Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-01
A POOH BAH.
A LANCASTER OFFICIAL BOTH CON-
STABLE AND JUDGE.
Was Very Peaceably Made-The
Charge Against Him Dismissed.

M. FL. Grain, of Lancaster, Antelope
valley, arrived in the city yesterday, and
to HERALD reporter gave an account of
his recent trouble up in that valley.
"Rony," as he is commonly called, was
out hunting wild horses and poisoning
coyotes for theil scalps, in company with
Joe Kichline and another man named
Lewis. Their camp was out in Kern
county, near the Buckhorn ranch. They
had been out over a month, when they
wanted to get some fresh horses to COM
plete chase for particular wild stall
lion that Grain once had captured, but
had subsequently escaped from him.
Joe Kichline had the privilege from old
Jose Andrada to try certain "palo-
mino," that is cream-colored, horse,
with the privilege OF buying. The An
drada horses were on the Sierra Pelone
mountains, about twenty miles from
their camp. There they went, and
found the palomino horse and three
others. AS Kichline was an old friend
OF the Andradas, he concluded to take
the three extra horses and pay for their
use. So they took the four horses, and
renewed the chase. Four days later old
man Andrada came into their camp AZ
ter his horses, and the boys settled for
their use to Andrada's satisfaction, and
after staying all night with them, he
left the next morning. N. A. Morris,
who is justice of the peace at Lancas-
ter, and also deputy sheriff, was at
Andrada's when the old man returned,
and persuaded his son Marcus Andrada
to swear to complaint charging the
boys with grand larceny in stealing the
horses. Then Morris issued the war
rant, and in his dual capacity as deputy
sheriff, proceeded over into Kern county
to arrest Grain and his companions.
He found Grain some distance
from camp putting out poi
son for coyotes. Grain was totally
unarmed, not having even pocket
knife. Deputy Sheriff Judge Morris ad-
vanced upon him with double barreled
shotgun in position, and ordered Grain
to throw up his hands. Grain didn't
throw up his hands, but walked towards
Morris. Morris then ordered him to
stop and throw up his hands, adding
that he (Morris) didn't wish to take any
chances with him (Crain). Grain re-
fused to throw up his hands, but asked
Morris what he wanted, and what was
the matter. Morris said he had war
rant for his arrest for grand larceny,
horse stealing. Grain then quietly sub
mitted to the arrest. The statement in
the HERALD account as given by Morris,
that Grain then said that he regretted
that he didn't have his arms, and that
it was id hard to be held up by
mans own weapons" Grain says is
lie of Morriss own make. He said
nothing of the kind, as was
proved at the trial. Grain did,
however. ask Morris for his war
rant, to which the latter replied
that he didn't need one, that he was
deputy sheriff, and had the right to ar
rest, Grain wherever he might be found.
Grain then drove his own team to Ian
caster, where he and his companions
were put in Jail and refused even cup
of water. The next morning they were
escorted hand-cuffed to the depot by
guard of four armed men, and two of
the guards accompanied them to Los
Angeles, and on their way to the county
jail were refused the privilege of meal
at restaurant, although they offered to
pay for it themselves. The examination
was held at Lancaster few days later
by Morris, in his capacity then as judge,
who was compelled much against his
wishes to discharge them on the motion
of Deputy District Attorney Blades.
Grain thinks that Morris chief dislike
to him grows out OF loan made by
Grain to Morris.