The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-29
A WOMAN IN BLACK.
The Mysterious Female in The
Prison Conspiracy.
Sullivan, Who Furnished the Revo!vers and
Cartridges, Lodged in the Marin County
Jail ! He Is a Stole.

UOdlu pItSOu6I Ell IOubc lOi CaH AsaAdos
He was 5. w. Sullivan. brother of convict
C. c. Sullivan, and the Salinas laborer who
is accused of having smuGgled reviewers
and ammunition into San Quentin Prison to
aid the desperadoes who conspired to es-
cape.
Captain BERLIN of the penitentiary guard
had charge of the prisoner, and during the
trip to the county seat of Marin he was ac-
cOmpanied by CALL reporter The party
left the City Prison just in time to catch
the boat. During the journey on the boat
and cars the prisoner attracted little atten-
ton. He was securely manaeled, but man
aged to hide the irons beneath the sleeves
of his coat.
Sullivan is rather "tough-looking" indi-
vidual and is of slim, wiry build. he was
dressed as a common laborer. His thin
legs were CARRIED in blue Oyeralls and
heavy, coarse pair OF shoes incased his feet.
He wore faded frock coat, closely but
toned 10 conceal the absence of vest, and
a wide-brimmed, white felt hat covered his
head.
CRAFTY AND STOICAL.
That the man is crafty was evidenced by
his stoical silence which he has steadily
maintained since his arrest at Watsonvllle,
Saturday. On the train from Salinas to this
city, Captain Berlin tried in vain to ques-
ton him. but not single admission or de-
NAL could be obtained. In that entire
journey Sullivan spoke voluntarily bnt
twice. When he met the captain at the
Salinas Jail, he remarked: ~ believe
met you once on the balcony at San Quen-
tin" referring to a balcony on the third
floor of the prison building, in front of Cap
tain Berlim's Office, and overlooking the
prison yard
The second time was when getting of the
| cars at Valencia-street Station, this city,
when he asked: Are you going to get me
any snpper?"
He maintained the same silent demeanor
| yesterday on the way to San Rafael Jail.
| 1t could not be termed sullenness, Tor he
| smiled whenever spoken to, but a shake of
| the head was all he v0uchsafed to any ques-
| ton bearing on the prison plot and the
| charges on which he was arrested.
WANTS AN ATTORNEY.
On leaving the Central Police Station IN
| the city yesterday morning he told Captain
| Berlin that he would like to see j. n. E.
! Wilson. an attorney. He repeated the re-
quest on entering the Jail at San Rafael.
While seated in the waitingroom at the
ferry the reporter said to him: Sullivan,
| do you want some tobacco he was look
| ing at the floor, and evidently misunder-
stood tue question, 1or he repIleu IN VOICE
| hardly audible: " Yes, that's what some
! people call me-" and then. seeing the prof
! ferred tobacco, bit off a big piece, which he
| cheHed with great relish all the way TO jail.
| refusing subsequent offers.
On the way across the bay and also on
! the train to San Rafael Captain BERLIN and
| the reporter made frequent attempts to en-
| gage Sullivan in conversation. lis stole
| ism would put an Indian to the blush.
Some idea of it may ba obtained by the fol-
| lowing verbatim report oil the fragmentary
| efforts engaged in:
Captain BERLIN asked him how he spent
That's bad place. couldn't sleep"
he said, referring to the City Prison. 1t
was full Of DRINKS. all hollering like de-
| mons"
What do you think Of the jail?"
ITS tough JOINT"
Did you have breakfasts"
"Yaas; some bread and water Stops"
THAT WOMAN IN BLACK.
How often did you visit your brother at
San Quentin" asked the reporter.
"0nce year." WAS the grunted reply, as
he looked his questioner quizzically in the
eve.
Always go nlone?"
look my WIFE, shortly.
Who was that woman in black with you
the last timer" asked the captain.
MY wife" said Sullivan.
This Captain BERLIN afterward told the
reporter WAS lie. She was not his wife.
A great deal of speculation is being in
dulged in just now by the prison officials re-
2arding the identity of this mysterious
woman in black. She was with Sullivan at
Watsenvile just fifteen minutes before his
arrest Saturday, but she disappeared after
ward as completely as though the earth had
swallowed her. Sullivan claims that it was
his sister, but this is also false, as the
Superintendent of the sugar factory at Wat
sonyile knows the sister and says that it
was not her. The female is believed to be a
pal concerned in the smuggling of the piS-
tolls into the prison, and is probably sweet
heart or relative OF one OF the seven con-
spirators. The statement has also been
made that it was convict Sullivan's wife.
When the brother was asked about this he
denied it.
rs your brother married." was asked
him.
Nope" was his monosyllabic reply.
NOT oyERTALKATIvE
YOU'RE worried, are you nOt?" asked
the reporter.
An affirmative nod Of the head.
Any chIldren?
A negative shake.
YOU worked in the sugar factory at
jacksonville last year?"
Another nod.
"Whst at?'
Laborer."
What do you know about yonr
br0ther?''
No answer
Did you send him the pistols ?"
No answer.
What is going to be your defense?''
He deposited a mouthful of tobacco Juice
in the cuspid0r as ii he had not heard.
What do you know about the plot,
anyhow" and another chew Of tobacco was
offered him. But be neither saw nor heard.
Who's your lawyer" was next asked.
Wilson, j. n. E. Wilson. He has an
Ill. H. -.
item"
On the train the party Of three occupied
double seat, a passenger for Santa Rosa
making the fourth. Captain Berlin. after
Sullivan was seated, thoughtfully threw
his oVercoat across the prisoners lap, thus
hiding the manacles. Sullivan smiled
appTeciatively at the mark of kindness. All
the way to San Rafael from Tiburon he
scarcely raised his eyes from the car floor.
After leaving the big tunnel, between Reeds
and Green Brae, there is a long level stretch
OF marsh and water, across which for
two miles an unrestricted view of San
Quentin Prison may be had.
DID NOT LOOK AT THE PRISON.
When this stretch Of road was reached
nearly everybody in the car looked in that
direction with EXPLANATIONS of delight
Sullivan, however looked hard at the floor
and finally, with an effort, turned his head
in the opposite direction and glanced
through the windows on the other side of
the car at the seorched and blackened
slopes of Mount Tamalpais. He persist
entity avoided looking in the direction of the
prison until Just rs Green Brae was reached,
when he stole a furtve glance, just descry-
ing portion of the wall as it disappeared
from view behind an intervening hill. A
shade of feeling, whether of fear or of
sulen intr0Spection, flashed across his face,
but it was gone in an instant, as he saw the
reporter looking eunonsly at him. A tunnel
was entered just then, enveloping the car
in darkness, and when the train emerged
into daylight again Sullivan's features were
thoroughly composed.
at Green Brae, the prison railroad sta
tiun, it was expected that Warden Hale or
some other of the officials would be waiting,
but no one was there.
San Rafael was reached at S:45 o'clock
and Sullivan was escorted to the Jail, four
blocks distant. At the cnrbing in front Of
the courthouse steps stood carriage. On
the drivers seat was Warden Hale, and in