Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-19

bouts. Niles received harness, etc., for th
note. also found parties there who kne'
Singleton well, and denied that he had ha
any such trouble at Sacramento about
woman, as stated by Niles, or had been re
! quired to pay dollar in any such manner
can identify the remains found in the well a
those of Singleton. I know them by tn
teeth.
/ THE VERDICT.
AT the conclusion of the testimony thG
jury reviewed the case. and two or three O.
them who were intimately acquainted witt
the long-missed man were positive that they
themselves identified the remains from the
clothing and in various ways as those of Sin.
gleton. Thereupon the following verdict was
rendered:
In the matter of the inquisition upon the
body Of James Singleton, deceased. we the
undersigned jurors summoned to appear be-
fore j. d. Redferp, Coroner of the county of
| Placer, at Lincoln, on the 18th day of Sep.
| tember, 1881, to inquire into the cause of
death, and having been sworn according to
law, ana made such inquisition, after inspect
ing the body and hearing the testimony ad-
duced, upon our oaths, each and all do saw.
that we find the deceased was named James
Singleton, q native of Ireland, aged about
90 years that he came to his death about the
middle of November, 1876, by the blow of a
deadly weapon on his bead, inflicted by the
hand OF one A. S. Niles, according to our best
Information and iclief, and which was done
| about four miles west of Lincoln, on the
! premises at that time owned by said A. S.
| Niles, 10 this county; all of which we certify
! tO hv,f fhio H.,
this 17th day of September AID. 1881.
THE MURDERER AND HIS VICTIM.
Ambrose s. Niles, commonly known as
Jack Niles, is man of fine physique. 5 feet
IL inches or G feet high, weighs about 200
pounds, dark complexion, dark brown hair
and same-cclored chin " hiskers, dark eyes
and of good personal appearance. While
living at Lincoln he was prominent
citizen, and was regarded until the
present time, by all except the few who
had suspicious of this affair, as an honest,
trustworthy and quiet gentleman. He was
of temperate habits, and associated with the
better class of society only. Singleton was
also very highly respected. and eDioye the
esteem of all who knew him. He was a
bachelor, and is not known to have had any
relatives upon the coast.
SOME THEORIES OF HOW THE MURDER WAS
COMMITTED.
Let it now be recalled that the track of the
wagon ran close by the well; that from that
point the horses started to run away; that
they ran against the windmill, breaking the
wagon. Let it also be remembered that Niles
and Singleton were together in Sheridan on
the day when the latter was last seen. David
Long testi6es that he saw them in the wagon
together going home from Sheridan. It
should also be remembered that the body Of
Singleton had on two coats, showing reason
ably that he was murdered in the nighttime
or in cold weather. 1t appears reason
able that Niles murdered him on the way
home and with the body IN the wagon drove
at once to thu abandoned well. While he
was engaged in depositing the body in the
well, the horses, having been kept out all
day, were restless and started to the stable
Finding themselves unguided, a runaway en-.
sued. All this agrees with The fact of the
track of the wagon near the well. The case,
however, assumes another aspect in theory.
Niles may have first killed Singleton and af.
| terwards conceived the idea Of making the
horses run away, go as to attribute the death
to accident from the runaway But
the death of Singleton, if known
would result IN an administration
of bis estate, in which event nothing would
he gained This has now the confirmation oi
the partial confession of the murderer. He
says that he threw SiDgleton's body in the
well, but That he did not kill him that he
was killed by being thrown from the wagon
when the horses ran away. This looks like
a revival of the original device in the mind
of the murderer to conceal the crime. The
former theory, however, seems to be that en-
tertained by tho most of those who have
been on the ground.
During all the time subsequent to the dis
covery of the body. the search for Niles had
been most persistent. Sheriff Boggs came
down to Lincoln, and from there to Sacra'
mento on Saturday morning. When Niles
sold out one year ago he removed with hi:
family-a wife and three children-to near
Elk Grove, Sacramento county. He has
been principally employed since peddling
spring beds, header springs and wagon
cushions for his brother, j. S. Niles,
/ of Sacramento. who until about two
months ago manufactured those articles
at Twelfth and streets Sheriff
Boggs did not succeed in finding his
man. Yesterday morning information was
received that Niles was at his farm, ten
miles from this city, and four officers
started early TO make the arrest. Meantime
it was ascer ,ained at Lincoln that Niles had
attenGed the fair at Chico and had been
seen at Gridiey. on his way back. Yester-
day morning the conductor of the Oregon
train informed the representative of the
RECORD UNION that Niles had been seen al
WheatlaEd and that an officer had started tc
follow and arrest him. This news was tele-
graphed back to Lincoln from Roseville
The following dispatches from Wheatland
announcing the arrest of Niles, were received
at this Office at l o'clock yesterday afternoon
WHEATLANp, September 1Ssh.-Deputy
Sheriff Beyin and your reporter have just
returned from Lincoln, after delivering Jack
Niles to the officers of that county. The ex-
citement at Lincoln Is intense The people
for miles around are in town discussing the
murder. On the road to Lincoln Niles made
| confession, as follows He says that abou,
FIVE years ago he and the murdered man,
James Singleton, went to Sheridan for load
Of barley. When there they drank some,
and on the road home they commenced ar.
guing about religion. They had hos words,
when it came to blows. They both fell from
the wagon and the horses ran away, Single.
ton breaking his arm and Niles being
stunned. When he tNiles) came TO, be
hunted for Singleton and found hin
dead. Not knowing what to do
he put him in well in his (Niles9 field, and
told the neighbors that Singleton had gone
away. Your reporter found that the story
of Niles did not hold good, for on examine E
the remains Of Singleton a. Lincoln-whicl
is only his bones-the arms are both sound.
From Coroner Redfern your reporter learns
that the skull is broken in, and it is supposed
that the cause of death was from blow on