Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-24
CONSPIRACY PROVEN.
The Part an Unfafthful Wife
Played i'm n Tragedy.

DyOt CAihtCloOh0 dua
owner of ranch in Santa Paula.
Haines, three days afterward, died OF
his wounds at Ventura. Dye, immedi-
ately after the shooting, surrendered to
the officers, was bailed and in due time
was charged with murder.
The circumstances attending the trag-
edy and subsequent developments read
like romance and disclose one of the
most remarkable as well as complete and
perfectly planned conspiracies to put out
Of the way a wealthy and extensive
landholder that has developed since the
celebrated conspiracy of the Sespe squat
iers, which resulted in the killing of T..
Wallace Moore on the same ranch nearly
ten years ago, and for which F. w.
Sprague served ten years penal servi-
tude, his companions escaping punish
ment.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
The evidence adduced at the trial oi
Dye in the Superior Court here, before
Judge Williams and jury, disclosed the
iollowing remarkable story:
Early in 1856 company was incor-
porated, known as the Sespe Land and
Water Company. The company con-
trolled the rich lands of the Sespe ranch
of $4,000 acres. Dye, the principal
stockholder, was made General Superin.
tendent of the company, with head
quarters at the ranch. Rich in agricul-
tural, mineral and oil resources, the
Sespe ranked among the foremost ol
southern ranches, and the company was
considered one of the wealthiest and
most influential organizations in the
south.
A leading stockholder was H. j. Crow
a wealthy Angelefo and extensive owner
of lands in Los Angeles and Ventura
counties. Business frequently called
Grow to Sespe. There he met and be-
came enamored of the beautiful youne
wife of Dye. Mrs. Dye. it seems, recip
rocated Crows affection, though the lat
ter was a married man.
THE CONTENTS OF A NOTE.
Mrs. Dye was the constant recipient
OF letters from Grow, and of many
visits when Dye was called to Los An
ge]es, which was Of frequent occurrence
Dyes suspicious were first aroused ir
the early part of August, 1886, when hap
pening home unexpectedly he espied hi
young wife carelessly drop note in from
of his home. He noticed Willie Haines
son of Herman Haines. pick up the note
and start toward his saddle-horse, which
was hitched near the ranch house
Dye told the boy to 60 to a place or
the rancho, distant five miles, and de
liver verbal message, and hastily
mounting a horse Dye followed the boy
and, overtaking him, procured the note
Mrs. Dye had written to Herman Haines
The note disclosed the fact that Haines
had acted as Intermediary for Grow il
the transmission of the correspondence
between the lovers, and also that Haines
possessed of the secret between Grow
and the woman, had demanded a clan
destine meeting with Mrs. Dye and him
self.
MEETING OF HUSBAND AND WIFE.
With the note in his possession, Dive
returned home and confronted his wife
A scene followed, in which an old man,
love for his young wife and anguish owe
her infidelity we're dramatically por
trayed.
Dye, after assuring his wife that al
was over between them, penned lette
to Haines, discharging him, and askinl
him to never again put foot on thu
rancho, and never to meet or speak with
him again.
Shortly after, possessed of means giver
her by Dye, Mrs. Dye left for her par
ents' home in Oakland, leaving a baby
boy and little girl.
Haines daily, after his discharge
threatened to take Dyes life on sight
and, fearful OF trouble, Dye left the ran.
cho and went to Los Angeles, where he
remained for some time.
Returning in August, 1887, he acci.
dentally met Haines in a store in the
little town of Santa Paula, armed with q
Henry rifle.
THE SHOOTING.
Haines insulted Dye as the latte,
passed him. Dye slapped Haines' face.
An alteration followed, in which Dye
fatally wounded Haines.
S. M. White and Harry 7. Gage, oi
Los Angeles, assisted by M. B. Beattie
conducted D yes defense and brought
out the conspiracy waged against Dye
Immediately subsequent to his discovery
OF the illicit relations existing be-
oWOcH LIS WIG anu STOW.
Mr.. Gage and Mr.. White, who
took especial charge of obtaining
the evidence of conspiracy, produced
and placed in evidence the correspond.
ence between Grow and Haines, and
Grow, Haines and Mrs. Dye, clearly es-
tablishing the existence Of Illicit rela-
lions between Crow and Mrs. Dye, and
the fact that after this discovery by
Dye, the two men had conspired to get
Dye out of the way, either by the result
OF the disclosure or assassination.
The production of this evidence cre-
ated the most intense excitement. So
lireless have been the efforts of Dyes
attorneys that dispositions had been pro.
cured from Guatemala, which substan-
tiated the evidence of conspiracy.
FURTHER EVIDENCE OF CoNsPIRACY,
A letter read in court, and which pro.
duced sensation, clearly proved Haines'
and Crows connection with the con.
spiracy. 1t was addressed to E. l..
Baker, Crows confdentiGl.s Secretary, who
has been the most important witness for
the defence, and who was the leading
witness for the prosecution at the former
trial. This letter was written to Baker
on August 25, 1886, two days
prior to the day Haines was
killed. 1t discloses the fact that
Haines had contracted to put Dye out OF
the way, and contained the statemen,
that Dye must be done for, if Haines' and
Crows safety was to be considered alec
that control could be had of the property
if Dye was out of the way. Crows rela