Lawrence. I waited on the sidewalk, but he came back and said that Lawrence would give him but $100 and that Leake would give him $250. I told him that if he could write a little like that and get $1.v for it he was doing pretty well. We went up to the editorial rooms and we had ‘a drink before going upstairs. He came down and sald Leake was not there, and we had another drink. Pretty soon he went up again, and came back and said that he would be back at half-past 9. When he came back we had another drink. Then we went to the The Coroner—I had a telegram from the sister ask. ing for a postpomement, but there is nothing to show that they were present at the shooting, and it rests with wish to hear them or return a vers A Juror—We are satisfied that he shot himself. Coroner Hawkins—Do you wish to close the case 2 A Juror—Yes, close the case. Extract from stenographic report of the inquest. Oberon and had several drinks there. I was talking with a walter there, while 0000000000000 000000000000C00000000000 THE EVIDENCE WAS SUFFICIENT. The Coroner—Gentlemen of the jury, have you your minds made up as to whether you have enough evi- dence to determine how this man came to his death, whether suicidal, accidental or homicidal ? as to the cause of death ? C0000C00000C000000000 000000000C000000C000C0CCO00000000000000000 'meng ?l ]&he ln‘:ory. leted it Mr. Liver- Poo long; he didn’t at, and he dictated tter I had written it d and it was _copled and delivered to Mr. Livernash. Then I was dismissed and went away. That is all I know, except the conversation I had with him at the counter. He seemed very anxious to see Mr. Leake, as he had a very important story about this shortage in the account of a State official. He said he wanted money, it was a good story and he wanted to be paid for it if it was published. If they didn’t think it was worth publishing they need not pay any- an agreement for | and after he had nash sald that w want anything like one himself, which out, Mr. Leake sig. thing. Q.E\Vhen he first came in there, did he offer a story A.—No, sir; he said he wanted to see Mr. Leake. Q.—That is what I am asking you. Do " FAC SIMILE OF PAGE OF LIVERNASH’S : STORY, Showing That It Was Written for the Examiner. oppane that he was about to commit sui- cide? A.—Nothing in the world. Q.—Was there anythlng that showed his condition as to sobriety? A.—No, sir. ‘W. J. McCall, stenographer for the busi- ness manager of the San Francisco Call, tesfified: ‘‘On the evening of Friday, the 18th, Mr. Livernash came into the office, the business office, and asked to see Mr. Leake. I told him that he was not there at the present time, and would be in pe; haps a little later on; he seemed to inti- mate that that would be too late; that he wanted to see him right away. In the conversation he said that he had a story, wl‘lli:lh u:rg;ld be a l::nt'i; e story, and portance e disaster of the ;?a.lna. 1 asked him what it was, tried to Yyou know anything else of the case? A.— Nothing whatever. Q.—When did you first learn of the sui- clde? A.—I didn't really know about it until I read it in the paper. L. D. Adam, assistant city editor of The Call, testified as follows: o I can't add very much to what has been said. A llttl;z before 9 o'clock Mr. Livernash came to the office and I saw him in the office—came to sell a story to me for $10. I asked him about it. He ‘would not go into particulars, except that it was something that would be of as much interest as the disaster to the Maine and also that it had something to do with a defalcation and possibly a Klon- i he was writing, and a man named Mur- fihy came in and talked to him. I don't now what he said. I saw Livernash hand him a dollar. He told me afterward he loaned Murphy the dollar. He asked me if T had 15 cents to pay for the drinks. I said !yes, and ordered three glasses of beer. paid for the drinks, and then he asked me to get an envelope from the barkeeper. The waiter got it, and I handed it to him. Then we drank the beer. Then he walked out and met Mur- phy on the sidewalk. He went to talking to Murphy, and I talked to Murphy’s son on the edge of the sidewalk, and then when he came back he said, “Ben, we will 0 down to The Call office.”” We went to he Call editorial rooms. Before we went up we had a drink in a little saloon alongside. He said “Leake would not be there till 10 o'clock, so come down and have a drink.” Then we went up and he said: “Well, we will take a walk up there.”” As we passed the Spreckels building some one hollered to Livernash and he came back and went up stairs, and when he came down he said Leake only gave him $100 for the story, but he would rather sell the story to Leake for $100 than to Long Green Lawrence for $250. - He said ‘“Long Green Lawrence would murder or do any- thing else.” He said: “I have got to be back by 10 o'clock.” When we were pass- ing the sample-room he said: “We will have to get 5-cent beer.” So we went to the New Louvre and had a glass of beer. We went back to The Call office and he went upstairs to the elevator. He stayed twenty or twenty-five minutes, and when he came down he told me he had sold the stuff that he wrote in the Oberon. He pulled the package and wrote something on that, and he took the envelope that he got from the waiter. He tore it open and put another paper inside of it. He said: “Put this in your inside coat pocket and this in the outside coat pocket, and if anything should happen to me give this package to Mr. Leake and the letter to my wife.” Then we started down Third street. I said: “John, you have been drinking a good deal and you had better go home.” But no one could tell it, because no matter how much the man drank no one could tell he was drunk. He talked just as straight then as at any time. He said: “Ben, I think we had better go home.” He said: “I ought to go and see that man first about the story.” I sald: “Leave the story go and go home.” When we were passing the sa- loon on Mission street he asked me if I had a dime to pay for the beer. I sald: “No.” He went in and I stood out there and in a half minute the barkeeper rushed out and asked me'if that was my friend. I had heard the shot, but not hearing good it seemed too light for a shot. He sald: -“Is that your friend who has shot himself?” I ran in and picked him up by the shoulder and said: “John, did you do it?” And he said: “Yes, Ben, I did it.” He tried to say something else, but the blood choked him. I thought maybe Mr. Leake would do something for him and send word to his wife, as I didn’t like to see his wife and tell her of it, and I went up and gave the package to Mr. Leake and told him of it, and he said he would see that the body was at- tended to. H. B. Wilson testified: At 10:30 o'clock last Friday night in the Davy Crockett saloon 1 saw J. J. Livernash. Some one on the outside called to him and he went that way. He walked straight through, went into the water closet and in about a minute I heard the report of a pistol. The man fell. I stepped around that way. This man that just testified he ran in. I heard him say: “John, did you do it?’ He spoke two or three times to him that way. He said: “Yes, I done it.” H. H. Kock testified: All T know about it is two men stood on the outside talking a little while and all at once this one moved up. The one they called Livernash he walked right into the toilet, and in a minute or two after I heard a shot fired. Then I went out and called on Mr. Allen.” I says: ‘Is that a friend of yours in the toilet?” And he says: “Yes.” And so he walked in and had a few words to say. I could not un- derstand_just what. 1 was busy trying to call the police, so I went behind the bar to get the whistle and blew it and a few minutes after the police came and took charge of it. That is all I know of ui : I didn’t even go inside into the back of it. W. J. Martin, business manager of The Call, was recalled to read the documents sent down by Mr. Leake. He read as follows: I, W. 8. Leake, manager of the San Francisco Call, hereby agree to to Mrs. J. J. Lb Saturday, February 19, any matter published over the JOHN J. LIVERNASH. of J. J. Livernash, appearing in the San Francisco Call of the 19th inst. That was the one that was dictated by Mr. Livernash and signed by Mr. Leake. Here is the first one dictated, wh Mr. Livernash thought was too lon On Friday, February 18, Mr. J. J. Liver- nash appeared at the office of . 8. eake, manager of the San Francisco Call, and made the following statement. I will furnish you information which will be of interest to the public, and which ou will to-day wish to publish in San rancisco Call. Before I do so, however, | I wish to sign an agreement that you will ay to Mrs. J. J. Livernash the sum of | 100 to-morrow, February 19, at 10 a. m. Providing, however, that after the infor- mation is furnished, and investigated, you do not deem it relfable or worthy of publication, there is no obligation whatever enforced upon you as to the payment of the said $100 to Mrs. Liver- nash. But if you do publish any part hereof this agreement shall be just as| binding as if you had published the entire | 7 p. m.—Golden reception parade f‘rom divisional headquarters, 1139 Mark street. 8 p. m.—The general speaks in the Caliv fornia Theater. & Tuesday, March 1, 10:30 a. m.—Officers’ council in the parlor of Central Methodist Church. 8 p. m.—Great sccial demonstration, led by the general };\'edngsdav arch 2, 10:130 a. m.—Second " council. —Third session of council. 8 p. m. nited soldiers’ ccouncil, led by the general, in Y. M. C. A. Hail. 2:30 p. m. For throat, lung troubles, Low’s Hore- hound Cough Syrup; i0c. 417 Sansome st.* ADVERTISEMENTS. GROCERY story. Q.—The first one you read was the | agreement? A.— sir; that i the s, agreement with Mr. Livernash, as stated | by Mr. Leake, and here is the signature | for verification in case he could not get | away from his wife, and found it neces- | sary to send the story by some one eise. | Here is the story, with the exception of | the first and last pages. They appear in fac-simile in the paper. | Q.—You say this is a copy of the last | page (pointing to matter in Call)? A.— Yes, sir: I think that portion is here. These pages are not in regular order. I don’t believe I can read this. Q.—You will have to try, Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin read the article written by Livernash, which was printed in The Cal! last Saturday morning. Q.—Take up the last page. What part should follow that next to the last page? A.—It says, “He it was who libeled Claus Spreckels, and may him and his convent wife be brought to justice.” Q.—Do you know anything else about | the case at all, Mr. Martin? Do you re member whether or not the word “Ex. aminer” or “Call” was written on the first page or whether the word “Examiner’ was scratched out, and the word *“‘Call” inserted? A.—That is not clear to me. this is a fac-simile. are any erasures. show. Q.—This is the one, the first sheet that you read. Is theword “Examiner” crossed out, and the word “Call’” inserted? A.— The word “Examiner” was scratched out that was the way it appea: Q.—The word ‘“Examiner” scratched out 1 don’t think there They would certainly | For the first page of that is missing. Well, 1 | and the word “Call” inserted over it? A.— | Yes, sir. J. C. Younglove said: I was standing in the saloon, in con- versation with three or four other gentle- men, and I saw a man open the door and look in and then close it and start in con- versation with some one on the outside. A few moments after that the first gen- tleman came in and walked back to the back part of the saloon. About a minute after I heard a shot. Two or three rushed out the front door. I told the proprietor he had_better blow for_ the police. He did so. In the meantime Mr. Allen rushed | into the back part. He was the first to g0 back there, and he made some remark, asking if he had killed himself, and he replied that he had. Then the police came. That is all T know. | Testimony of Dr. J. J. Gallagher, | autopsy physician and surgeon to the Coroner: Q.—Did you make the autopsy on the body of J. J. Livernash? A.—Yes, sir; on February 18, 1898. He came to his death from a gunshot wound through the heart. That is all. Attorney Long—I suggest that before the inquest closes the Livernash people come here. They want to ‘be here. The Coroner—Gentlemen of the jury, have vou your minds made up as to whether you have enough evidence to de- termine how this man came to his death, whether accidental or suicidal or homi- cidal? A juror—Yes, sir. The Coroner—I had a telegram from the sister asking for a postponement, but there is nothing to show they were pres- ent at the shooting, and it rests with you whether you wish to hear from them or return a verdict now. Are you satisfied in your minds as to the cause of death? A juror—We are satisfied that he shot himself. Coroner Hawkins—Do you wish to close the case? > A juror—Yes, close the case. - Coroner Hawkins—You will now retire to the jury room and bring in your ver- dict in writing. ‘The jury retired and returned with the following verdict: That J. J. Livernash, aged 26 years, nativity California, occupation State col- lector, married, residence 60 South Park, city and county of San Francisco, came to his death February 18, 1898, at 625 Mis- sion street, sald city and county, from a gunshot wound through the heart; and we further find that he came to his death by a pistol shot by his own hand. A. KOWITZ, GABRIEL JACOBS, M. SOMMER, L. HERZ, J. ANERSON, J. STEVELED, H. SOMMER. GENERAL BOOTH SOON T0 ARRIVE The Salvation Army Making Preparations to Receive Its Commander. The prospecive war between the United States is completely thrown into the shade, so far as the Salvation Army is concerned. The getting of accouterments into ship shape condition -about army headquarters is not for war, however, but because General Willlam Booth, origin- ator and commander-in-chic? of the army, is_about to visit San Francisco.. The programme, as made out by Cap- tain Reld for the three days' stay of Gen- eral-Booth in this city, is as follows: February: 28, 10:30 a. m.—The general speaks in the California Theater. m.—March from San Francisco ,800000000000000000 OOOOOO000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYGOO BARGAINS Some more astounding three=- day prices. It keeps people won= dering how we do it. But it’s very simple. -Being always in the market with ready cash is what | secures us this great advantage | over our competitors. TEAS - - - 35¢—3 Ibs SL00 | Al the choice ietfes, fresh and full of flavor. Regular price 50c. | SALMON BELLIES - Each 5¢ and 10c Of the new catch, very fancy. Regular price 10c and 15c. 0. K. WHISKEY - - T5c, 3 bots. $2.00 Age and purity gusrantesd, gallon 8. Regular price $1 and $4. = Pot 30c | PRESERVED GINGER - An Oriental delicacy. Regular price 50c. A. Pinard’s Petits Pois. Extra fins. Regular price 35c. RATHJEN BROS. 21 STOCKTON ST., | 3253 FILLMORE ST., Near Market. Corner Lombard. Telephone Main 5522. Telephone West 152. QOur Special this week is a Six-Drawer Oak Chiffonier. One of the most useful pieces of furniture, like the above, with mirror. . . . . . $9:15 Same Chiffonier with- out mirror . ... Cash or Little-at-a-Time Payments. J. NOONAN, 1017 to 1028 Mission Street, 516 to 522 Minna Street, Above Sixth. Phone South 14. Open Evenings. g 0000000000000 00C0C0C GRAND OPENING OF THE TURKISH RUG CO.S New Art Rooms AT 234 SUTTER ST, Between Kearny and Grant ave. i To be inaugurated by - AUCTION TO-DAY, THURSDAY, The Last Day of Auction, At 2 and 8 p. m. After that we will seil at PRI- VATE SALE. New, Fine Special Importation of Oriental Rug 000000000000 000CC0V000000C000000 will_be offered at auction, positively without reserve. [ We being a permanent firm our guaran- tee s safety to the buyers for the genulneness and superiority of our goods. We also cffer 2:15 p. Three ‘Hall; Mission street, mear. Third. 3 p. m.—General leads in'the California the special privilege to exchange the goods bought from us within the period of one A TURKISH g&l} COMPAP!;‘.' - » Auctioneer, - (ERENCH PEAS- = - - - Tin 2ichy A For this occaslon, merely for Adveflllemem.,‘