San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-02-02
THE STORY of A SKELETON.
It Is All that Remains of a Bad
Gambler OF San Jose.

1t Is All that Remains of Bad
Gambler OF San Jose.
Stockton Cali Record.
On the 18th inst. the Stockton In
dependent Published an account OF
the finding of q skeleton in the bot
tom of shaft at Murphy's, Calaveras
County, the forearms of which bore
handouts and the connecting chain.
There are but three persons living
who can explain the mystery of the
handcuffed skeleton. Two of the
three will assuredly never do so;
therefore, in order If possible to re-
lieve my mind of the burden of years
I will relate some of the facts con-
nected Herewith.
In 1866 gentleman and his wife
purchased handsome residence on
Santa Clara street, in the city of San
Jose. They had plenty of means
and moved in the best society. The
gentIeman's business called him to
San Francisco quite often. There
lived next door to their residence q
policeman. The gentleman and wife
seemed happy and contented, and no
cloud was known to ever have dark
ened the sunshine of their house
hold. On Monday morning, after
the gentleman had taken his depart
ure for San Francisco, the policeman
saw q well-known gambler talking
to the wife at the rear gate and was
much surprised. Tuesday evening
the gentleman returned and found
his home deserted and note from
his wife stating that she had left
him forever.
For some hours the husband was
completely Frustrated. Next morn
ing he sIgnaled the policeman to
come to him aud asked whether he
could and would keep secret. On
receiving the assurance OF the police
man the husband told his trouble
and was directed by the officer to
keep quiet and remain inside the
house. The policeman went and
hunted the gambler, but he was no.
where to be found. After quietly
making inquiry in places which the
gambler frequented, he learned that
he had hired q horse and buggy,
stating that he would be gone some
days. The policeman returned and
told the gentleman what he had
learned, and what he thought of the
matter. The gentleman went and
saw his wife's brother, who lived not
far from his residence and told him
all. They soon decided what to do,
and with trusted friend and police
man were soon on their way toward
Livermore Valley.
At Washington Corners they
learned that q gentleman and boy
had passed there in buggy very
early that morning. The pursuing
pal ty pushed on across the mountains
into the San Joaquin Valley and
learned that they had crossed the
San Joaquin River. Here they lost
track Of the buggy; but about noon
next day learned that such a couple
had been seen at Pennington. The
pursuers lost as little time as possible
in reaching FasmingtOn, and there
learned that the man inquired the
way TO Sonora. But the party could
not find the buggy tracks on the
Sonora road, and did not think the
gam bier would tell his destination,
and so they took the road to Angels
Camp, where they learned that the
couple were but an hour ahead of
them. Thew hired fresh horses at
the Angels livery stable and hast
ened the pursit.
just as darkness was setting in and
Murphy's in sight, four horseman
dashed up to the buggy and with
drawn revolvers commanded a halt.
The gambler was told TO get out of
the buggy; the policeman placed a
pair of handouts on him, his boy
companion proved to be the wife in
male attire, the brother got into the
buggy with his sister; the policeman
walked down the road short dis
lance toward Angels leading the
horses and the buggy followed. In
about an hour the husband and
friend returned but no one asked
what bad become of the gambler.
The pursuing party, increased by the
addition of the woman in male at
tire, arrived late at Angels and stop
ped over night at the hotel, all re-
Clustering under fictitious names. A
few days thereafter they all returned
to San Jose. The husband went to
San Francisco, and thence East,
where he died in less than year.
About two years there after the
wife was courted by an Ex-Governor,
but later on married wealthy bank
er of San Francisco, and today is one
of the most attractive women of her
age in the city.
This brief sketch will, in measure
solve a mystery which it would be
neither wise nor polite to fully dis
close by giving further particulars
and names, as all the responsible
parties but two-the handcuffed
skeleton and the betrayed husband
are still alive, respected and WELL
l-norr citizans of nantral California