Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-07-08
The Hawley Case.

Yesterday morning at O'Clock when
we went to press, the doctors assured us
that there was hardly ghost ofa show
for Mr.. Hawley, the victim of the
knife of young Mayer, but we had
more faith in Hawley's vitality than
in the fiat OF q college ofphyslcians, so
We gave the wounded man the benefit
of the doubt, and there is now every
prospect of his recovery. DIR. Shorb
at ten O'clock was of the belief that
the wound was not fatal, but
was overruled and left the case In the
hands of Mr.. Hawley's physician, Dr.
Ross, and his consu lting physicians.
We waited up In momentary expecta-
tion ofhearing Of the victims death,
but at o'clock he seemed to be i'm
proving, and we went to bed.
The last good-byes had been said
and Hawley, to many friend, was
the hoodlum's victim. Yesterday
morning at an early hour we learned
that the wounded man was recovering,
much to the Joy of host of friends,
and the discontinue of medical sci
ence. BY late reports last night he
was mending rapidly, and is in a fair
way to be officiating in newspaper
dom at an early date.
HIS AssAILANT.
John Mayer, his assailant, hid him.
self in q lumber yard on Tuesday
night, and in the morning went home,
when his father promptly delivered
him to the Sheriff, who committed
him to Jail. Last evening we inter-
viewed him in his cell, and, though
annoyed by the presence of mur-
derer, a horse-thief, house-breaker
and several other criminals in the
same cell, got his statement.
HIS APPEARANCE.
He is apparently about nineteen
years old, and prematurely aged In
crime. He is probably five feet eight
and half inches high, slim, rather
weak build, of snaky figure, sallow
complexion, dark hair and eyes. He
has an unhealthy look, physically,
mentally and morally. Though of a
good family, with model parents and
respectable friends, he is evidently the
out-growth of the streets and dens of
iniquity. He Is rank production,
his ideas of bravery and honor being
obtained from Dick Turpin literature;
his pattern of manhood copied from
the highwayman; his morals obtained
of the brothel.
HIS STATEMENT.
On Tuesday night l was drunk on
Main street, near the Grange Store,
and got into row with man who
was called Lynch, and who knocked
me down, giving me this black eye
and scatched face. AS l got up an
other man, wearing a plug hat, ap-
preached and struck at me with his
cane. did not recognize him, it be-
ing impossible to do so, owing to the
darkness. l did not know Hawley,
and had been already sufficiently
abused by the man Lynch, and when
my new assailant raised his cane, I
determined to defend myself, struck at
him and ran, not knowing the result
of my blow. I do not recollect of him
calling out that he was stabbed and
did not notice him pursuing me.
SUGGESTIONS.
This was the result of the interview,
obtained in detachments and subject
to frequent interruptions by noto-
rious criminal named Crooks, who is
up for stealing q carpenters tools, and
who has evidently taken young Mayer
under his tutelage. 1t is a matter of
regret that our criminal accomm0da-
tiOns are SO inadequate that prisoner
of the age of Mayer is put into the
same cell with old and hardened GRIM
inals to receive their instruction in
deeper infamy. The Jail is we'll kept,
is clean and neat, but the huddling to-
gether of prisoners of all ages and de-
grees of crime is against the spirit Of
the age, and the County Supervisors
should consider gravely its conse-
quences in the future criminal annals
of this county. AS at present consti-
tuted, the Jail is school from which
criminals graduate better fitted for
preying on the community after their
slight restraint. The Jail should per-
NIT no communication between GRIM
inals inside or outside, and unless this
sequestration is accomplished jails fail
of their purpose.