Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-15
THE MORSE TRAGEDY.
Oakes, the Assassin, Evil
IDENTIFY Insane.
THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The COrtege to Move From the
Stewart Hotel To Morrow
Morning at 10 O'Clock.

San Bernardino was in mourning yes.
terday, in honor to the memory of her
noble son, E.. H. Morse, who had lived
gentleman and died hero. The flag
foated at half-mast over the courthouse
and the bank, where the sad tragedy oc-
Cured befittingly bedecked in the garb
of woe. The details of the assassination
formed the principal topics of converse
ton, both in business and social circles,
and many were the calls of sympathy on
the bereaved widow and mother of the
deceased, whose only consolation was
that their idol had met his fate as nobly
as any hero in the annals of chivalry.
The assurance that the assassin
Oaks was insane soothed the
perturbed spirit about town that at one
time seemed liable to result in a resort
to mob vengeance, the only desire being
that justice should not be slow in melting
out to him his just deserts, whether in
the shape of walk to the gallows or an
incarceration in an asylum where he
would be forever removed from the paths
of man. The Commission of Lunacy,
which had been hastily summoned to
gether, commenced its investigations
early in the day in the Sheriff's quarters,
the physicians attendant upon Cakes
being present and giving the result of
their professional inquiries into the case.
The most important evidence adduced
was that Cakes has been twice an inmate
of the insane asylum at Rochester, Mimi,
where he been treated for acute melan-
cholia. On the occasion OF his first dis
about Minnesota, but he was soon
stricken again and taken back to the
asylum, from whence he was discharged
on the 9th of August last, not as cured
but simply as convalescent. All inter.
rogations put to Cakes were answered in
the same incoherent manner which dis
tinguished his conversation with the
HERALD man on the day Of the murder.
He would give no other reason for the
killing than the one he offered the day
previous, that is that he had to do it be-
cause he could not get the money.
The prisoner appeared to suffer
a good deal during the day from
his wounds, which, being simply in the
flesh, are consequently painful, so he
was kept under the influence of opiates
good deal of the time. He will be re-
moved to-day to the County Hospital,
and Sheriff Cole has summoned very
strong guard to act as escort, with in
structions to instantly suppress any indi.
cations of trouble, it being feared that
the incensed element of the town will
yet attempt to carry the original design
of lynching into effect.
The remains of Morse have been en-
balmed and are still lying at the Stewart
Hotel, from which place the funeral will
take place Sunday morning at 10 o'clock.
The ceremony will be under the immedi.
ate charge of San Bernardino Lodge, No.
146, I. U. o. F., which has issued an
invitation to all Odd Fellows who can
possibly attend. An inquest will be
held to-day by Coroner Wainwright,
who has summoned the following jury
M. F. Thomas, M. F. Cropley, S. L.
Ives, Smith Halle, G. w. Mettler, Emil
Newburg, 1. S. Hill, D. s. Moulton, R.
H. Curtis, A. S. Waltz, F. Carson and
E. R. r. Cartwright. Mr.. Wainwright
obtained short statement FROM Morse
as he lay dying, as to the immediate
circumstances of the shooting. He said
in substance that Oakes came in and
asked if he had heard anything about his
money and upon being replied in the
negative, pulled out his gun and fired.
The report Of the Lunacy Commissioners
will also be received on the testimony of
the eye-witnesses of the affair, so it is
anticipated that the investigation will be
lengthy one. The Grand Jury meets
on Monday next and the general opinion
is that the murderer should be indicted
at once and his trial fastened, although
it is quite certain that it will result in
Oakes being held irresponsible for his
act and will simply cause his transfer
from prison to lunatic asylum.