The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 31, 1895, Page 1

VOLUME LXXVIL—NO. 111 SAN FRANCISCO, NDAY MORNING, MARCH 31, 1895 — TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. THE PACIFIC SLOPE, San Diego Collectors of Taxes Disappear in the Desert. FEARS OF FOUL PLAY. Belief That the Men Were Mur- dered by Robbers Who Waylaid Them. RETURN OF THEIR HORSES. The Animals Were Without Trap- pings and Showed Signs of Hard Running. EESAN DIEGO, Car., March 30.—Deputy County Assessor L. N. Bailey of Julian and J. B. Brackett of this city are missing on the desert, and it is feared that they have been murdered. If murder has been done it must have been peculiarly cold- blooded, as the slayers must have followed their victims from Yuma and camped on their trail till the opportunity came, leav- ing the bodies of their victims on the desert and turning their horses loose te cregte the impression that the men were-lost. Both men have families in this city. The two men went out to collect taxes on personal property and polltax at the mining camps of Gold Rock, Largo, Mu- chacho and Picacho. as well as other points on the desert. They left Julian, which is 2 short journey from the western edge of the desert, on March 5. Nothing was heard of them until they arrived at Picacho, on the Colorado River, above Yuma, where Bailey wrote to County Assessor Burt. This was on the 16th. On the 20th Bailey again wrote to Assessor Burt, this time from Yuma, remitting $400 which he had collected. He asked for certain instruc- tions, which were wired him. Bailey and Brackett were to leave on the day after receiving a telegram, which was the 22d. Nothing has been heard of them since, though plenty of time has elapsed for them to cross the desert. On Tuesday night, the 26th, their horses arrived at San Felipe, east of Julian. The animals showed every sign of hard running, and were apparently suffering from thirst. They had no harness upon them. They were seen on the San Felipe grant for two or three days, and then made their way to Julian. Charles Bailey, a brother of the missing Deputy Assessor, accompanied by Fred Paine, an old desert trailer, immediately left Julian to search for the two men. They wyré of the opinion that foul play bad be4u committed, as Bailey was well acquainjed with the sandy plain, and would nut have let the horses escape. The fact that not even a halter was on the ani- mals looked as if they had been deliber- ately turned loose. 8o far as known Bailey would have had considerable money on his person collected in the mining camps. His brother fears that Mexicans or Indians, or even white men had followed the two men and mur- dered them. Though no trail existed Charles Bailey and Paine struck out for Yuma on the course they thought most likely to find the missing men. They were well armed. It was suggested that perhaps the two men had themselves fled, sending their horses home to make it appear they had become lost. But this is hardly likely, as both men have property, while the sum they had collected was not sufficient to tempt them to such a move. Brackett is part owner of Santa Yzabel ranch and Bailey some time ago sold the Wynola ranch at Julian. From the re- remarkably fast time made by the horses, crossing the desert in four days, a distance of about 160 miles, it is believed they got away soon after leaving Yuma, and that if murder was committed it was in the east- ern end of the county. Information re- garding the case was furnished by Asses- sor Burt to the District Attorn office to-day, and District Attorney Sweet tele- graphed to the authorities at Yuma to make a search. ALASKA MINERS STARVING. RUN SHORT OF SUPPLIES OWING TO THE ACTION OF A STEAMER CAPTAIN. A MESSENGER ARRIVES AT PORT TowNSEND To SECURE Foop FOR THE MEN. PORT TOWNSEND, Wasn., March 30.— T.J. Healy, son of Captain Healy of the Alaska Commercial Company’s steamer P. B. Weare, was a passenger to-day on the Al-Ki from Alaska. Healy made the trip from Fort Cudihee overland to Junean, a distance of 750 miles, for the purpose of fitting out a vessel with supplies to be taken at once to the upper regions of the Yukon country, where there is, at present, prospects of a famine among the miners who spent the winter there and who. at the time Healy left, were out of coffec and bacon, while the other food supplies were at the Jowest ebb. The depleted state of the larder is due to the desertion of the captain of the steamer Arctic, who left that vessel at Fort Yukon when she was bound to Forty-mile Creek with grub and implements for the treasure= seckers. Healy will outfit a vessel at Seattle and return at once to the relief of £ those, who perhaps by this time are suffer- ing for the necessaries of life. The winter on the Yukon has been com- paratively mild, the lowest temperature being 68 deg. below zero, according to Healy. This intense cold was exceeded at Forty-mile Creek, where, during the entire third week in December, the mercury reached a point 72 deg. below zero. AN INDIAN RUNS AMUCK. BShoots the First Mate of a Steamer and Then Hinuself. PORT TOWNSEND, Wasn., March 30.— The steamer Al-Ki brings news of a shoot- ing affray at Killisnoo, in Alaska, the first mate of the steamer Francis Cutting hav- ing a narrow escape from instant death at the bands of an insane Indian armed with a revolver. The mate was standing ina cannery watching the men at work, when one of the Indians jumped to his feet with a yell and dashed at the mate, shooting him twice, once in the breast and once in the face. Before the bystanders could dis- arm the Indian he fired a shot into hisown brain, which did not kill him, but will re- sult fatally. The mate is reported to be improving and is sure to recover. —_— THE ANGELS STAGE-ROBBER. Messenger Hendricks Did Not Shoot a Shadow as Alteged. STOCKTON, Caw., March 30.—William Hendricks, Wells-Fargo’s messenger on the stage road between San Andreas and Angels, must have shot at a highwayman when he blazed away at a figure in the brush near the road a few nights ago. Some of the people in the hills who did not find a dead man lying behind the brush fence there doubted the story, or at least thought that the plucky messenger had made a mistake in the dark, but he is corroborated by a traveler who passed over the road a few minutes ahead of the stage. This man, a resident of Tuolumne County, drove along that road in a buggy half an hour ahead of the stage, and at the place where Hendricks fired he saw a man arise from behind the brush fence, and after a survey of the traveler's rig he disappeared. The fellow was waiting for the stage to come along, it is thought, and rose on hearing the buggy to find that he had made a mistake. The description of this man tallies with that given by the messenger. Men who have talked with the messenger and the driver are positive that Hendricks saw a man rise in the dark who was there for no good, and if he did not stop the stage it was owiny to the quickness of the guard. THE LOS ANGELES TONGS. HIGHBINDERS CREATING MUCH TROUBLE IN THE SOUTH- ERN CITY. EFFORTS To BLoCK PROSECUTIONS AND SIGNS OF AN IMPEND- ING Row. 10S ANGELES, CarL., March 30.—China- town is stirred up to a high pitch of excite- ment to-night, and the police will not be surprised if the opposing tongs engage in an open street fight should the opportunity oceur. ‘Wong Che, who has been leader of the ‘Wong society. for many years in this city, is in jail awaiting trial on a charge of mur- der. Although the leader is safely con- fined in prison the Wongs are not idle, and under direction of Sam On Eye of San Francisco and another highbinder from Fresno, they are making matters warm for the friends of the man who was murdered. Cases against fifteen dissolute Chinese women, who are under the protection of the tongs, were to have come up for trial in the Police Court this morning. When the hour arrived a continuance was asked for on the ground of absence of material witnesses. The Deputy District Attorney stated to the court that he understood that there was a conspiracy on the part of the ‘Wong tong to get the witnesses out of the way; that one of the most material wit- nesses had been shipped away to Fresno upon a fictitious charge of murder, and another had been arrested and taken to San Bernardino on a warrant sworn to at the latter place by Wong men charging bim with arson. In view of this serious aspect of the case the court granted the continuance asked for. From all that can be learned the men arrested were in Los Angeles at the time the crimes at Fresno and San Bernar- dino were committed, and there seems to be not the slightest doubt but that the Wong men here deliberately swore to a falsehood in order to get the witnesses out of the county and beyond the reach of process. The policemen all pronounce the charges trumped up, and several officers will go up to Fresno to testify in defense of the men taken there. It is probable that Wong Che will not now be admitted to bail. Eleetric-Car Held Up. LO8 ANGELES, Carn., March 30.—Two masked men held up.a Maple avenue electric-car just before midnight at the end of the line. The passengers had all got off and the conductor was turning the trol- ley when a man with a black cloth over his face approached with a revolver and ordered him to throw up his hands. At the same time the other robber held up the motorman and brought him round where the conductor was. The latter was relieved of about $10 in fares and $5 of his own. The motorman had no money, but had a pistol in his pocket, which he had no chance to use. Clearing Up the Orooks. LOS ANGELES, Car., March 30.—The police net in this city is beginning to drag heavily. The police have already locked up nearly a dozen crooks, attracted by the coming Fiesta, and to-day they captured Henry Parker and James Collins, three- card monte and lock-game men. Parker is an Easterner and Collins a coast man. The detectives have been apprised that others are on the way. Acquitted of Murder. LOS ANGELES, CaL., March 30.—A ver- dict of acquittal was returned under in- structions by the jury to-day in the Superior Court in the case against William Settles, accused of having murdered John Hawkins, a baker of Wilmington. Plumbers’ Strike Is Of. LOS ANGELES, Car., March 30.—The threatened strike of plumbers of this city has been declared off, owing to the fact that the employers decided not to make the cut of $1 per day, to take place to- mMOorrow. Preparing for La Fiesta. LOS ANGELES, Can, March 30.—The work of constructing 5000 seats at Central Park for use during La Fiesta was begun to-day, and other preliminary arrange- ments are well under way. S Dr. Peery’s Death at Tehachapi. TEHACHAPI, CaL., March 30.—The in- quest on the body of Dr. M. Peery, found dead at his mines five miles out of town yesterday, revealed that he died from an overdose of chlorol hydrare, self-adminis- tered for the purpose of alleviating pain, and the Coroner’s jury returned a verdict in accordance with the facts. The Masons will take charge of his um?hu. HOLO-UP AT REEDS Two Masked Robbers Try to Loot the Ore- gon Express. A BATTLE ON THE TRAIN. Sheriff Bogard of Tehama Shoots One Bandit and Is Killed in Return. FLIGHT OF THE MURDERER. Rides to Sacramento on a Bicycle and May Be Caught by the Police. MARYSVILLE, CaL., March 30.—One of the boldest robberies ever committed in this State, and which was attended by tragic results, was the holding up of the northbound Oregon express-train No. 15 a hundred yards below Reed’s Crossing, a station seven miles south of this city, at 7:45 o'clock this morning. In the fight that was opened by James J. Bogard, the brave Sheriff of Tehama County, one of the robbers and the officer were killed, and Fireman Nethercott was wounded. The robbers, of whom apparently there were three, did not succeed in getting any money from the express-car, and though they looted many of the effects of the pas- sengers, they left their booty behind them. The Oregon express left Sacramento for the north on time last night, but when a few miles outside of Sacramento was de- layed by a hot box and lost an hour. This time was not made up in the run to ‘Wheatland. The train pulled out from Wheatland soon after 1 o’clock, and was nearing Reed’s station when a masked man, wearing slip-overalls swung down from a boxcar into the tender of the loco- motive, and, jumping into the cab, covered the engineer and the fireman with a re- volver and commanded them to stop the train at the next station. When withina short distance of the station the engineer was told to put on the airbrakes and did so. When the train came to a standstill the robber ordered the éngineer and fireman to jump from the cab. As theydidso a small man, also wearing a mask and with a revolver in his hand, suddenly appeared beside them. They thought he must have been secreted beside the road, though he may have been on the boxcar with the tall man. The trainmen were then ordered to march toward the express-car and tell the messenger to open the door. They did so and the messenger, without much hesita- tion, complied with the order. One of the robbers remained on gnard outside and the other entered the car. But their search was fruitless, There were no valuables or money outside of the safe, and the big steel strongbox was a through safe, with a combination lock, which the messenger could not open. Ordering the messenger from the car, the robbers marched the three men toward the passenger coaches. Arriving there, one of the bandits produced the leg of a pair of overalls and, tying a knot in one end im- provised a sack. Handing this to the fire- man, they told him to enter the smoking- car, cautioning the other men not to move. With drawn revolvers they marched be- hind the fireman and commanded every passenger to put his valuables and money in the sack. By this time the colored porter in the tourist sleeper, just beyond the day coach, became aware that & robbery was in prog- ress, and knowing that Sheriff Bogard was in a berth, called him. The brave officer was in his shoes and trousers in a minute, and, armed with a heavy revolver, started for the day coach. He crossed the platform between the sleeper and day coach, and, as he entered the latter at the south door, the robbers came in at the other door. The Sheriff stepped to one side, aimed and fired. His bullet struck the man nearest him, but a second failed to reach its target. One of the robbers must have seen Bogard enter, and on doing so jumped down, and, run- ning along the side of the car, entered and shot bim in the back. This is evident, for the bullet struck the Sheriff in the main right artery in the back, just below the kidneys. As the robber fell he exclaimed, *“I am done for.” The other asked, ‘‘Are you killed, Bill 7"’ and thereupon jumped from the car, tell- ing the now thoroughly frightened train- men not to attempt to follow. By this time the passengers were all aroused and a general fusillade followed, the wounded robber joinieg in it, and the little robber escaped amid a shower of bullets. In the melee Fireman Nethercott was hit twice by flying bullets. Conductor Shortridge secured a man to help Engineer Bowser, and after about half an hour’s delay they came on to this city, arriving at about 2:30. Dr. Powell was called at once and treated Fireman Nethercott. Coroner Bevan was notified of the presence of the two bodies atabout 3 o’clock, but it was nearer 5 when the news was taken to Sheriff Inlow and Marshal Maben, both of whom left at once for the scene of the robbery. At 7 o’clock this morning a special arrived from Sacra- mento with several detectives aboard. The dead robber was identified by Charles Becker, night clerk at the United States Hotel, as 8. McGuire. The robber is six feet in height, weighs about 200 pounds and was attired in a full and com- plete bicycle suit, over which he had a pair of slip-overalls, and in which there were two improvised pockets, made of toweling, to hold pistols, two of which were found on him. Becker stated that two strangers arrived at the United States Hotel soon after the departure of the Oregon express Monday morning. They both had bicycles and stated that they had arrived on the train. The tall man, who wore a bicycle suit, and who slept at the Golden Eagle Hotel on Wednesday and Thursday nights, had registered under the name of “‘S. McGuire, San Francisco.” Daley, a clerk at the Golden Eagle Hotel, said that the tall man had stopped at the hotel before, and from his accent con- cluded that he was an Irishman. He was itive that he had no companion with im at ghe time, When M arrived at the hotel about 10 o’clock Wednesday morning he stated that he had come from Jack Barry’s ranch in Linda Township. He looked tired and worn out and his clothes and bicycle were covered with mud, as it was raining. He may have intended to do the job that night and have been dis- appointed. The small man who slept at the United States Hotel did not wear a bi- cycle suit and was about 5 feet 7 inches in height and had a small sandy mustache. Officer Meek, who was at the depot on the arrival of the train, was handed the re- volvers. Sheriff Bogard’s revolver had two empty cartridges; one was unexploded and one was dented. The robber had two Colt revolvers, out of one of which three shotshad been fired. The engineer also handed the sack con- taining the stolen property to Officer Meek, who transferred it to the Coroner. The railroad people have been expecting a hold-up on the division, and for a long time until night before last had guards on, who came up as far asthisecity. This morning they did not come and the rob- bery ensued. This man now known as McGuire passed himself off as a bicycle agent, and was at the racetrack one day last week. At that time, according to Gus Bilhartz, he made an examination of the several switches in the vicinity of Sieber’s winery. During the day it was positively ascer- tained that the smaller of the robbers is the brother of 8. McGuire. That there was a third robber is quite certain from the movements of the men. The third man had passed himself off as G. Williams, which he very likely assumed. He had been around town for some time and met the McGuire brothers under cover of darkness. The doctors’ autopsy shows that Bogard could not have been hit save from the rear and it can safely be assumed that he did not turn his back to admit of being made a target. THE FIREMAN'S STORY. FoRCED To HELP L.OOT THE PASSEN- GERS AND THEN SHOT. SACRAMENTO, Car., March 30,—Fire- man Nethercott, who was shot by the train-robbers, resides at 523 N street, in this city. He was brought from Marys- ville on the southbound Oregon express and taken to the railroad hospital. Dr. T. W. Huntington, superintendent of the hospital, does not think that the injured man’s wounds will prove serious, One of the builets, which was fired by the robber who was killed, entered Nethercott's left shoulder, crossed over and probably lies in the muscles of the right shoulder. Another bullet struck him in the right thigh, above the middle point, on the outer surface, passed through the leg and entered the left thigh ata corresponding point. It emerged on the outer side of the left thigh. Dr. Huntington says the bullet was, apparently, of 38 caliber. Although his wounds are painful, Nethercott bears up cheerfully and gave an account of the hold-up. He says: “I was engaged at firing when [ hap- pened to look up, and saw a masked man holding a revolver to my head and at the ! same time making a motitn tol:ave me keep quiet. He held me that way until the steam began to run low, and this attracted the attention of the engineer, who turned around to see why I was not working. Then the engineer found himself, also, looking into the revolver. “The robber made us . stop the train and go to the baggage-car with him. As we ap- proached the other robber fired a shet at us and the bullet went through the crown of my cap. He was compelled to stop shooting by a command from the robber who was with me. express-car. This made the fellows so hot that they said they would take the whole train. and they went right at it. I was forced to hold the bag, and we made a splendid haul. It seemed that we had about $1000 in gold, silver and greenbacks and fifteen or twenty fine gold watches. After the robber had been shot by Sheriff Bogard he began blazing away at me, and his bullets winged me twice before he died."” THE CONDUCTOR'S ACCOUNT. GRrAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE HoLping UP oF THE TRAIN. SACRAMENTO, Car., March 30.—The train held up by the robbers was in charge of Conductor James E. Shortridge of this city. His account of the affair is as fol- lows The train had gone about three miles be- yond Wheatland, when the robbers held up the train. After the train had been brought to a halt they ordered the engi- neer and fireman out of the cab and marched them to the door of the express- car. Here Engineer Bowst.er, inobedience to the peremptory command of the robbers, rapped at the door of the car and asked the messenger to open it. 3 As soon as the door opened the messen- ger was covered with the pistols of the robbers and was ordered to get out. When he had obeyed the order one of the rob- bers entered the car, and, aiter remaining only a short time, came out again. It is believed that he could not find any valu- able packages loose, and that, not having any dynamite cartridges with them, no attempt was made to open the safe. The next movement of the robbers was to take the engineer, the fireman and the express messenger into the coach back of the smoker. They gave the fireman a bag made of a pair of overalls sewed up at the small end, and as they entered the door of the coach they sternly commanded the passengers to throw up their hands and to deposit in the sack held by the fireman whatever valuables they happened to have about them., The passengers readily complied with the -order, but one of them, a man named Sampson from Redding, made a show of refusing to give up his money, but his rebellious spirit- was tamed by one of the robbers beating him on the head with a large revolver, cutting a gash in Sampson’s scalp about four incheslong. Sampson, with his head and face and coat covered with blood which flowed profusely from the wound in ' his scalp, without further remonstrance threw his money into the sack held by the fireman., X After having gone through the coach without molestation or resistance of any kind, the robbers and their prisoners went into the smoking-car. The same order was iven here, and the passengers threw u; eir hands. Some of the passengers hels their lighted cigars between their fingers, and some were so much astonished %elmt they held their cigars between their teeth. . Whilé the robbers were finishing their “We did not get anything out of the: SUICIDE AT TACOMA Abe Gross, a Prominent Merchant, Shoots Himself. NO CAUSE FOR THE DEED. Retires in the Best of Spirits and Is Found Dead in the Morning. WELL KNOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO His Relatives Think He Was Mur- dered, but Indications Point to Self-Destruction. TACOMA, Wasn., March 30.—Abe Gross, one of the best-known merchantsin the Northwest, was found dead in his room on the top floor of the big Gross block, this morning at 9 o'clock, with a bullet-hole through his head, and a 38-caliber revolver between his legs. The pillows on which his head rested and the lower part of his face were covered with blood. Mr. Gross had been in the habit of ar- riving at his store before 8 o'clock, and as he did not appear at that hour the clerk went to call him. Receiving no answer the clerk returned to his office. An hour later another call was made for Abe, and his brother Morris became alarmed, and, accompanied by Bookkeeper Edgar E. ‘White, went upstairs and opened the door. Stretched out on the bed was the corpse, arrayed in nightelothes. Abe Gross left no letters to explain the deed if he did commit suicide. Friends think his death an accident. He was 27 vears of age and single. Though depression had lessened their business, Gross Bros. have had no finan- cial trouble and the attorneys say not a single bill has been pressing them. The generally accepted theory of the suicide is, however, that Abe became despondent be- cause business did not pick up and was partially out of his head when he shot himself. He was without doubt the most popular man in Tacoma. He was a member of the Chamber vf Commerce, president of the Hebrew Benevolent Society, a thirty- second degree Mason, Mystic Shriner and was one of the trustees of the recent inter- State fair. In evejything that would bene- fit Tacoma he took a most active interest. He was.well known in S8an Francisco. In 1882 and 1883 he took a course there in a business college and subsequently went in business, afterward becoming a member of the firm. Adfter the shooting this morning the Lon- don aud 8an Francisco Company filed two mortgages. One, given in 1893, is for $40,- 000, and covers property owned by David and Morris Gross in the business district. The other, for $1000, was given by Abe in 1892 on property owned by him, Both claims are overdue, but will not be pressed, the bank simply desiring to put its claim on record. So faras known these are the chief outstanding claims. Last night Abe went out to a dinner party, returning to his room at 1 A. . with a friend, who saw him last alive. He was then in good spirits. The three brothers and their families are grief-stricken. They still insist that Abe must have been mur- dered. The Coroner’s jury rendered a verdict that death resulted from a pistol wound inflicted in some manner unknown. An autopsy made by Dr. Everett revealed that the revolver was placed between the tceth. The ball glanced upward, lodging at the base of the brain. The inquest developed that the shooting occurred about 7 o’clock, just after the porter had stepped in and taken his shoes to the floor below to black them. The funeral will take place Mon- day or Tuesday. VINES TRIP T0 GUATHAS DETAILS CONCERNING THE SEIZURE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO SCHOONER. A PASSENGER TELLS A STORY OF ILL TREATMENT ON THE CRAFT. LOS ANGELES, Cav., March 30.—E. M. Piercy, the man who brought the news yesterday of the seizure of the schooner Vine of San Francisco, and alleged bad treatment on the vessel, gave the following additional details: He says the Vine had not proceeded far to sea from San Francisco when he dis- covered that he had been deceived. He thought he was starting on a pleasure and trading cruise to the South Sea Islands, but instead the first stop was at San Blas, Mexico. Here the crew deserted, but were returned aboard by the Mexican authori- ties. He would have deserted the vessel too, but found that he would have to travel many miles by stage to reach the railroad. After staying eight days at San Blas the schooner proceeded to Guaymas. The trip should have been made in eight days, but it took twenty-four. The captain and crew, Piercy says, were incompetent. They encountered a severe storm lasting four days. The crew often rebelled and at Guaymas again deserted. Captain Burns, the owner of the schooner, was at Guaymas when the vessel arrived there. Piercy demanded an ex- planation for the deception practiced upon him. Burns tried to get the authorities to compel him to remain on board, but they refused. Finally, Piercy took the train for home. Just before he left the schooner was seized. What the outcome would be he did not know, but intimated that he knows a great deal more about her voyage than he is willing to tell at present. He said that instead of being a passenger he had to work like a galley slave, as the crew was incompetent to navigate the vessel. sy Steamer Diego Said to Be at Guaymas. LOS ANGELES, CAvL., March 30.—E. M. Piercy, who brought the news of the seiz- ure of the schooner,Vine at Guaymas, says that just before he left there he was aboard the steamer Diego, formerly the Manuel Dublan, which was reported lost in a storm March 24. He said she lost her propeller ut made port under sail. Sl NEVADA’S DEFAULTING CLERK. James L. Morgan Asks That the Case Against Him Be Dismissed. NEVADA CITY, CArL., March 30.—A pe- tition was presented in the Superior Court Wednesday by District Attorney Riley, asking that the case against James L. Morgan, who was Clerk of Nevada County six years ago, and fled after embezzling several hundred dollars, be dismissed. The petition was signed by seventeen members of the jury which found the indictment, and also by the Supervisors. The petition was opposed by P. F. Simonds, one of Morgan’s bondsmen, on the ground that the defaulting clerk had not yet made good the deficiency. He asked that a war- rant for his arrest be issued, but learning that a warrant has already been placed in the hands of the officers, no further action was taken in the matter. Morgan is now located at Sutter Creek, Amador Count; e FOUND ON SBANTA MONICA BEACH. An Alleged Message From a Shipwrecked Crew on San Clemente Island. SANTA MONICA, March 30.—A, Minne- apolis boy named Sarborn picked up a sealed bottle on the beach to-day contain- ing the following note: 'WE THINK ISLAND OF SAN CLEMENTE, March 1, 1895. Our three-mast schooner Howitzer, from Guaymas to San Francisco, in ballast, was wrecked on the rocks day before yesterday and the crew are now waiting to berescued. Please send us immediate assistance, our pro- visions are very low. ON BLICH, Captain. HENRY AWER, First Mate. The officials at Port Los Angeles are in- clined to the belief that it is a hoax, but the bottle bears evidence of having been in the water several days. NAPA PAVORS EXCURSION. Its CITIZENS ORGANIZE TO AID THE HALF-MILLION CLUB PROJECT. THE SonoMa CouNTy PEOPLE ArLso TAKE STEPS TO CO-OPERATE. NAPA, March 30.—An enthusiastic meet- ing of business men was held in the Court- house last evening, and the Napa Im- provement Club, which has done good work in former years, but which has been dormant for five years past, was reorgan- ized with a. membership of over fifty. Henry Brown, cashier of the Bank of Napa, was chosen president; H. M. Bar- stow, a leading attorney, secretary; L. J. Norton, of the,Sawyer Tanning Company, treasurer; J. W. Grigsby, capitalist, and R. Raymond, glove manufacturer, vice-presi- dents. The executive committee chosen consists of the officers and E. D. Beard, a prominent merchant, J. H. Boke, a well- known real éstate agent, William Fisher, orchardist, and one of the proprietors of the Napa Fruit Cannery, and G. M. Frances, editor and real estate dealer. ‘W. M. Bunker and D. M. Carmany, of the San Francisco Half-million Club, were present and addressed the meeting, ex- plaining the work of their club and the plan of the club which is to bring the ex- cursionists from the Southern California fiestas and flower fetes to this part of the State and enable them to obtain a knowl- edge of our resources. Their remarks were received with great enthusiasm, and a meeting of the execu- tive committee was called for to-night to outline a plan for the entertainment of the excursionists. S The Tmprovement Club has fixed the first Monday in each month for meetings, and a vigorous campaign of progress will be inaugurated at the meeting next Mon- day. Somoma Joins in the Scheme. SANTA ROSA, Car., March 30.—At a big meeting of the Sonoma County Horti- cultural Society held here to-day it was decided to take steps toward having the excursion planned by the Half-million Club of San Francisco visit Santa Rosa. The society agreed to guarantee the cost which will be attached to the Santa Rosa part of the enterprise. Mayor Woodward has called a meeting of the citizens to be held at the City Hall next Monday evening to consider what ar- rangemens are necessary .to properly en- tertain the excursionists who will be swinging around the fiesta circle on the itinerary scheduled by the Half-million Club. —_—— COLUSA FIGHTERS MAY DIE. Doctors Endeavor to Save the Lives of Twe Farmers Who Shot Each Other. COLUSA, CaL., March 380.—Lemuel Vaughn and John Senvers, the two farmers who shot each other in a row last night, brought on by the latter slandering the former’s wife, are still alive, though there is little hope for either of the men. An operation was performed on Vaughn to-day, the doctors sewing up six holes in his intestines which had been made by the passage of the bullet. Drs. Belton, Cason, Gray and Pirkey performed the operation, but it is doubtful even if that will save him. S L IR SANTA CRUZ IN THE PROCESSION. Citizens Ready to Donate Lands to a Competing Road. SANTA CRUZ, Carn., March 30.—The Taxpayers’ Association has agreed to give land for depot purposes and to obtain a right-of-way from San Mateo County to this city for railroad purposes. Chinese Lottery Dealers Arrested. . SANTA CRUZ, CaL., March 30.—Con- stables to-day arrested seven Chinese lot- tery dealers who had been selling tickets to boys. - Suicide Near Petaluma. PETALUMA, CaL., March 30.—Elisia Evans, a painter, committed suicide at 8:30 o’clock last night, two and' a half miles north of town, in the attic of H. L. Nay’s residence, where he had been working, by cutting his throat. Evans was a native of New South Wales, aged 33 years. Exces- sive drinking led to the act. IR Redwood City Parricide Held for Trial. REDWOOD CITY, CaL., March 30.—The preliminary examination of John J. Clancy, charged with killing his father, ‘was held to-day before Judge Cunning- ham. He was held to answer for murder without bonds, X SCHEMING IN KERN, Southern Pacific Move in San Joaquin Valley. TO BLOCK THE NEW ROAD, Land-Grabbing and Coercion of Farmers the Features of the Plan. DOUBLE JOKER IN A LEASE FORM Ranchers Are Wary and Many Have Refused to Comply With the Railroad’s Demand. BAKERSFIELD, CaLn., March 30— There were many rumors afloat here to- day to the effect that the Southern Pacific is trying to make a land grab and at the same time strike ‘a -blow at the valley road. As near as can be ascertained the following facts are the basis for the re- ports: The Southern Pacific Company claim they were originally granted 200 feet right of way along their lines and base their claims upon their original grants and on the act of Congress of March 3, 1875, grant- ing to railroads ‘“‘the right of way on pub- liclands of the United States 100 feet on each side of tiie central line of said roads.” However for years past the company has been assessed for-but 100 feet, 50 feet on each side of the main line, with the excep- tion of reservations in towns. The State Board of Equalization for 1894 describes the right of way in Kern County as fol- lows: “117.83 miles with right of way through Delano, Bakersfield and Mojave 200 feet in width, at all other points 100 feet width.” And for such was the assess- ment levied. To the.Delano irrigation district the railroad company sent a state- ment of its line through the district in which the right of way is described as being 100 feet in width, and this statement is signed by J. L. Willcutt as secretary. In July last the company began setting back fences near Delano, and did move quite a number. The farmers resented the action, and one, in energetic language, informed the crew that the first man that started to dig a posthole on his land would die. They left the place and nothing more was done at that time. Now the matter is up again Mr. Garoutte has been here for three weeks quietly working among the land- owners along the line inducing them to lease from the company the fifty feet that the company claims. Thisisaccompanied by a threat that the fences will be set back and the land inclosed in the railroad’s reservation. The consideration is §1 a year and the promise from the farmer that he will ship all his produce over the Southern Pacific for five years. Here is a double joker. The first is the lease. The moment it is signed will be a formal surrender of the farmer’s adverse possession of from five to fifteen years, will give in turn adverse possession to the company, and at the end of five years the title will be acquired by prescription. The second joker is believed to be a blow at the new road, as the lease is said to be so worded that it binds up all the land be- longing to the farmer signing it, and some of the land-owners have very large tracts of grain. All this must be shipped for five vears over the company’s lines, thereby shutting off competition. None of these leases have been filed for record. Two men residing in Bakersfield are known to have signed it. Most every one approached has declined to sign. Letters from men all along the line are pouring in for information in regard to the matter. Many valuable improvements are in- cluded in the strip. Many miles of valua- able county roads are also affected. .The original act excluded county roads then in existence. but these have been located and established since the passage of the act. Some are highways by common usage over a period of years. Others were advertised and declared public highways by the Board of Supervisors. On Monday the board will be called upon by Southern Pacific officials to see what it will do about the matter. As it is believed the roads are public prop- erty, a lively time is anticipated, and in- teresting developments are expected to follow. The entire road from Jewetta, six miles north of Bakersfield, to Delano, a distance of twenty-six miles, will be taken if the company succeeds in its purpose, and the county will be put to the expense of a new highway. This is the best road in the county. The road from Tehachapi to Mo- jave, Tor forty or fifty miles, parallels the track and has on it many expensive cuts, and passes through rough mountains, Tnis will go to the company. Moscow Banker’'s Arres: MOSCOW, Ipano, March 30.—I. C. Hat- tabaugh, the banker and ex-County Treas- urer, has been arrested at the instance of the County Commissioners on the charge of embezzlement. LEYI STRAUSS &€O’s COPPER RIVETED OVERALLS " AND SPRING BOTTOM - 'PANTS. EVERY PAIR GUARANTEER. SOR SALE EVERYWHERE.