New-York tribune., 1890-05-05

shortly afterward. The mob Hooper said. was
| led by Captain Matthews. and another white
man whose name Safer had forgotten. The mob
hanged old Hooper and burned his house. and the
| son would have shared similar fate had he not
escaped. There was q minure or so of silence.
and then Hooper broke out with Captain Mat
| thews died with his boots on" and otter little
while, Both died with their boots on and
| then once more, II would rather be hung for
| killing j. W. Clayton than die natural death. '
The ludcrous position in which tits places
| Hooper by ascribing such language to him. in
view of the fact that Hooper could have been
! easily accommodated. does not seem to have at
tracied the attention of Safer. but then he may
have no appreciation of humor. 1t is a curious
fact too, that at this time Safer. upon his own
showing. did not know who j. NJ Clayton was.
and. what is equally curious. he did not have any
desire to know who the man was against whom
! his friend had just uttered such dire threats
His sster-in-law. Jane Gray. now a cook in Louis
! vile, was in the adjoining room, and said re-
proachfully:
| why, Mr.. Hooper, | am astonished ut your
| using such language and well she might be /;
but Hooper, it seems excited and he muir
INJURED: Well, If you had been as / was in Con-
way, You would kill the whole country" a senti-
| mcnt which might have made some cynics of to-
day regret for moment that Mr.. Hoopers use
fulncSs was cut short so early. But next morning
and this is not to be wondered at-Sater slept late.
lie probably kept awake by the dreadful
recital and threats of his friend He passed
Hooper in the street. Hooper said in an injured
tone of voice, such murlerers or people con-
templaiing murder presumably use:
" ! am aStonished that Miss Jennie should have
given me such reprimand7
What Safer thought or said is not known. A
few days after this astounding burst Of murder
"nS confidence on the part of the wicked Hooper.
he went on his rarch at Ranchito ten miles dis
tant from Los Angeles. There was some money
transaction between the two friends before part
ing, which resulted in Safer becoming richer by
the promise of the payment of 500 At the same
time, Hooper informed his friend that after sow
ing his wheat he should 90 to Arkansas About
this time Safer says that Hooper suffered from
hemOrrhages Of the nose, four a day. He was
able however, TO be up and about Some time
was to elapse before the two should meet again,
and when they did meet it was in strangely
altered circumstances. The two friends had been
turned respectively into n criminal and a detective
II was the Sd Of February when Safer. in Visalia.
To which place he had gone on a business trip
through Northern California picked up copy
Of The San Francisco Chronicle The first
thing that greeted his eye the startling head
lines Clayton Assassnated.7
"Aha,' said Safer 10 himself. and he turned
10 the men accompanying him and said be-
licve | know the man who murdered J. W. Clay
tom
In March Safer got back 10 Los Angeles Again
he picked up paper, this time The Los Angeles
Times, containing copy Of the letter sent 10
Sheriff Shelby and signed " Jack the Ripper. No
p and vouchsafng the information that the
murder of J. NJ Clayton not political Of
fence. hut done for killing my father
Safer Immediately drew the attention of Sheriff
Aguire. Of Los Angeles. TO the letter and informed
him NJ the same time that he knew who Clay
tons assassin was. Sheriff Aguirre seems 10
have business mind, for he promptly inquired
about the reward. Safer evidently had an eye
10 business likewise for after presumably hag-
Cling a little about the matter the two entered
INTO an agreement by which they were to divide
the reward II they were successful. Correspond
cncc was hrst entered into with Governor Eagle
and Sheriff Shelby Then it WAS suggested that
Sater 90 out 10 RanchIto and see whether or not
Hooper was still there. Finally he went on March
II, lsSo. He stopped at the postofce first
The postmaster, some Mexican or frenchman in
formed HIM that he had not seen Hooper for
some time He thought he had been away a
month before tor two three weeks. lie still
owed bill and didn't get his mail any more at
Ranchito. but at the neghborng station. At
last the amateur detective drove to lloopers
house In sight OF which he had stood all this
TINE. AlIs. Hooper was washing clothes in the
yard. Hooper himself was experimenting his
sons IN digging an irrISating ditch Safer was
invited 10 come In. lie did so. after feeding his
horse. Then he shareI the dinner of the family
Altogether he remained two or three hours. Be
fore going away, he casually remarked,
see Your Old enemy. Clayton. is dead
Hooper. with his four hpmorrhagps dav |
jumped up and exclaimed:
Yes, by God they Shot him with a double |
barr"llcd shotgun and hit him in the neck. | !
know the lady in whose house he was shot
Then. Safer says Hooper described the house |
the window. and everything about the murder |
Finally he ended with:
They will get the man that done it,"
Safer then spoke of the letter printed IN The |
like a hero before the footights aud dramatically |
shouted:
" | am Jack the Ripper
When Safer reported TO Sheriff AGuirre the lat
Frcnchman. shrugged his shoulders. No wonder |
Safer has not high opinion of that Sheriff. |
He said that Sheriff Aguirre wrs no good in
80 many words. and there the matter rests. As |
to IIoopcrs absence from his farm about the time
of Clayton's murder. which is really the impor-
tant point, Safer produces not "A scintllla of evil
lcnce beyond mere hcarsay. In the May follow
ing he left California without making another
eri0Is effort beyond the inquiry at railroad offices
for a man who had taken in January ticket for
some place in Arkansas without another at
tempt to secure the reward of $1,000 offered for
the apprehension of n man living ten miles from
his OWN home. who had practicalll confessed -
him that he the murderer of j. NJ Clayton.
This is in substance the story of Safer told on the
stand to-day. Let any one who has the faith be
licvc il.
REVIEWING SATER'S NARRATIVE.