Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-12-12
TWO INDICTMENTS.
THE GRAND JURY MAKES A PAR
TIAL REPORT.
Two Bills Found Against L. A. Gibbs.
Obtaining Money Under False Pre-
lenses the Charge.

After several months of work and ON
nous silence the grand jury has made a
partial report in the shape Of two true
bills of indictment.
Four days ago report went the rounds
that the jury was ready to report, and
their coming to the court room of de-
partment one of the superior court was
anxiously looked for, and considerable
speculation was INDUCED in as to what
was coming.
There were but two or three persons
| in the court room when the sheriff an
nounced the coming OF the jury to Judge
Smith, but by the time the jurymen
were seated several county officials and
deputies were on hand. General Bouton,
forman of the jury, handed the Judge
two indictments, which were read by
the court and handed to the clerk, an
order being made that bench warrants
be Immediately issued and bonds fixed
at $500 in each case.
The indictments were withheld from
the press for the time being and there
was considerable guessing as to who was
charged.
The court asked whether the jury had
anything further to report and General
Bouton replied in the negative.
Judge Smith said: "Well, gentlemen,
you have had pretty long siege of it,"
Eyes, sir" replied General Bouton,
"but we have made good progress and
| think we are near the end of our labors.
| The examination of the county depart
ments is nearly finished and all expert
work about done. We expect to get
through hearing testimony by the 18th,
| but it may take ten days further to make
a final report"
The foreman asked whether the court
desired to give further instructions.
The judge replied that nothing has
TRANSFERRED since the organization Of the
| jury that will require its attention, and
the jury went back to their rooms.
The warrants issued upon Judge
Smiths order were given to Deputy
| Sheriff Russell to serve, and within an
| hour from the time the indictments were
filed, the energetic officer had landed
his man in the sherff's Office
The prisoner, against whom both bills
were found, is Edward Z. Gibbs, a
young man about 80 years old, and said
to be engaged in the lumber business.
| The charges against him are for obtaining
property under false pretenses and
obtaining money under false pretenses,
and both cases are strikingly similar
to the famous bogus mortgage job which
has beer ventilated in the courts, and
OF which two men were convicted and
another is now awaiting trial.
1t is alleged that Gibbs has succeeded
in getting away with an entire livery
stable and considerable sum of money
in the bargain.
On the 30th of April, it ia stated that
he went to j. IL. Anderson, who at that
time kept livery stable at $40 South
Spring street, and asked him what he
would take for the business. He wanted
cash figures. Anderson said 1880 would
buy the whole place, and Gibbs took
him up and put up as security promis-
sorry note for 1888 SO signed donald
Mackay," and payment of the note was
secured by mortgage given by Mac
| Kay on $50 acres of land. The unsus-
pecting liveryman accepted the note
and the stable was turned over to
Gibbs, who Immediately disposed of the
| horses, carriages and all the contents of
| the place and pocketed the money. His
| dupe afterward learned that the signer
ofthe note and mortgage existed only
in the brain of the clever man who is
| alleged to be swindler.
The second offense is alleged to have
| been committed October 22d, when
Gibbs secured $1,000 from Herman Zu-
Der by alleged false pretenses. II is
said that Gibbs induced Zuber to let
him have the money by reason of GER
tain promssory notes, three in number,
each for $l33 33, all signed by the same
Donald MacKay, and appeared to be
secured by mortgage on the identical
piece OF land, 100 acres in extent, de-
scribed in the mortgage given to Alder
| son.
1t is alleged that Gibbs told Zuber
that Donald MacKay was very wealthy
Scotchman, who would pay the notes
upon presentation. He lived at Holly
wood, so Gibbs represented, but the
most strenuous efforts on Mr.. Zuber's
part have failed to locate the mysteri-
Gus individual who will now take a
place beside the famous B. +. Gitchell,
who figured so prominently on the
promissory notes in the Damron- Lock
wood Chadwick cases.
The prisoner spent the afternoon in
an endeavor to secure the $4,000 bonds.