Nevada County picayune., 1890-05-14
toying himself hugely ln the cosmo- poliian city of the Golden Gate.

or the San fFanCiSCO CHrOnlcte Wiilcn contained two-column article and ! it was all about Mouter The arti- l cle went on to say that at 10:30 on i the morning of the day before a fine 1 looking young man called at one of l the banking institutions of the city and asked to sec the cashier. He was ushered into that officers pres- ence and to him he said that he had l just come from New York and had S20, ,000 in currency that he wanted to exchange for gold, and would it be possible for messenger from the bank to bring the gold to his room in the Lick House that afternoon and make the exchange? The cashier i replied that it would, and Mir. Moutcr, with profuse thanks for the accommodation, bowed himself out The caskier, after thinking the mat ter over, concluded it would be q q wise precautlon to have detec- tive follow the messenger to the hotel when he went to see Mouter
 and accordingly sent for him and in- structcd him just what to do.
 At O clock in the afternoon the messenger with four large bags full of gold coin went to the Lick House and was ushered up to Monter's s room. The latter met him st the door and smilingly received him. He asked the messenger to be seated in large easy chair for . minute or two while he got the S20,000 in cur rency out of trunk that stood in a closet. The messenger, who knew nothing of the fact that a detective had been ordered to follow him, put the bags containing the gold down on the floor, and sat down in the chair indicated by Mouter Scarcely thirty seconds passed before he hap pened to glance up, and in large mirror that hung over the mantel he saw reflection which nearly para lyzed him with fear. Right behind ] his chair stood Mouter with a hatch ct uplifted in his hand, while an ex- pression of diabolism contorted his face. The messenger jumped and shouted for help just as the hatchet came through the air directed at his head. The keen edge of the mur- derous instrument sank into one of his shoulders and blood spurted over him and his assailant.
 Just then the door was burst in and the detective who had been wait ing in the hall way bounded into the room and with one blow over the head with his handcuffs laid Mouter proslrate to the floor. To secure him then vas but the work of q few minutes, and it wasn't long before he was locked up Ill a police station. A search of the room disclosed the fact that much less having $2O, ,0O0, he had scarcely anything at all, and the natural presumption was that be- ing pcnnileSs he had determined to stake his all on one desperate chance. lie was soon placed on trial, con victed and sentenced to San Quein- tin prison for twenty-five years. Two months ago 1 was in California and l called at the grim looking prison to see my quandom friend. l had a let ter of introduction to the warden and in brief chat with him he said Mouter was the best behaved prison CT in the institution. lie was occu- pying q position as bookkeeper in the stewards office. He is always q gentleman remarked the warden.
 "Fifteen minutes afterward Mou- ter walked into the reception room, clad in prison garb, but bearing him. self with the same courtly dignity l remembered so we'll of old, Time had touched him lightly, and his face bore no lines indicating that remorse had gnawed into his soul like a 'canker f the bud We talked pleasantly for tbtee-quarters of all hour, and then 1 took my departure. Not the slightest reference was made about his being convict, shut out from the world. l couldn't see but what he was unchanged in most re . spects. When l took his hand to say farewell he smiled in such q light-hearted, unconcerned way l was forced to believe he was about as happy as when l first knew him ! back in 1874. The visit affected mo
 quite differently, and for days after wards l felt as though 1 had just come from the open grave of one