Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-01
CONFESSION OF CRIME.
CHARLES CAMPBELL PLEADS GUILTY TO
STEALING e. CoY's MONEY.
How the Crime Was committed-What Be-
came of the Money-The e.
cape Recapture, Etc.

|
connection with his confession he desired tt
make statement, which the Judge gave hin
permission to do. He then proceeded to re
late the circumstances under which the crime
was committed, and after referring to hi;
past habits and life, said:
HIS STATEMENT.
On the 21st day of last October I called
at the house of Mr.. Coy. which is a public
house on the jackson road. Igot there about
half-past 9 o'clock in the morning. He in
vited me to take drink and [ did so, and
afterwards drank several times more, con-
tinuing to do so until about noon, when l had
got pretty full. Mr.. Coy then took me to
straw stack across the road from his house.
where laid down and slept until o'clock in
the afternoon. l then returned to the house
and commenced drinking again, Mr.. Coy
| being there at the time. At a little after 6
o'clock that evening Mr.. Coy went to the
barn, and as he left said to me that if l
wanted anything more to drink, to help my
self. He then went across the street
to the barn to milk. While he was
gone L went in behind the bar and
| helped myself to drink, and while
there l noticed box containing $3.50 in
money settirg on shelf back of the bar.
| took the box and put it under my arm, and
walked out of the house, starting towards
Sacramento. [ was very drunk at the time.
When | had gone few rods from the house
Mr. Coy saw me but don't suppose he saw
the box, as had it under nay arm. 1 spoke
to him and said [ was going home, and he
said had better go. l then came about four
miles towards Sacramento, and got over a
fence into field and laid down by straw
stack and went to sleep, leaving the box lying
by my side. This was in the evening. woke
up in the night some time, and got up and
started away
LEAVING THE BOX THERE,
Not having any recollection of having it un-
til after l had gone away. After going about
two miles thought about the box and went
back and got it, and my first impulse then
was to take it back and leave it upon Mr..
Coy's stoop floor, but just then | saw man
coming from towards Sacramento who l sup
posed was Coy, and believing that informa-
ton had been given to the police about me,
thought it would be useless to take that
course 1 then went directly to Curtis
house, three miles and half from this city,
on another road. got there about half-past
the next morning and took breakfast with
the family. l was slightly acquainted with
Curtis, having done job of work there be-
fore.
After breakfast took him out to one side
and showed him the money and told him 1
was in trouble and wanted his help. He
asked me where [ got the money, and told
him l had sold house and lot in Stockton
and got it. / then gave his wife SO to go to
town and get a pair of boots for me, and gave
Curtis all tie balance of the money but 500.
l told him an officer might possibly follow
Mrs. Curtis back after me, and Mr.. Curtis
said If one did come for me to go up stairs
and stay. Officer Frazee came out that day
and found me in Curtis door-yard and ar
rested me. As soon as he arrested me he
SEARCHED NE THOROUGHLY,
Going through my pockets, clothes and
boots and taking S63 20 from me. Mrs.
Curtis having returned from the city also,
and not having paid ont the $40, that was
also taken by the officer. l then told h m
that 1 wished to see MIR. Curtis. who had
gone to his upper ranch about four miles,
near the Union House. and he took me over
there in his buggy. While there, Curtis and
home. the officer riding in his buggy behind
US. Previous to this the officer had informed
Curtis that I had stolen this money from
Coy. On the way back Curtis said to me
when we were alone, So You didn't tell me
that you took that money from Coy" and
replied, "No, [ did not tell you go; but l did
take it from him." l then asked Curtis what
1 should do, and he said the best thing
could do was to slleedadle." l then con-
cluded to do so, aud on the way to his home
Curtis and l made it up that | would tell the
officer that the money was hid down in the
field, and that if he would let me do so l
would go with Curtis and get it, and while
going there | was to make my escape. When
we arrived at Curtis houge Curtis took the
officer one side and told him that | wanted to
90 down into the field and get the money that
was missing, and he gave Curtis his revolver
to have while accompanying me, and Curtis
ard / started down into the lots. While we
were going along | made arrangements with
| Curtis to take care of my wife, who was in
Sacramento and in destitute circumstances.
He agreed to see that she did not want any
thing in dress bills or groceries SO long as he
had any money to furnish her with.
HIS ESCAPE AND coNCEALMENT.
After we had gone between quarter ana
a half mile and got over the fence, l said,
Curtis, have only got four bits in my
pocket and need something to go away with, y
! and he put his hand in his pocket and gave
me a $50 gold piece. | then took hold of the
tips of his fingers and said goodbye" We
had then got out of sight of the house, where
the officer remained, and Curtis stopped and
I went on. When had got a sho.t distance
| turned around and said to Curtis, Re-
member my family" l then started on, and
| pulling eff my coat as l did SO, and Curtis
| held the revolver into the air and fired three
times. He did not FIRE at me.
Campbell here stated that there was no
truth in what had been told about his
striking Curtis over the hand with wrench
to break his hold from him, at the time he
escaped, but said Curtis told him since his
recapture that he so told the otflcer.
He then continued his statement as fol-
| follows When l left Curtis in the field /
went to the first house south of the Catholic
cemetery, and Curtis told the officer that
ran into the cemetery. This he did so as
to throw him off my track. While the off,
Ger and Curtis with him vera hunting for me
| in the graveyard / was in this house, and
when they went back to Curtis place / went
across the road and stayed in a house
! there until the next evening. During that
/ day / saw the officer searching for
/ at other houses in the neighborhood, but they
/ did rot happen to come to the house where |
was. From there / went the next morning
to Portuguese house, near Sutterville, and
from there to Napa, and continued in that
| vicinity until
WAS REcAPTuRRD
On the DIST Of February last. My wife was
| arrested at the same time, anu we were COLI
fined in the City Jail of this city until April
18th, when a preliminary examination took
place. My wife was then discharged from
| custody, and the Chief of Police stated that
nothing whatever had been found against
her. / was held to answer. and brought te
the County Jail.
While in the city prison Chief karchel
tried to get my wife ard to sign paper
stating that we had both voluntarily stayed
there, and said if / would sign it he would
help my wife financially and give her a
recommendation We refused to sign 1t, ano
he thereupon gave her dollar ard said he
would give her that much anyway to help
herself with, and she was then discharged
from custody.
Curtis came TO see me several times while
was at the city prison, and told me to keef
quiet and say nothing to anybody, and he
would furnish me lawyer. He gave ne
tobacco and IS pocket money during these
visits. The last time he was there he tolc
me that when l came up in the Justice Cour;
for preliminary examination. If | would no
mention his name he would furnish me with
a lawyer and let me also have $500. / was
not allowed the privilege while in the City
Jail Of seeing an attorney, and so held out
the idea TO Chief Karcher that il could gel
out to Curtis place it might be l could ENC
the money. | did this so as to get an oppor
tunity to drop letter. SO l could get somt