The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 9, 1896, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1896. EXTERMINATING NON-COMBATANTS, | Stories of Great Cruelties Committed by the Spanish, KILLED IN COLD BLOOD. Innocent Men and Boys Taken by Soldiers and Quickly Put to Death. NO CEECK TO THE BUTCHERIES One General Who Usurps Weyler’s Powers and Sanctions a Mock Court-Martial. HAVANA,CusA, June 6 (via Tampas, Fla., June 8).—That the work of extermination | of non-combatants continues to a greater | or less extent is evidenced by the reports | which are received from the country. Not | a day passes without some shoeking story | being told of brutal assassinations com- | mirtted by the troops on defenseless peo- ple, whose sole crime is being witnesses of the war raging ail over the island without | taking any part in it. Here are a few facts | selected from the many that are told: On the 2d inst. a column of Spanish troops commanded by Colonel Ochoa,oper- | ating around Jaruco, Havana province, captured a poor, miserable boy of fifteen years, named Juan Rodriguez, suffering | from nervous prostration and so weak that | he cou!d hardly move without assistance. This unhappy creature was dragged from his home and without any compassion for his pitiable state he was butchered on the roadway to Tapaste for the crime of being a cousin of the leader of a band, named Victor Simon. On June 1 Simon Yruri, member of one of the best families of Jaruco, was arrested | on suspicion of being a rebel sympathizer, | by orders of General Melguizo. He was | too well known to be taken out of town | and shot in the fields, as this would make | a scandal, so they made a semblance of a | c -martial, and with all the apparent formalities of the law he was publicly | shot 1n the square of the town. | The deed created general indignation | when it was known that Melguizo had or- dered the execution on his own authority, without consuiting the captain-general, | who is the only one empowered to order such proceedings. On June 4 Lorenzo Medina, a native of | the Canary Islands, 49 years of age and a | cattle-dealer, and John Toledo, a Cuban, 30 years of age and the owner of a cart- | shop, both well known and esteemed in | the town of Jaruco, were arrested on no | known charges. i : They were locked in the civil guard’s barracks and the next morning they were | taken outof the town on the promise of | prompt release aud treacherously shot be- hind the slaughter-house. It is known | that Valencia had a fight with Colonel | Dondeviela of Campo (Fla.) fame in which | this “‘brave” was completely routed, losing thirty dead leit on the field. This has | never been repeated officially. The Bayamo guerillas, about 100 men, mmanded by Abiga Guerra, have joined | the rebels, seduced thereto by Calixto Gar- | cia when he passed near that place last week. | In Sancti Spiritus a band of musicians of the local volunteers, headed by its bandmaster, Justo Alvarez, with all the instruments of the band also went over 6 the woods to enliven the time of the revo- lutionists. NEW YORK, N. Y., June 8.—A Herald special from Wilmington, Del., says: In- formation was received here that the cargo of ummunition sent to the aia of the Cuban insurgents on the yacht Vindex, which left here last Monday morning, was successfully transferred to a steamer bound for Cuba near the Delaware capes on Friday morning, and that fifteen vol- | unteers from Delaware boarded the steamer at the same time for the purpose of enlisting in the Cuban forces. The Ward liner Seguranca, which ar- rived here to-day from Havana, brought the last cargo of Havana tobacco from 1ba which will arrive here until General r’'s order prohibiting the shipment of tobacco from the island shall have been nded. The cargo consisted of 1208 bales and twelve barrels of leaf tobacco. MckINLEYMUST'TDODGE Oontinued from First Page. tion left is the choice of Vice-President. Tt Reed persists in a refusal some time will | have to be taken in deliberating this point.” “Who will the candidate be if Reed re- fuses?” “H. Clay Evans should get the place, but he cannot get it I feel sure. The!In- diana people are solid for McAlpen, but who is he? Then the Jerseyites want Hobart, but I cannot see that he has any claims. This nomination is an open one, and will be the only interesting thing about the convention.” *Will there be no fight on the money plank?” . “Why, no. The Republican party Is for gold, and that is all there is to it. Besides, thatis not the issue. The tariff is what the fight will be made on. McKinley is a gold man. There is not & line in his speeches that can be construed favorably to free silver. I heard him make his first speech at Niles, Ohio, when"he declared for gold.” At A LT KANSAS CORN TRAIN, Forty Orators Aboard Who Will Talk for McKinley. WICHITA, Kaxs, June 8.—Amid the booming of cannon, the playing of bands, the shriek of factory whistles and the shouts of a vast concourse of people the McKinley-decorated corn train started on its journey to the Republican Convention at St. Louis this afternoon. It will not arrive there until the 13th 1nst., as a stop will be mada at every town of importance on the way, and the forty orators who ac- company the train will make McKinley speeches. The Wellington band was also taken along. The forty cars were brought into the city this morning and have been the cen- ter of interest from the throngs. Political cartoons, pictures and mottoes advertising the resources of the various companies furnishing the grain decorate the entire length of the train. After the St. Louis convention the train will proceed to New York, making stops at all the important cities, and in the event of McKinley's nomination a day’s halt will be made at Canton and there will be a big celebration there. Previous to the departureof the train a grand rally was held at the andi- torium, addressed by Hon. J. R. Burton and Judge Sutton. Colonel H. W. Levy of this city read an original poem, to cele- brate the consummation of the corn-train scheme. The meeting -then adjourned to the depot, where other addresses were made. “Syl” Dickson, who inaugurated and carried out the enterprise, was introduced and wildly cheered by the crowd. A score of strong men made a rush for him, and he was carried on their shoulders, while cheer after cheer for Dickson, McKinley and the orators who accompanied the train rent the air. To-night there was another great meet- ing, addressed by ex-Senator John J. In- galls. Speaking of the corn train and the circumstance that it was struck by light- ning on Sunday night, he said: *Syl Dickson is the Ajax of Kansas. He de- fied the lightning and laughed at ghe thunderbolts, 1n spite of the lightning his corn train left strictly on time, and It will reach St. Louis as scheduled, a day or two before the McKinley ratification meeting.” “The word ‘impossible’ has been elimi- nated from our vocabulery,” said Ingalls. “The idea of the Kansas man is to per- form the impossible, surpass the unat- tainable. This the projector of the Mc- Kinley corn train has done.” The ex-Senator defined his position on the money question thus: “Iam in favor of rational constitution and bimetallism, but intend to stand on the St. Louis plat- form whether it coincides with my in- dividual opinions or not.” He took strong ground in favor of re- stricting foreign immigation, and declared himself more of a protectionist than ever before. e Breckinridge a Candidate. LEXINGTON, Ky., June 8.—Colonel W. C. P. Breckinridge announces that he will be a candidate for Congress atthe next election. LIEUTE. ANT PEARY’'S PLANS. Goes to Newfoundland to Arrange Ris Northern Foyage. NEW YORK, N. Y., June 8—R. E. Peary, United States navy, sailed from Brook on the Portia yesterday morn- ing to John’s, N. F., to complete ar- rangements for his coming voyage to Greenland. He will return to this city shortly and ex pects to sail for the north about July 8. Peary had intended to sail for England on June 2 to fill his long deferred engage- ments to lecture before the Royal Geo- graphical Society of London and the Scot- tish Geographical Sociery of Edinburgh, but he found at the iast moment that the | interests of his next Greenland expedition would not permit him to go abroad and so his foreign engagements are again post- poned. A number of scientific men and students who, for purposes of tneir own, desire to sit Greenland, will take acvantage of this opportunity to sail on Peary’s steamer. Some newspapers have an- nounced that Peary is going north again to secure the very larze meteorite which | he was unable on his last returz from Greenland to bring home with him, though he did secure the two remarkably fine aerolites that are now in the Ameri- can Museum of Natural History in this aty. This, however, is merely an inci- dent of his enterprise. Nobody knows whether his vessel will be abie to get within many miles of the north shore of Melviile Bay, where he found this great meteoric stone. Peary’s most northern point on this trip will be Cape Sabin, at the entrance to Smith Sound. Turning south again he will endeavor to push into Jones Sound, which is very little known, the only ex- plorer who has ever pushed far into it be- | ing Inglefield in 1852. After he has picked up the parties he left on the coast he will visit Cumberland Sound in Baffinland, where Dr. Franz Boas spent a winter among the natives, | and if the conditions are favorable Peary | will spend & week in_Hudson Strait, the great waterway 500 miles long that unites Hudson Bay with the sea. The prospects | are that Peary's fourth expedition to Greenland and his seventh, counting the auxiliary expeditions which have supple- mented his arctic work, will be fruitful and interesting. Pass-Forgers Convicted. NEW YORK, N.Y., June 8.—Eugene Barnett and Joseph Weimar, who for the past two weeks have been on trial before Judge Fitzgerald, in the General Sessions, for forging passes on the Southern Pacific Railroad, were to-day found euilty of attempting to commit forgery in the third degree. They were remanded until Fri- day for sentence. The two men were ticket-scalpers at New Orleans. They de- vised a scheme for 1ssuing the bogus passes over the Southern Pacific. Clar- ence Barnett, brother of Eugene, who lived in this city, was also in thé scheme. He turned State’s evidence and pleaded guilty. He will probably be let go. il Money Not Forthcoming. CAIRO, Ecypr, June 8.—The Egyytian mixed tribunal, formed for the purpose of deciding as to the legality of the advance money from the Egyptian treasury for the purpose of meeting the expenses of the Soudan expedition, has formally pro- nounced judgment against the proposal to draw upon the commission of public debt for the sum asked or any.part.thereof. This action of the tribunal was taken de- spite the refusal of the British and Egyptian Governments to recognize the competence of the tribunal todecide upon the question. SIS Murdered in Mexico. JIMINEZ, MExico, June 8.—The bodies of two well-dressed Americans were found yesterday on the Batopilas mountain trail, west of here. Both men had been shot to death. It is supposed that the crime was committed by robbers. The men were evidently on their way to this city from one of the mining camps west of here when they were ambushed and killed. There were no papers on their bodles to indicate their identity. s o Three Ships Provided For. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 8—The naval conferees agreed to-day on the battle-ships in the naval bill as was indi- cated in the United Press dispatches of Saturday night. Three ships are provided for with a stipulation that contracts for armor-plate are not to be made at any price until Congress shall have further acted upon the subject. e e Without Cleveland’s Signature. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 8—The following bilis have become laws without the President’s approval: Providing back pay for the President, judge advocate- general of the navy,and eranting pensions to Major-General Joseph R. West, General ‘W. H. Morris and Wilbur F. Cogswell. S L 2reasury Gold Reserve. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 8.—The treasury gold reserve at the close of busi- ness to-day stood $106,229,789. The day’s withdrawals were $188,000. GROCERS’ PICNIC to-morrow, Schuetzen Park, San Rafael. - THIED TO SLAY A CHICO MAW. Rancher Ackerman’s Battle for Life With Butcher Dunham. CRIME OF YEARS AGO. An Attempt at Murder When the Campbells Man Owned a Nursery. INHERITS A VICIOUS NATURE. Once Confessed His Father Was an Assassin—Futile Search for the Fugitive. CHICO, CAr., June 8.—The history o Charles Dunham, the Santa Clara mur- derer, in Chico is nof one that a respecta- ble citizen would be proud of. Of those who became acquainted with Dunham during his stay in this vicinity none knew his disposition better than Fred Acker- man, a rancher, who in the spring of 1893 hired Dunham as a laborer, afterward taking him as a partner in the nursery business. During the first two or three months of his labor for Ackerman Dun. ham was very agreeable and he and Ack- erman got along well together. Dunham seldom talked about himself or his relatives, but one day he became con- fidential and vold Ackerman that his father had killed 8 man and buried him on a ranch either in San Diego or Santa Barbara County, and that he made such an artistic job of it that no one would be any the wiser or ever find it out. As Dunham became better acquainted his demeanor changed, and what little re- spect his fellow employees had entertained for him was lost. His first offense in Chico was when at one time he went to Ackerman and told him that if he would discharge one of his choremen he would obtain for him an industrious young man of good character who would do the work for $5 a month less. This was agreed to, and Dunham brought to the ranch a man whom he introduced as *Jim,” not giving his other name, and it was not learned until the month was nearly up that “Jim” was his brother. Dunham at first denied the relationship, but afterward had to ad- mit it. Mrs. Ackerman repeatedly complained to her husband of Dunbam’s actions. Dunham was very disrespectful and impu- dent and she was afraid of him. Things went from bad to worse, until Ackerman and Dunham became involved in acontro- versy in regard to some trees. Ackerman, aot liking the way Dunham had been con- ducting the nursery, told him so, and was threatened by the partner. Soon after- ward Ackerman went to the barn to sad- dle a horse. He had saddled the animal and was about to mount when some one pounced upon him from behind and knocked him down. It wasDunham. Be- ing nearly 60 years old, Ackerman was no match for his adversary, who was young and strong. Dunham grasped the old man by the throat with one hand, holding the other over his mouth to prevent an out- cry. Dunham then began to twist Acker- man’s head in an attempt to break his neck, but Ackerman struggled hard for life and succeeded in crying out. His scream was heard by one of the men on the ranch, who came to the rescue and pulled Dunham from his victim, who wag so exhausted that he had to be helpec to the house. Dunham told some of the men that he wished that he had finished Ackerman before help arrived, and thatit would have been an easy matter to have claimed that Ackerman met his death by falling from the haymow and breaking his neck. Durham was then discharged and after- ward employed by Z. W. Burnham, who owns an orange orchard in the foothills near here. At this place he was emploved + for a short time only, as he soon quarreled with the foreman of the orchard. After leaving Burnham all trace of Dunham was lost. Dunham went by the name of “‘Sweet Potato Jim.” The origin of the cognomen is not known, but it is known that Dun- ham is very veculiar in his eating, and while here would eat no light bread, but would make a full meal on corn bread or vegetables. . It is significant as proving Dunham’s intent to murder Ackerman that he killed Mrs. Dunham by twisting her head until her neck was broken. In the case of the rancher, fortunately, this method failed. e i CLAIM THEY SAW DUNHAM. People at Various Points Who Came Upon Various Strangers. SAN JOSE, CaL., June 8. — Sheriff Lyn- don has not relaxed his endeavors to as- certain the whereabouts of Murderer James C. Dunbam. The greater part of to-day was occupied by himself and corps in making a review of the situation, in order that no section of the country through which the fugitive was liable to seek escape was left unguarded. That Dunham was or had_been in the mountains between Mount Hamilton and Panoche the Sheriff did not doubt, but if he was still there he believed it exceed- ingly unlikely that he conld escape with- out detection and capture, as the moun- taineers were well posted as-to Dubam’s appearance and were upon the constant lookout for him. < On this account the Sheriff did not con- sider his long and tedious search as either time or labor lost. He had established sentinels throughout the mountains who would at once communicate any informa- tion received regarding the murderer. In addition to these he reported Sheriffs Scott of Fresno County, Bargwardt of Kern County, Merritt of Tulare County and Warfield of Merced County as being upon the hunt in_the western foothills of the San Joaquin Valley. Sheriffs Holbrook of San Benito County, terday stated that tne citizens’ fund was nearing $4000 and that $1000 of this was secured irom the vicinity of Campbells. He expected the fund to steadily increase as the days passed. Deputy Sheriff Gardner yesterday stated that he did not consider the sizns of sacks worn over shoes as evidence of the pres- ence of Dunham, as the custom of placing sacks over shoes in order to facilitate rough monntain climbing was not a new or unusual one. After athorough search of the moun- tains Gardner believes that Dunham prob- ably went south as far as the Mountain House and then retraced his steps and came north again in order to throw the posses of the Sheriffs off his trail. 2 A general opinion seems to prevail among the officers that Dunham is in hiding not very far from this city. This, however, is given as merely a belief, with- out any definite grounds to substanti- ate it. The following acting Chief of Po day: BAKERSFIELD, CAL., June 7, 1896. Friend Bob: 1am sure I met Dunham Satur- day. It was on section 10, twelve miles north of Bakersfield, on what is known as the Kraz- mer ranch. I have bcenfa': ng’k there for the ast twenty days. Your friend, P s WILL H. RUSSELL P. 8.—I know him. Russell is a railroad carpenter, who re- sided in San Jose at one time. The following letter was forwarded to the Sheriff’s office by the Abend Post, a German paper in 8an lTancisco: PANOCHE, CAL., June 7, 1896. German Abend Post, San Francisco, Cal.: The murderer, James Dunham, must unquestiona- bly keep himself around this vi(‘h!il.i;. He was seen by a number of people around here. Just now officers are swarming around our neigh- borhood by duy and by night, questioning ail whom they meet in regard to Dunham. The fellow slept at my brother’s barn on the night of the 4th to the 5th of June. On the following morning I showed my brother Dun- ham’s picture as it appeared in the Chronicle, when he immediately recognized Dunham. Thereupon we searched the whole vicinity, but we lost his trail and no one seems to know what has become of him. Respeetfully, GEORGE BERG. N.B.—Judging from the way the people heresbouts express themselves I do not be- lieve that the murderer can be taken from here alive. G. B. N. B.—A fellow who evinces such anamount of shrewdness in evading the officers our peo- ple do not consider an insane man. 3. B, Sheriff Lyndon was in Panoche last Wednesday and knows that if Dunham strikes there at any time word will imme- diately be sent to him by some of the of- ficers now in that locality. W. J. Peall, who has a ranch on the Kincaid road, back of Mount Hamilton, came to the Sheriff’s office to-night with a rather startling report, which proved later to be immaterial. Peall’s nearest neigh- bors in the mountains are the Scott fam- ily. This morning he went over to the Scoft place and found on the front door of the cabin a string, attached to which were four mice, all hung by the necks. Beneath the mice was a_piece of brown wrapping paver, on which was written the follow- ing: This is the way I treat my family and this is the way I will treat you if you are at home when I'come along. J. C. DUNHAM. The Sheriff compared this handwriting in letters known to have been written by Dunham, and found not the slightest sim- ilarity. The fact that Dunham is an educated man, and that the person who executed the writing on brown paper spelled “fam- ily”’ with an ‘‘¢,”’ and *‘come’” without the letter was received by lice Robert Anderson to- *‘e,” was considered further proof that the | whole thing was the work of some thought- less person. ————— NOT IN FRESMNO COUNTY. Man-Hunters Return in Disgust After Following False Leads. FRESNO, CAL., June 8.—Deputy Sheriffs L. P. Timmins and Thomas Lynch re- turned to-day from the pursuit of Dun- ham. The officers are satisfied that the murderer is not in this county and never was. They even scout the idea that Dun- ham came southward at all. The cause for the belief that the fugitive had been in Fresno County was the state- ment that an old rancher named Schoo- bert made to the effect that Dunham had called at his place for a drink of water. When seen by a Fresno officer Schoobert said that he had no reason to believe that the murderer had paid him a visit. A stranger who was passing on the trail had called at his house for a drink. Such oc- currences are frequent, and Schoobert said that he took no notice of the appearance of the stranger. He merely told him to go to the creek below the house for water. “There are only two trails by which Dunham could have trayeled into Fresno County,” said Deputy Sheriff Timmins to a CaLL correspondent to-night. *‘Lynch and myself made a careful search and dili- gent inquiries along each and we could rot find the slightest trail of the fugitive. Iam positive that Dunham never came into Fresno County.” The officers had a very hard trip. The weather was very hot and water was scarce. SEATTLE SEALER'S COMPLAINT. Declares That American Revenue Cutters Give Corporations a Monopoly on Furs. SEATTLE, WasH, June 8.—Captain Larsen of the sealing schooner Bering Sea, who has been engaged in the business for many years, declares that the effortsof the United States to protect seals have loug been a farce. He boldly asserts that the Bering Sea fleet of revenue cutters “stand in” with corporations, and that meanwhile the seals are slaughtered and exterminated. “The slaughtering goes on,” the cap- tain said, *‘and our Government winks 1ts eye. The Alaskan Commercial Company and the Northwestern Commercial Com- pany have -a lease from the Government of islands where the seals breed. While the sealers are killing a few animals out in the open sea guarded by Uncle Ssm’s cruisers these two companies have men employed slaughtering them by the whole- sale on the islands. They say the pups die because we kill their mothers out in the open sea, when the fact is that the hunters ashore, in their merciless exter- mination of both sexes alike, wound num- bers of young seals which crawl off and die.” “A revenue officer told me it was a dis- grace the way the Government was cater- ing to those two powerful corporations. Why does Victoria get all the sealing trade? I will tell you. American revenue cutters watch American sealers like cats watch mice, and pounce upon them on every occasion, when at the same time they will pass a suspicious-looking sealer flying the British flag. Thus it is that so many American schooners swing the British flag from their masthead.” — e BOREAS WOOED AT SANTA CRUZ. An Too Toboggan Slide One of the Fea- tures of the Festival. SANTA CRUZ, CAL., June 8.—Negotia- tions are in progress for the putting in of an ice toboggan clide as an additional fea- ture of the coming Venetian carnival. This will add to the many amusements that are being arranged and is further evi- Matthews of Monterey County and Ballou of San Luis Obispo County were reported to be on guard on the eastern side of the mountain range, and all had their senti- nels among the residents. A large number of the ranchers are re- ported to be scouring the mountains in the hope of securing a trace of the fugitive. Sheriff Lyndon, to facili- tate this search, yesterday decided to issue 10,000 placards containing the two pictures of the murderer and announcing the rewards for general distribution. One thousand of these will be printed in Spanish and distributed in Mexico and among Mexicans in various sections. The reward fund now reaches almost the $5000 mark. Chairman M. H. Hyland of the citizens’ executive committee yes- dence that this vear's carnival will be the greatest in California’s history. Lieutenant-Governor Jeter and Lieuten- ant A. A. Moreyr of the Naval Reserve left for San Francisco this afternoon to meet Admiral Beardsley, to perfect plans for the naval display here by the three vessels of the Pacific squadron. The queen, Miss Josie M. Turcot, will appear in the street parade in a magnifi- cently decorated carriage, to be drawn by four horses, and in the river parade she will travel in the finest of the barges, pre- ared especially for her and to be rowed cy experien boatmen. Her maid of honor will, in the street parade, follow in another carriage and in a seperate barge on the river. 3 FRESNO SLEUTHS ARE BAFFLED, Fail to Trace the Slayer of the Shahamarian Family. CLEWS LEAD TO NAUGHT Russians Deny That They Passed Upon the Fate of Young Benjamin. TALE OF THE BRANDENBERGS. How Women Were Insulted and Chil- dren Wronged by One of the Victims. FRESNO, Car., June 8.—The assassin of Stephen Shahamarian, his son, Ben- jamin, and daughter, Queen, is still at large. Though diligently at work, the authorities have been able to find no clew, save the conviction that the Armenians were the victims of Russian rage, invoked by the younger Shahamarian’s 1nsults to Russian matrons and maids. A Cawr correspondent to-day visited the home of Albert Brandenberg, the Russian- German, whose wife and little daughter | had been insulted by Benjamin Shaha- marian, and whose name has been con- nected with the crime. Mr. Brandenberg lives in Russiantown, just across the road from the home of the murdered Shaha- marians. Mrs., Brandenberg did most of the talking to the interpreter, who accom- panied the correspondent. Both were eager to tell everything they knew, and appeared as deeply mystified as any one as to the identity of the murderer. The Brandenbergs said they have lived asneighbors to the Shahamarians for six or seven years and their relaticns had always been pleasant. Only a few days before the murder, Queen Shabamarian, the daughter, came over to Mrs. Brandenberg and asked her to assist in making a dress. Recently, however, they became un- friendly to the Shahamarian boy. On the night of the murder Brandenberg and his children retired at about 8 o’clock. His wife followed an hour later, Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Brandenberg heard any noise from the Shahamarian cottage during the night, although it is only eighty feet distant from their place. On the evening beiore they had seen the Shahamarian family and young Daniel Schermerian sitting on the front porch of the cottage, Queen Shahamarian had been a frequent visitor at Brandenberg’s house. She had told Brandenberg that she had been en- | gazed to young Schermerian, but her | father objected on the ground of relation- | ship, they being cousins. Schermerian | continued to visit his uncle’s house and { the attachment between him and Queen did not cease. The Brandenbergs say that the Shahamarians frequently quar- freled with each other and were mentally unbalanced. Queen, the girl, would stand at windows and go through strange antics. Mrs. Brandenberg then told of the sirange actions of Benjamin Shahamarian. His treatment of a little three-year-old girl of Brandenberg, as described by the mother, was shocking. Mrs. Brandenberg also told with old-country simplicity of | the insults which the youth tad offered her on Friday afternoon. At this point of the tale Brandenberg laughed and did not show any evidence of the anger which would have prompted & man to murder, for be it kuown that Brandenberg is under a sort cf suspicion. Mrs. Brandenberg had gone before Justice Austin and swore to a complaint | against Benjamin Shahamarian, but as the only evidence agaiust hire was the statements of two little girls, and as the | boy flatly denied ais guilt the court dis- charged him. A warrant was then issued for his arrest on another charge. Upon investigation by Deputy Constable Pick- ford no conclusive evidence could be ob- tained, and this case was also dismissed. Brandenberg stated that when he re- turned home and was apprised of young Shahamarian’s crimes he decided upon re- newing the case in court. It was the proper manner to have the boy punished, he said. Mr, and Mrs. Brandenberg denied any knowledge of meetings held in Russian- town to decide upon what punishment should me meted to the youth for his con- duct. The meeting held in the church on Friday night, which was reportea to be a gathering of Russians to consider Ben- jamin Shahamarian’s actions, was a re- ligious affair, according to the statements of the Russians. These meetings are giirilar to prayer-meetings and are held almost nightly. Mr. Brandenberg is a tedcher in the Sunday-school of the church. When asked their opinion as to the iden- tity of the murcerer, Mr. and Mrs. Bran- denberg shrugged their shoulders and re- plied that they did not know. The only enemies of the Armenian family, to their knowledge, were two Armenians. One had difficulty with the elder Shahamarian over the depredations of a goat, and the other, whose name was Peters, had trouble over business matters. Peters and Shaha- marian came to blows. This was nearly a year ago. Pastor Legler of the Russian church was seen. He said that wnenever he was wanted at the Courthouse, he would tell what he knew. He did not know anything, he said, except the rumors that were afloat. He seemed to be much excited be- cause Russians had been suspected of the fl:urder. At his prayer-meetings nothing ‘‘earthly” was spoken of, much less Ben- jamin Shahamarian and the inability of courts to punish him. As to who the per- petrator of the murder was, Legler said he had not the slightest idea. He was posi- tive, however, that the crime was not com- mitted by any Russian or Russians. The Russians in general say that the murder must have been the werk of Ar- menian enemies, while the Armenians de- clare that the assassin can be found among the Russians. A few months ago theelder Shahamarian had trouble with a Russian named Huben. The Russian, armed with an ax, pursued him, and Shahamarian took refuge in his house. THE VISALIA TRIAL. Suspect Haynes Displays Remarkable Ignorance as a Witness. VISALIA, CAL., June 8.—Little or no interest seems to be taken in the trial of Silas Lovren, the alleged leader of the at- tempted train hold-up at Tagus on the night of March 18. The first and only witness called to-day was John Haynes, a man who did not know the names of the montbhs, although he knew the days of the week. Haynes swore on cross-examination that neither McCall nor Britt ever told him that Ardell or Lovren would come to the mmg and go with them to rob the South- ern Pacific train. The witness never saw the sandals, masks or red cloth found on the body of McCall, the bandit killed in the hold-up, until he saw them in court. On the ‘I'uesday before the attempted rob- bery the witness quit the plotters because he was afraid McCall would kill him. Haynes said he was honest when he “jined” the Salvation Army, but his bon- esty left him after he had the first talk with McCall about robbing the train. He continued to go to the Salvation Army meetings and pray and sing as usual, but he was not honest. Lovren told him to continue to attend the Salvation Army and he would not be suspected of com- plicity when the train was robbed. RAID ON A TIQUE HOME Hirelings of a Brazilian Don Attempt to Abduct a Maiden. One of the Invading Party Slain by Her Father in a Pitched Battle. ALBUQUERQUE, N. MEx., June 8.—A Brazilian claiming to be a Count and call- ing himself Don Juan Miguel de la Cerda became enamored of the pretty 16-year-old daugnter of Merchant Dow, in the little town of Tijique, forty miles east of Albu- querque. The girl rejected him and her father ordered him away from the house. After a few days the Don enlisted a squad of sheepherders and gave it out that he intended to storm the vlace and carry the girl away by force, but the father heard of his coming, and when Don Juan approached the house yesterday evening a pitched battle ensued in which one man and a horse on the Don’s side were killed outright and several men on both sides dangerously wounded. Dow held the fort and the Don’s forces retired without the girl. GRADUATE AT RENO. Eighteen State University Students to Re- ceive Diplomas. RENO, Nkv., June 8.—The commence- ment exercises of the Neyada State Uni- versity have begun, the first feature being class day, in which the seniors took part. Rev. Dr. McKensie is to deliver the com- mencement oration and the conferring of degrees will be by Dr. Stubbs, president of the university. Foilowing are the names of the graduates: Adelaide M. Boyd, B.A.; William L. Brandon, B.A.; Albert W. Cahlan, B.S.; Jay H. Clemons, B.A.; Louise Frey, B.A.; Andrew Hanson, B.S.; John M. L. Henry, B.S.; Gertrude Hironymous, B.A.; Fred M. Linscott, B.S.; Arthur P. Mack, B.S.; May E. Palmer, B.A.; Emmet A. Powers, B.S.; William H. Segrave, B.S.; Laura Smith, B.A.; Fred E. Walts, B.A.; Albert W. Ward, B.A.; Mildred M. Wheeler, B,A.; Otto T. Williams, B.A. e, Capturea Near Goleta. SANTA BARBARA, Can, June 8.— Louis Olavas was arrested to-day on a charge of grand larceny, he having stolen the sailboat Genova, the property of A. Larco, with which he attempted a voyage to foreign shores. He was stopped by a fog and caught close to the Goleta shore. His confederate in crime, an unknown man who was at first reported to be Mur- derer Dunham, escaped, but the local con- stabulary is looking for him. P S Suicide Near Marysville. MARYSVILLE, Car.,, June 8.—James Norriss, a prospector, aged 70, committed suicide this morning on the county road four miles east of town. He sent arifle bullet through his throat and bled to death. NAPA'S GREETING T0 FAIR NATIVES, Daughters of the Golden West Given a Hearty Welcome. THEY OWN THE TOWN. Bells Are Rung and a Band Plays When the First- Comers Arrive. SERENADED IN THE EVENING, The Grand Parlor Will Meet and Organize To-Day—Reception to the Delegates. NAPA, Can, June 8.—The people of Napa have completed the pleasant task of decorating the streets and buildings in honor of the Native Daughters, and are ready to entertain their guests. Two car- loads of delegates arrived this evening, and a large number of citizens with a brass band met them at the depot. As the train arrived all the factory whistles were blown, bells were rung and flags were thrown to the breeze from the public build- ings. Nearly every man, woman and child in town wears the Grand Parlor colors in some form or other; red and yellow badges, neckties, hatbands, sashes and bouquets are seen on every hand. Bicycles adorned with the colors of the setting sun are much in evidence, and even the dogs are pressed into service by the enthusiastic natives and many a canine wears & har- ness more or less elaborate of red and yellow bunting. The wind, which had tempered the heat of the day, played havoc with some of the decorations, but the damage has all been repairea. As the visitors enter the busi- ness part of the town from the depot they cross the Third-street bridge, which car- ries a great mass of evergreens and bunt- ing. Main street, from Third to Pearl, is spanned by hundreds of streamers, and to- night is rendered as bright as day by scores of electric lights. Every storekeeper on the street has dressed his place of busi- ness more or less elaborately. On all the cross streets the decorations continue. An immense arch of evergreens reaches from the courthouse to the city hall. The fronts of these two buildings are garbed in bunt- ing, and on the front of the courthouse is the greeting, * Welcome N. D. G. W.,”" formed with electric lights. Many of the delegates have friends here, with whom they are stopvoing, and the others are given accommodations at the hotels. Aiter they arrived the visitors were serenaded at their hotels by the band, and later in the evening a concert was given on the courthouse square. The Grand Parlor will meet and organ- ize to-morrow morning. The day will be largely taken up with the preliminary business. The sessions will be held in Odd Fellows’ Hall. In the evening a reception will be given in the opera-house. Mavor J. A. Fuller will present to Grand Presi- dent Mariano Bertola of Martinez the key of the city. Hon. Frank L. Coombs, ex- Minister to Japan, will deliver the address of welcome. An excellent musical and literary programme, 1n which Miss Laura Pugh, Mrs. E. W. Churchill, Miss Gertrude Lamdin, Mrs. Richard Wylie, Miss Hattie Trowbridge, Miss F. W. Applegate and Dr. W. H. Evans will participate, hasbeen arranged. FOUND IN A SEATTLE CONVENT. Mrs. de Mooy of San Francisco Seeks ta Recover Her Child, Stolen Nine Years Ago. SEATTLE, WasH., June 8.—The recov- ery of her child, a 10-year-old girl, whom she claims was stolen from her nine years ago while she lay on a sick-bed in a Sacra- mento hospital, is the mission of Mrs. Ella de Mooy of San Fyancisco, who ar- rived in Seattle to-day, The girl, who was supposed to have been the lawful daugh- ter of James W. Smith, a well-known sporting man, who recently died in this city, appears in reality to have been adopt- ed by Mrs. Smith. The child is known as Isabella Smith, and since the separation of Smith and his wife about three years ago it has been an inmate of the Sisters’ Academy. Mrs. de Mooy is invoking the aid of the - law, and declares she will never return to California without her child. She says she was robbed of the little one through the connivance of a brother-in-law resid- ing at Fresno, her former home. During these many years she claims to have been in ignorance of the child’s whereabouts. NEW TO-DAY. «He who runs may read,” and he who reads (this) should run—run to our store while our exceptional Shirt chances are in full blossom. Outing Shirts, 75¢ and up. Fancy Bosom and Cuffs—white body—the Shirt of the dav, $1. A nugget of good value—First-rate White Dress Shirts, 90c. The difference between our Haberdash- ery Department and the big furnishing goods stores is that our expenses are lighter and prices lower. All-Wool Sweaters, 32 ones, 4 shades, $1 25. Extra Good Belts, 25¢. Bike Hose, Pajamas, Night Robes, Travellng Rugs, Bath Robes, Gowns, House Coats, etc. Mall Orders—Satisfaction or money refunded. NEW TO-DAY—DRY GOODS. Silk Sale ——OF THE—— Season ! Tuesday, June (AND UNTIL SOLD), AT BOTE STORES. The Greatest Bargains in Dress Silks Yet Shown in San Francisco. 19-INCH GLACE SHOT DOUBLE WARP SURAH, in all the desirable shadings; an excellent quality; considered a bargain any time at 50c; only 60 pieces, 35c a Yard GENUINE PRINTED WARP DRESDEN EFFECTS DRESS SILKS, in light and dark colorings; beautiful patterns: all the latgst flower effects, 20 and 21 inches wide; regularly sold at $1 25, $1 50 and $1 75 a yard. All at 93¢ a Yard KOHLBERG, STRAUSS 107-109 POST STREET and: & FROHMAN, =1220-1224 MARKET STREET.