The morning call., 1891-05-08
JACOBSON'S MURDER.
Sydney Bell Convicted of the
Crime Most Foul.
The Jury Quickly Finds Him Guilty Of
Murder in the First Degree Without
Recommendation.

Sydney Bell, the notorious footpad, has
been convicted of murder in the first degree
without recommendation. Judge Murphy
submitted the case TO the jury about :45
o'clock last evening, and they reached a
verdict In thirty minutes.
Very little can be said that will aid to the
general knowledge of this remarkable case.
About half-past II O'Clock on the morning Of
August 17tn last Samuel jacobson was ac-
coSted by two footpads in front OF his own
res idence, near the corner OF California aud
Webster STREETS, and commanded to throw
up his hands. Instead of doing as bid he
grappled with the one who spoke. and In
the brief struggle that followed received
bullet wound in the abdomen that resulted
in death the next day.
The best description he could give of his
assailants was that one was tall and the
other short 1t was the short man who
gave the command and did the shooting.
Both wore handkerchief masks. This "as
very meager aid to the police authorities IN
running down the murderer, and would
probably have been rejected as unworthy
Of consideration but for the fact that cltl-
Zens were being stopped and robbed every
few nights. about that time, and the uh-
varying testimony OF each victim was that
tall and short man did il.
BELL FINALLY SPOTTED"
The detectives were nearly baffled, but
they still worked on. Policemen dressed as
citizens patrolled all parts OF the city, but
not one OF them was ever approached, or
obtain more than dim clew.
Willie all these robberes were going on,
however, the police were sufficiently vigil
liant to spot" Bell as the peTpetrator Of at
least some of them. and alter close watch
of several days he was finally arrested on
January 9th last
He surprised his captors completely by
confessing all the charges against him, and
with a frankness or bravado by no means
common among criminals related many
other r0bDeries that the detectives had
been totally unable TO locate. His confed-
crates, however, he would not reveal, try
ing to throw the detectives Off the scent by
giving fictitious names.
A few days before two men named
Schmidt and Graham had been arrested In
San Jose In possession of carpenters tools,
known to have been stolen III this city. Be-
lieving there was some relation between
these men and Bell the detectives followed
the scent and were not disappointed. On
the day previous to Bells capture another
suspect named Edward Campbell had also
been arrested, and it was matter of very
little difficulty TO find that he also was pal
of Bells.
OSAaG kONf EoSEos
Campbell seemed greatly worried over
something. The detectives noticed it, and
after two or three days OF pressure finally
Wrung from him clean confession of all
the facts connected with the murder of
Samuel jacobson. He was the tall man,
Bell was the short man.
Both Bell aud Campbell had been en-
ployed as agents Tor a sewing machine
company, aud formed their acquaint-
anee about one year ago while ia that bust
ness. @They were not making money as
fast as they wished. so agreed to go on the
road together. Their exploits were quite
numerous in this CITY,
Nine footpad robberies were charged
against Bell besides the Jacobson case, and
he smiliDgiy admitted them all.
At the poSt-mOrtem examination of jacob
son the bullet was found and preserved. On
Bells person at the time of his arrest was
found loaded club and pistol. The most
convincing piece of cireumStantial evidence
throughout the trial was the fatal fact that
the bullet fitted the pistol perfectly, and the
still more fatal circumstance that both bull
let and pistol were of unusual caliber.
BAND OF CRIMINALS.
Campbell, who made the confession, is
an ex-conyict; Schmidt who knew all the
facts of the killing and confessed them. is
also young Jail bird; Graham. the only
one who tried to shield Bell, has the worst
police record of the list, and during his tes-
timony perjured himself so often that moth
ing he said was credited at all.
The trial lasted thirteen days. Following
are the jurors who sat in the case. Z. Il.
Dimoud, E. A. Bules, H. L. Lewis, c. S.
Gram, II. L. Holmes, l.. S. Pease, James
Patterson, r. Y. Lucy NJ. c. Hawks, A.
II. Vail, Patrick O'Reilly and james
Franklin.
HIS STOMACH WORRIES HIM.
When Bell was taken back to the County
Jail after the decision of the jury there was
no notable change in his countenance or de-
meanor. He was as cool and apparently I'M
troubled as when he appeared for prelim-
mary examination in the lower court, He
declined to make any statement for pnblica-
ton when interviewed by reporters, stating
that lie wished to hear from his relatives in
the East before deciding upon any future
arrangements.
Bell talked in jesting manner with his
jailers. lie said the only thing that wor-
ried him was his stomach, which is begin
ming to rebel against prison fare.
AT IL o'clock last night the convicted