The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 8, 1898, Page 2

= THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1898. rang the bell of the house and asked Mr. Durrant if any one should be ad- mitted, and s told to eject all those. who calle t the persons the vellow representative wished to admit. THEY HEARD DURRANT’'S LAST WORDS Complete List of the Medical Men and Other Persons Present. The following is a list of the profes- sional 1 and persons who. witnessed the . 0. J. Woodwc ;3. W. An- | Pomona Farrar, | Mayfield; | L. Car- |~ WHAT THE NOOSE SAID TO DURRANT. I have walited for you for years. Not as your enemy, but as your friend. Not in a spirit of malicious exultation, but of truest charity. I am the solution of vour destiny. the conclusion of all your woe. ! Are you weary of a life of torture? I will relieve you of it. Are you heart-sick of being baited like a rat in a trap with glimpses of liberty, only to be thrust back i again to face your doom? I will cure your pain. Are you tired of playing mouse to the cruel, capricious, heavy paw of feline Fate? I show the way to escape. Are you resentful that for the world you are merely a sensation? Have you had enough of being a great story? Is notoriety no longer sweet? Has the name your sister bears been made loathsome enough in all men's mouths? Through me you and your disgrace soonest find oblivion. Guilty, your remorse, your suffering are at an end. The deaths you have en- dured shall atone for the deaths you caused. The long-drawn agony of years shall wipe out the shame and the sorrow you wrought. There can be no worse hell than that you have passed through. Innocent, your outraged sense of injustice, your bitter hatred of the world which martyrs you, shall all pass. I bring you peace, surcease of suffering. In all the billions of people in the world—leaving apart the three the cruci- fixion of whose souls is the penalty of their love for you—there Is not one who would lessen your agony. I—I, alone, will. be merciful. Accept, then, of my ministration, Yield yourself to me. What would life be to such as you; could you obtain the grace of existence? What future, what pos- sibility of life's fullness or beauty is there for one whose name is synonymous in 7 office, and the Western Union office at San ncisco. & The San Francisco Call office had bulletins describing. all the signals in readiness to post. The Central West- ern Union office took off the code num- bers in transit to the Call office and flashed to the Call agencies through- out the State and East the bulletins | indicated by each number. At the telegraph key in San Quentin an operator sent the numbers as Man- ager McCormick, standing at the win- dow, announced them. bel\lnnnger MeCormick spoke ;liixe l;‘lm- TS as they were signaled to him from o, the hill. The ngnaf‘s Were: given- with | sl't‘ie to read Theh(,nll ’Pulleunp. As two flag colors, one white, the other | U°¢ citizen sail, “The Call is ¢ut of red. Beside the cperator of the flags | sight. 5. stood an observer with a fleld glass STOCKTON, Jan. 7.—People began 1;;13“ xnl r:hfh?c::gl :‘i?gogu flf, ‘;hse_ thlx | to gather around The Call agency this window stood another member of | the signal corps with a red and white flag, and within his view at the open doorway to the execution room was | posted a fourth. the immense crowds about them. * BENICIA, Jan. 7.—The bulletins is- sued by The Daily Call this morning was the sensation of the hour. Every person who .surrounded the bulletin board eulogized the business enterprise of The Call urnder its new manage- that thronged en by the different daily papers could be tcld by the size of the crowds around the separate bulletin boards, and the news had to be written in very large print to enable those on the out- street was impassable, so eager and en- thusiastic were the people to read the execution of Durrant. The agents had to edge their way through the crowd in = T plete, and this was fully attested to by ment. The difference in the news giv- | about an hour before the bulletins be- | gan to arrive, and up to 1 o'clock the | cins, Red- | Donahoe, Marysvilie; J. | som Prison; Fred Cow- | malpais; John Burr, Los | Oakland; W. W. John Rohan, | Woodland; H. Kent, C. McClure H. P. Pugh, | Oakla resno; H. J. | Cochrane, San | oy L G. 7. “S. Mc- fatthews, Sa- John R. Johnson, Alameda; D. ) S. Lawlor, Martines; b =)o) in r. Con- M. D.. S Jot J: as ames H. PEFITE HADY A A Robert Pfaeffle, ] R. L. Dunn, bdd (M. D)), W. ohnson, J. F. Flem- J. Cul- Elzas, J. . Cowan, Clar- P. D. ville, Benjamin, F. Marion Thrasher, F. M. D.), Dr. P. a W. 8 B ald, S. Sandman, us Herget, Frank m ch: BOARDMAN MAKES THE | LAST FIGHT.| His Petition Denied by: the the world’s estimation with monstrous wrong? And for those few who regret, who mourn for you, I bring solace. After all, the only shame in the death I administer is in what men have arbit- rarily associated with me. Death is 50 great a fact that there can be no accessory to its awful majesty. To those, then, who still hold you human and love worthy, my power extends. The speedier, the surer you and I are in our union, the speedier, the surer is the healing of their wounds. Their suffering is in your suffering. | dured is as nothing compared to that which they have borne. is in knowing that they cannot suffer for you. What you have en- Their cruelest pain With the knowledge that your agony is ended will begin thelr recovery from the long martyrdom. To them, as to you, my mission brings relief. Come. MIRIAM MICHELSON. 1 cuted at San Quentin at 10:30 o’clock | to-day. The petition which is here pre- sented involves certain Federal ques- tions as to-the jurisdiction of the Su- perior Court of San Francisco to im- | pose the judgment of death, and also particularly involves the power and au- thority of the Circuit Court to deny an appeal to this court under the statute provided for appeal proceed- ings of habeas corpus. I think the ques- | tions may be most expeditiously pre- | sented by reading the direct allegations of the petition on the questions that are involved. Mr. Boardman then read the first part of the petition reciting that on the 11th day of November, 1837, an appli- cation was made to the Circuit Court in San Francisco for a writ of habeas corpus, and upon the hearing of the application the writ was denied, and from that judgment an appeal was sought to be taken to the Supreme o denjed, and the clerk of the court irected not to file any papers up- peal. Secondly, it was contended at the i of making the order in the Su- rior Court that certain Federal ques- tions were present, which were after- ward taken on appeal to the State Su- preme Court, and that Durrant had the right under the constitution and laws of California to have this appeal determined by the court, and afterward to prosecute a writ of error to the Su- pre: Court of the United States upon the Federal questions that were in- volved. These rights were claimed to be vested rights under the constitution and laws of the United States. The proceedings of the State court and of the court of California were shown by certified copies of the reco: which were incorporated in the peti tion presented by Mr. Boardman. During the reading of the petition Mr. Board- man explained and commented upon the different grounds for the motion, and a number of questions were pro- pounded by Justices White and Shiras, to which Mr. Board- man responded promptly and clearly. At the close of the ‘argument the Chief Justice asked Mr. Boardman if a writ of error, upon the questions pre- sented by the petition, had been pre- viously asked for, and the attorney stated that a writ of error had been ap- plied for to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California and that applications had also been made to three of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and that the writ of error had been refused. The Judges then retired to their con- sultation chamber, where they re- mained closeted for thirty-eight min- utes. Not * person left the court- room, for every one knew that the de- cision must be apnounced quickly, as the hands of the big clock in the court- room were creeping toward the hour of execution. There was an ominous silence, broken only by whispers. After the Justices had been out for twenty-five . minutes Senator White whispered to Boardman that the delay | seemed favorable to Durrant, but some | of the other spectators regarded it as ominous. Exactly at 1 o’clock the Justices filed back into the courtroom and took their seats. Amid an impressive silence the Chief Justice said: “In the matter of the ap- irt of the United States, which was | Harlan, Fuller, | | plication for a writ of habeas corpus | in the case of Theodore Durrant, the | petition to file an application for a writ | is denied upon the unanimous opinion Unanimous Decision of the Court. Call Office, Riggs House, Washington, Jan. 7, Early this morning Louis P. Board- man, of counsel for Durrant, was astir, | although he did not retire until late in the night terviewing Justices Brewer an. He visited Jus- tice Shiras at his residence early this morning, but the result was the same as his view with Brewer and Har- | lan. All of them decided not to act in | an individual capacity. There was only | one thing to be done, and that was to | wait until the court met at noon, and | attempt to bring the matter before the full bench. This was desperate | chance at the best. | At five minutes to 12 'Chief Justice «Fuller entered the Capitol building. Mr. Boardman had been waiting for | him. After a few hurried words the | two men retired to the clerk’s room. | Boardman imade an earnest plea for | his client. In a few words rapidly de- livered he beseeched the Chief Justice to grant his request for a hearing be- fore the court. A man's life was at stake. He had 1 than an hour and a half to live unl the Chief Justice granted the request. Mr. Boardman thanked him and en- tered the courtroom, which was then packed to its utmost limit. Women preponderated. They were attracted by morbid curiosity, but there were many men, too, prominent in official life. There were a number of Senators ard Representatives in Congress pres- ent. Senator White was there. Outside in the corridor was a great crowd of people hustling each other for a vantage point, and the Capitol police had to drive them away from the door leading into the Supreme Court chamber. . Promptlyat 12 o’clock the black-robed Justices filed solemnly into the cham- ber; the only absentees were Justices Brewer and Field (retired).. As soon - as one or two attorneys had been ad- mitted to practice beforé the court the Chief Justice nodded to Mr. Boardman, and Durrant’s counsel arose. Every eye in theé courtroom was fixed upon him. A young man of command- ing presence, with a strong intellectual countenance, he spoke calmly and de- liberately, every word being heard in the courtroom. The silence was im- pressive. Mr. Boardman matde a most favorable impression. He said: *If your honor please, I desire to pre- sent a petition for a writ of habeas cor- a | prearranged. pus on behalf of Willlam Henry Theo- dore Durrant, who is now in State's . Prison of California at San Quentin under sentence of death. I respectfuily . request the immedlate consideration of the application for a writ of habeas corpus for the reason that the judg- -1gent of death Is directed to be exe- of the court.” Attorney Boardman then arose and thanked the court for their considera- tion, and the crowd dispersed quietly. Not so with the San Francisco corre- spondents. . They made a bee line for the nearest telegraph offices, several of ;&'hich are situated in the Capitol build- ng. But The Call was ahead of all com- petitors. Arrangements for transmit- ting the first news to San Francisco had been made the night before. One man was stationed in the courtroom. A messenger rushed the news to the Western Union office in the Capitol cor- ridor, where a through wire direct to The Call's editorial room was waiting. A code of cipher signals had been The Washington corre- spondent of The Call was in the oper- ating room of the Western Union at the down town office and in constant and direct communication. not only with the Supreme Court room, but with the bulletin board in front of The Call office. At 12 minutes after 12 the news was flashed to The Call’s bulletin board that Boardman had gained recognition and was making his argument. At 12:25 the news was sent that the Jus- tices had retired. The interval be- tween this bulletin and the next seem- ed interminable. The hands of the clock in the operating room crawled to- ward 1. Durrant had but a half hour to live if the court denied his petition. Every minute seemed an hour. The clerk of the Supreme Court was called up over the "phone. He sald that no decision had been reached, but prom- ised to hold the ’'phone for The Call and telephone the very first informa- tion. Then the instrument operated at the right of the correspondent began to click. “Decision in about two minutes,” it said. Then after one minute came the words, “Writ denied.” J A message addressed to The Call had already been prepared. It contained the simple word “Hang,” but this «cipher had been agreed on before hand. ‘The direct wire to The Call office was waiting' for this word. It was flashed to The Call office in just fifteen sec- onds. ¥ive minntes Jater other mess- ages to San Francisco papers, as well as the private message of Attorney Boardman, were sent over the wires, ut The Call had not only Beaten them all; it had actually beaten the official message from the Supreme Court to San Quentin. This marvelous feat of the Western Union is commented on at length by the Washington papers to- night. Five minutes after Durrant was hanged the news was posted at The Call office in the Riggs House. The Star says: The San Francisco newpapers had perfected the most complete arrangments for flashing the news of the Supreme Court’s decjsion across the continent. Great crowds were gathered in front of the San Francisco newspaper buildings, es- pecially before the Claus Spreckels building, on the corner of Third and Market streets. The Call had ar- ranged for a through wire from the corridor of the Capitol at Washington into its editorial rooms in San Fran- cisco. A Western Union operator was Posted there and given a code signal. The Washington correspondent of The Call was stationed in the operating- room of the Western Union. The hands of the clock were moving along toward | 12 o'clock. Durrant had only thirty- two minutes to live. If the motion for a writ of habeas corpus was granted the telegram must get acros the continent to San Quen- tin, Cal, in less than thirty minutes. At one or two minutes after 1 o'clock the word “hang” was flashed over the wires to The Call, and in just fifteen seconds the news was posted in The Call windows. The great crowd set up a cheer. Five minutes after Dur- rant was executed. A mesage to that | Call's | effect was received at The Washington office. In other words, the news of the decision of the Supreme Court and the announcement of his execution was transmitted across the continent and back in less than thirty- five minutes. Receiving the News. The arrangements at this end of tHe wire were as perfect as at Washing- ton. Seated at the telegraph key in The Call business office was an expert Western Union operator, waiting for the message that would either give the murderer a respite or seal his doom. Those who surrounded the instru- ment waited with suppressed excite- ment, while the operator coolly sat in his chair, calm and coliected. Hot from the wire the news of the Su- preme Court’s refusal to intercede was told in The Call window by pulling a cord that dropped the bulletin of in- formation, which was eagerly read by the waiting hundreds that surrounded the building. Again did The Call, with the help of the estern Union's rapid service, give the important news to the waiting public. YELLOW JOURNALISM DEFEATED| How the Saffron Screecher Was Taught a Lesson in Newsgathering. The bulletin service of The Call was the reportorial achievement of the day. The great exponent of yellow Journalism on the coast, when it came to this fair test of newsgathering en- terprise—where news was neither to be forged nor stolen—made a failure which should distinguish it for feeble- mindedness and utter want of execu- tive ability. Its management had conceived a master stroke. The means of its ac- complishment was to private wire laid from San Quentin to a connection with a telephone wire at San Rafael, the latter connected with the Postal Telepraph oflice in San Francisco. Between its headquarters, about 2000 yards from the prison, and the outer prison, was a bicycle rélay. Within the prison, betgv2:n the ex- cutive chamber and the outer door, was a speclal messenger service, per- formed by reporters. They took the bulletins of the events in the execu- tive chamber to the bicycle riders, who in turn bore them to the private telegraph key. This was a glorifying bit of general- ship. Probably in all the history of American journalism nothing quite so alarmingly imbued with the genius of newsgathering can be recalled. To execute this marvel of transmis- sion a staff of men large enough nu- merically to equip any sane modern newspaper was employed, and as a most touching feature of the affair every one of them thought the yellow scnlzecher had the world on a downhill pull. . Mark how simple a matter it is to do things swiftly without bluster. The Call had a different jdea as to how the news of the execution should be flashed throughout the State and country. To understand the eflicacy of the method employed it may be well to describe the same. The execution chamber is one of* four top-story divisions in what is known as the furniture building of the group composing the prison. In one end is the room containing the con- demned cell. Adjoining it is the execu- tion room« Then comes a large unused room, partitioned from a fourth, in which is the elevator. The actions of a person standing at the second win- dow of the third room--or properly the antechamber of the scaffold room— may be seen with a field glass by an- other person standing on the hill occu- pied by the Warden's house. Again, the actions of a person standing in front of the Warden's house may be noted at the window of the Western Union telegraph office in the flat be- low. The Call had a signal code. It was composed of numbers. Beginning with the entrance of Durrant and ending with the cutting down of the body, every probable event was represented by a number. For example: (1) “Dur- rant is ascending the gallows;” (2) “He is making an address, protesting his innocence;” (8) *“The hangman places the black cap, the trap falls;” (12) “The body was pronounced dead (blank) minutes after the trap falls,” and so forth through the line of possi- Dbilities in cases of execution. A copy of the code was in the pos- session of the local managers of the ‘Western Union service, the member of the Signal Corps on the hill, The Call be through a Here is the way this very simple plan worked: The door of the death cham- ber opened and Durrant entered with the hangman and the other attendants. The first member of the corps indicat- ed one with his index finger; the sec- ond at the window raised a red flag; the third, with the field glass, said “one;” the fourth raised a red flag; Manager McCormick exclaimed ‘‘one; the telegraph operator ticked off “on the receiver in the Call office echo- ing “one” a bulletin announcing the fact as described was posted; and the Central Western Unfon operators si- multaneously sped the news over the State and continent. Thus it went through the code, ev- erything working as though it had been greased for the occasion, and not with bicycle grease either. The time elapsing between the falling of the trap and the cutting down of the body was told of by Manager McCormick, who heid a stop watch on the interim be- tween the signals covering these two events in the code, and this bulletin was perfected by the simple message giving the minutes. The moment witness of the execution sped to the telegraph office, and followed the code with bulletin giving the fullest details. The result of this quietly arranged and modestly executed plan was the defeat of the yellow journalism bicy- cle transmission by precisely fourteen minutes. SUCCESS OF THE CALL BULLETINS. How They Were Received and Read Throughout the State. WOODLAND, Jan. 7.—The bulletins of the Durrant execution were posted in this city to-day at the local agency | of the San Francisco Call on Main street. early this morning and remained until an hour after the execution. The bul- letins were very full and complete, and were a satisfaction to read. The serv- ice of the Western Union Telegraph Company was perfect. Within a half Suddenly the sounder began to reel | minute from the time the death trap off its dots and dashes, forming the | | word that shattered Durrant’s hopes. was sprung the news was flashed to The enterprise of The Call dis- played in various ways in this city | lately has been the talk of the town. \ were first received.in this city. The other great dailies failed to recog: nize Woodland in sending out their bul- letins. MARYSVILLE, Jan. 7 the enterprise Call, Marysville was early in receipt of all details surrgunding the execus tion of Theodore Dufrant at San Quen- tin Prison. It was through a bulletin from The Call received this morn- —Thanks to | ing fully five minutes ahead of any cther like message that the nervous suspense under which the people have lingered wecks and weeks was relieved. There was a sigh of relief mingled with satisfaction when The Call telegram announcing that the hangman had sprung the trap, and the doctors had declared the criminal of the century no mcre, was read at Tae Call head- quarters. SACRAMENTO, Jan. 7.—Hundreds of people thronged about The Call head- quarters to-day reading the bulletins which promptly gave all the proceed- ings at San Quentin during the last hours of Durrant. No such service was ever given to the people of Sacramen- to before, and their expressions of ap- preciation were strong and numerous. The entire street and sidewalk in front of The Call office were packed with pedestrians, who halted for a moment to read the latest account of one of the most famous executions ever chroni- cled in the criminal annals of Califor- nia. Ever since The Call has main- tained its large bulletin board on the most prominent business corner in the city the people have become accustom- ed to the excellent service provided, and on all occasions when great events are presented ahead of the dally issue of The Call they congregate in great numbers at The Call headquarters, where they receive the most prompt, | complete and correct returns. SAN JOSE, Jan. ‘The posting of the bulletins announcing the execution attracted large crowds in front of The Call agency. Leng before the hour set for the execution many inquiries were made at the office as to whether bulletins would be received, and from the time the first dispatch was posted until the full news cf the hanging was given the sidewalk was impassable. Throngs stood about reading the news and discussing the murder. The peo- ple have learned to look to The Call for the first news, and at the first ru- mor of any important event they go around to scan The Call bulletin board. The Examiner exhibited a few dispatches at their agency, but at no time was there more than a dozen peo- ple about the bulletin. The Call's bulletins were the best and most com- the trap fell a Call| An immense throng gathered | of the San Francisco | order to post the bulletins as they ar- rived. There was great comment ex- pressed as to the reliability of the spe- | Up to the | issuance of a lccal paper people were | still crowded around reading the bulle- | cial bulletins of The Call tins of the execution. At the Exami- ner headquarters there were a very few people awaiting the arrival of the spe- cial bulletins, which came late. CHICO, Jan. 7.—That The Call is al- ways eager to place the important events before the people, not only in the larger cities, but those of the in- terior, was manifested to-day. Bulle- tin after bulletin came over the Western Union lines, and were read to | the eager crowd before The Call agen- cy. The bulletins came rapidiy, and The Call was the first to place be- fore the people of Chico the proceed- ings in the execution of Durrant. OAKLAND, Jan. 7.—Owing to the carefully prepared plans and the fine service of the Western Union Tele- graph Company The Call bulletins of | the execution of Durrant at San Quen- tin to-day were posted at The Call of- | fice about ten minutes ahead of its competitors. The operator in The Call office was connected directly with San Quentin, and a few seconds after each | event occurred the news was promptly | displayed. The operator wrote the bulletins on the big cards as fast as the clicking of the machine told the news. The final bulletin telling that great criminal had at last paid the the penalty of his crimes was displayed | before any other paper seemed to be aware of the fact. execution were eagerly read, and Broadway presented a very animated scene until after the news was re- ceivedd that Theodore Durrant pronounced dead. Among those who stood by The Call's instrument waiting for the final bulletin was Sheriff Charles White, who took out hig watch at 10:38 and exclaimed: “That's what I call enterprise!” LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7.—The most intense interest was manifested in the city to-day in the execution of Dur- rant. It formed the sole topic of con- versation, and the crowd around The Call bulletin board gathered early and awaited the news from the scene of the hanging. A sigh of relief went up when the bulletin came that the trap had been sprung. The papers here is- city, reaching here at 10:341-2 a. | sued extra editions, but all day long a knot of people hung around The Call office, where the bulletins of the news o e G S REV. EDWARDS DAVIS MAY BE EXPELLED. Prominent Members of His Church Disgusted at His Conduct. OAKLAND, Jan. 7.—The actions of Rev. C. Edwards Davis, at San Quen- tin, have aroused the greatest indigna- tion among the officers and members of the Central Christian Church, of which he is pastor. It is asserted with authority that he may not be permit- | ted to preach on Sunday, and that his | conduct or miscenduct is an outrage on | the church. b P. Perrine of 2138 Alameda avenue, Alameda, is one of the elders of Rev. Davls’ church, and was the man who caused the minister to withdraw when he had bargained to marry a couple in the lion’s den at the Chutes on a re- cent Sunday. He was greatly surpris- ed at the published statements affect- ing his pastor, and felt keenly the cloud resting on the church as a result of this episode. “You may say,” said he, “that this matter will be thoroughly investigated immediately. If the statements of the press are correct it is time the young man is out of the pulpit. He has been as sensational as there was need of, but this 1s a step too far. He had no business going over there yesterday, but I presume he thought to do some good. If the papers in the morning sustain the statements of the evening papers T will oppose his appearance in the puipit until such a time as he may be able to clear himself of the charges before the officers of the church. No one would listen to a man thus ques- tloned who professes to be a Christian. Tt is entirely toc serious a matter to be overlooked. 1 shall make it my duty to ?ook.puerully into the affair to-mor- oW : Professor John W. Metcalf, another officer of the church, expressed sur- prise that their minister should act in a manner unbecoming to his position. ““All I can say,” said he, “is that if the latest reports are true the members of the congregation will never put up with him as a minister. I presume the mat- ter will come officially before the offi- cers and some action be taken. Of course it is impossjble to say what it The details of the | was | | swindling. will be until we learn of the true facts in the matter.” Another officer of the church, who Is known as an intimate friend of the minister, but desired his name with- held for obvious reasons, said: “I am surprised at Mr. Davis. He left here without informing any one as to his intentions. He should have known bet- ter than to have gone to San Quentin at this time. ~All of the newspapers have treated him in a most friendly manner, and for him to favor one against all of the others, under the guise of his ministerial cloak, was, to say the least, questionable. His al- leged conduct will be the subject of investigation by the officers, and it is doubtful if he is allowed to occupy his pulpit until after such an investigation is held.” Treasurer H. E. Magill of the church was seen to-night, and positively re- fused to make any statement or discuss the matter in any manner. Rev. Mr. Davis returned to his home to-night for a short time, but left hur- riedly forsSan Francisco. Before going he made the following -statement: *“T went to San Quentin yesterday to see W. R. Gay, who is serving time for big- amy. I knew that Chaplain Drahms and Durrant were at outs, and thought that possibly I might be of some use. | On the way over on the boat I fell in | when I| with Mr. and Mrs. Durrant, offered my sympathies and any serv- ices they might feed. They were verv | gracious to me and asked me to go in | and see Theodore. - This I did, and, when I came out, all of the newspaper | boys jumped on to me to get an inter- view. “I was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Durrant, who are retained by the Ex- aminer, and as they gave me the inter- view I was under obligations to the Examiner. I told the boys I would give them all a fair shcw if they called at the hotel later. pieces, but was finally thrown into the carriage when I was driven off with an Examiner reporter. 1 was not paid by them, nor did I go in their interest, but among their own people I was compel- led to show them the courtesy due as | published reports | are libelous, and 1 have secured suffi- | It is | intimated that I was under the influc | by ten | entertainers. The cient evidence to protect myself. ence of liquor. I can prove men, of such standing as Judge Law- lor, that I drank nothing stronger than ginger ale, ail that evening. That I kad to be kept in a room all night is all bosh. I did nothing that could in any way be twisted into a reproach upon the church. I have acted every inch a man.” Davis left for the Examiner office on the 8:30 train. THE BULLETIN BEATS THE HANGMAN. Another Wonderful Stroke of Enterprising Evening Journalism. The Bulletin is enterprising—in the | bunko line. The “pea and shell” game workers I was nearly pulled to | and “gold brick” swindlers now admit | that they are in the amateur class when it comes down to a matter the Builetin, and intend seeking other fields if that paper continues its | present policy. reaped ‘a golden harvest | | from the business men with its “Tilus- | | trated Industrial | tin sought a new fleld for operation. | In the hanging of Durrant the mana- gers saw an opportunity to swindle the | The cards admit- | ting those who were to be present at | Having edition,” the Bulle- public in general. the hanging of the “fiend of the bel- fry” announced that the ' execution would take place at 10:30 ¢'clock yes- terday morning. An account of and set up so that everything would for the execution. o'clock yesterday morning the ‘“extra’” been sprung at 10:30 o’'clock and that | Durrant had expiated his crime. Bulletin, Durrant was was on the streets announcing to an awaiting public that he was dead. The swindle perpetrators the' shower of nickels ex- pected. The intection of the Bulletin | to be “enterprising’” was offset by the jail people unknowingly. It was not until five minutes after the Bulletin appeared that Durrant was launched into eternity. The people, profiting by the experi- ence of the local merchants who were caught in the advertising swindle, awaited to get the news from the bul- letin boards of the morning papers. Having been caught once in the bunko game, the Bulletin was not to be trust- ed. The “extra” edition, containing a full account of the execution, will be useful, however, to the laundries buy- ing old papers. P CONFESSION QF A BURGLAR. Says He Committed All the Recent Robberies in Sacramento. SACRAMENTO, Jan. T.—Arthur Willi- son, who was recently caught in the act of looting the residence of Lawyer Clinton White, has confessed to Cnunts' Detective Max Fisher that he committed nearly all the burglaries in Sacramento during the past few weeks. He pried open windows with a jimmy and stole lnr%e quantities of silverware and other articles of value. Nearly all of the stolen articles have been recovered from pawnshops. Willi- son claims that he is under the control of an evil spirit that is always at his side, continually urging him to commit erime. — - Death of a Former Actress. PHOENIX, Jan. 7.—Martha Wren Gill, wife of Ed 8. Gill, District Clerk at Phoe- nix, died this evening. Mrs. Gill was for- merly a Miss Wren, an actress of promi- nence on the Eastern stage. NEW TO-DAY. e e s e e e America’s Greatest Medicing GREATEST, Because Hood's Sarsapa- rilla is the medicine to which the bulk of the people of America nat- urally turn when overtaken by sick- ness, caused by impure blood, scro- fula, dyspepsia, etc., or when con- valescents are recovering from debil- itating blood-poisoning diseases like diphtheria, scarlet fever, etc. . GREATEBT Because its cures have produced a firm belief in the curative merit of Hood's Sarsaparilla, never accorded a medicine before. GREATEST, Because the natural re- sult of this public confidence in its unusual curative merit has produced sales of Hood's Sarsaparilla never approached by any qzher'medlcine. GREATEST, Because when other med- Hood’ America’s Greatest Medicine. . Pre- pared by C. L Hood & Co.,, Lowell, icines fail to do any good, Hood's Sarsaparilla cures, absolutely, com- pletely and permanently. GREATEST, Because It eradicates every vestige of scrofula, cures the worst cases of hip aisease, subdues the itching and burning of eczema, heals all sores, boils and eruptions, and every ailment due to impure blood. GREATEST, Because it conquers dys- pepsia by toning and strengthening | the stomach, cures rheumatism Dby neutralizing the acid in the Dblood, overcomes catarrh by removing the scrofula taints that cause it. OROVILLE, CAL.—“My little girl be- came afflicted with hip disease when she was five years old. She was con- fined to_her bed for six or seven weeks. When she got up she was not. able to walk across the floor. She had lost all her strength and day by day she became thinner. I decided to give her Hood's Sarsaparilia, and when she had taken three bottles her appetite was excellent and she looked quite well and was very much strengthened. She has not used her crutches for over eight months and walks to school every day. Hood's Sarsaparilla cured her.” MRS. G. A. LAROSE. GREATEST, Because Hood's Sarsapar- illa actually purifies and enriches the blood, tones the stomach, creates an appetite, energizes, vitalizes and strengthens the whole system. Sarsaparilla $1; six for $5.#C. I. Hood & Co., Low- The Oné True Blood Purifier. Ameri- ell, Mass. America's Greatest Medicine. | ca’s Greatest Medicine. Sold by all . druggists. of | They award the palm m: the | hanging was written Thursday night | Un- | fortunately for the “enterprise” of the | talking from | the scaffold at the very time the paper | id not reap for the | | 3 FIRE LADDIES VLAY BE OUSTED Threatened Wrecking of Fresno’s Volunteer Department. Democratic City Trustees Would Substitute Another in Its Stead. Seek to Turn ItOver to an Aggregation of Members of Their Party. Special Dispatch to The Call. FRESNO, Jan. 7.—The Democratic majority of the Board of City Trustees is about reaching a crisis in its efforts to break up the Fresno volunteer fire department, which is recognized as one of the best fire-fighting organizations in the State. It is ranked high by the insurance men, and if it is disturbed the rates of risks will go up at once. The trouble between the Democratic trustees and the firemen has been brewing for a long time, and on one cccasion Trustee Joe Spinney was giv- en a thrashing by one of the laddies whom he was accused of having insult- ed. The trustees have got together an ag- gregation of men who ve organized themselves into a department, and have petitioned the board to be recog- nized as the municipal organization. The Democrats want to oust the pres- ent department, which is efficient and has the Support of all business men and property owners in this city. The offi- cers of the new organization are as follows: Chief, Timothy Walton; first assistant, J. D. Morgan; second ‘assist- ant, J. D. Jones; treasurer, George Duncan; secretary, C. J. Overshiner. The new department is in fact a Demccratic club. If placed in power it will be used as a political machine, and | the people of Fresno will have to go through another era of dirty politics. | This is the first important move that the Democratic manipulators have made toward carrying the county next fall, but it will avail them nothing, for if they succeed in breaking up the reg- ular fire department they will allenate a laree number of the most substantial Democrats of the city. The municipal board will meet to- morrow night to act on the petiticn of the new department. The old organiza- tion has elected County Clerk Truman G. Hart its chief and the ratification of his election will also come up. A warm time is expected. CHINESE GIANT'S AFFLICTION. Big Charley Mack of the Salinas Stricken by Faralysis. SALINAS, Jan. 7.—Charley Mack, the well-known Chinese contractor of the Sa- linas valley, was stricken by paralysis and is under treatment at San Jose. A short time ago his partner, Sam Sing. a leading Chinese merchant of this city, became insane and died after his re- moval to Agnews. It was stated at the time that Sam Sing’s insanity was due to a business settlement and quarrel with Charley Mack. The latter fell down among a lot of his countrymen when the stroke of paralysis came upon him, and the Chinese have been much agitated over the visitation, believing that the in- sanity and death of Sam Sing, soon fol- }lowed b!\; the paralysis of Charley Mack, be in readiness to launch the Bulletin | - on a confiding public at the hour set | Promptly at 10:30 | are in ti nature of a judgment. Charley Mack is perhaps the largest Chinaman in California, being over six feet tall and weighing over 250 pounds. | In stature and build he is not much like was sent out from the Bulletin press- | rooms, announcing that the trap had | the typical Mongolian. He has been for years one of the foremost contractors in fleld work in the Salinzs valley, and has made and lost fortunes in his time. Rz e Mules ;’erisn in Fire. RIVERSIDE, Jan. 7.—Word reached here to-day that the Hemet Land Com- pany’s barns at Hemet were burned last night. Over 100 tons of hay were de- stroyed and a dozen mules, together with valuable farming implements. The loss will be in the neighborhood of $5000. The amount of the insurance is not known. The cause of the fire is a mystery, but there is strong suspicion of incendiarism. o ———————————— e NEW TO-DAY. ' 1326.4826 Warket St. and 134 Sixth St. SPECIAL SATURDAY ONLY! BUTTER, Fresh (reamery, 45c square e kind sold during the week for 60c. EGGS, Best Petaluma - - - 271c dozen MAPLE SYRUP, 0ld Fashion, 50c B R ERE LT Rl DRUNKENNESS ! Morphine and Opium Habits. Painless treatment. Sixth year; 1000 cured; low- est prices; write to-day for full particu- lars. Cut this out, Gold Cure, Sacramento, Cal. 26 Page St., S.F. The Weekly Call, It Publishes the Cream of the News or the Week and * MANY ATTRACTIVE -AND ORIGINAL FEATURES, IT IS THE BEST WEEKLY PAPER ON THB PACIFIC COAST —— ———— The Best Mining Telegraphic Newe That ice on Is Accurats The Coast / &up to date Not a Line of it Sensational or Faky, and Not a Line of it Dry or Urinteresting. e o Bright, Clean, ‘Thoughtful.