New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-28
BEYOND THE SIERRAS.
PERJURY IN MURDER TRIALS-THE POST
OFFICE SITE-FRUIT CROP.
rsY TELEGRAPH TO THE IRIBUNE.I

San Francisco. Feb. 27.-Jhis week has seen
plenty of excitement In TWO murder trials. each
Of which illustrates the growing tendency mere 10
ward fragrant perjury in courts. Inc disagree
ment OF tic jury in the OF Curtis. the act0r.
was expected but the popular idea was Ihau d
majority OF Jurors would be affected by the dc'
PENDANTS appeals for sympathy, whereas the re-
suit showed that the actor had dangerously mar
row escape from San Quentin, and that aEother
trial will probably end in his conviction FROM
the testimony brought out by the police there
is not shadow ofS%loubt that the actor while
drunk and suffering from the indignity ana pain
of "nippers' on his wrist shot the policeman VINO
wa. dragging him toward the statlon-house. lhe
evidence was conclusive that no other person save
Curtis and the policeman was nj inc suecO 'V
tie tlmc and from the shootn" VII HIS "'''o'
Curtis was traced every minute. HIS own o,oiS
Of being robbed ana taken into CUSTODY VIII
man who robbed him was shown 10 DC ialse ny
the testimony of q Spanish female peder' WIN
saw the actor and the policeman only IL"
moments before the shooting. There Is no escape
from the conclusion that the defence pW'' up i's
case on perjury throughout. Curtis employed
,,,o ~ The ablest criminal lawyers in TINS
,ty. and they managed his defence with
,onsummate skill They utilized cunningE the
,tropp feeling against the policeman aroused Dy
the efforts made 10 secure admissions from GURUS
This idea OF police conspiracy TO fairoau
Curtis into State Prison was Kept cohs'ahVy III
tie foreground and in the CHARACTERIZATION ].
was used with much effect IL was strengthened
by the extraordinary efforts which the ponce mace
to obtain every scrap Of evidence agaihst "ic
prisoner bur the efforts were only natural, az the
murdered man was policeman shot In the simple
discharge OF his duty in a awess quarter OF me
CITY An ominous feature Of the case is the i'll
n, -nS
bought aud paid for The Police Department Will
bc remiss if it does not do rs best before 'hc
s...ad trial Of curtis TO gather evidence that
MI, place !. number of these fragrant perjurers
in State Prison No better service could be done
In the cause of an honest administration Of the
courts.
The only recent case that has rivalled that OF
Curtis in wholesale perjury Is the Jacobson muir
der trial that ended in the conviction OF sydney
Bell of murder in the first degree. Bell Is loot
pad who shot Jacobsen in front OF his own door
because Jacobson refused to give up money ana
watches. Tie evidence was wholly circumsan-
iial but taken in connection with Bells record
il WAS Conclusive lie had roobM people in the
streets for several weeks, and tins murder ""S
merely the climax Of his crimes. Despite the
clcarness OF this evidence, number OF people
took deep interest in the Young footpad among
Chalmers Faston lie engaged with Bels ONO
relatives in an effort "a say" the footpad's neck
and was drawn into the mcshcs OF case tilat
involved the raakcst perjury and subornatioh OF
perjury He las labOrcd for months 10
save this felon's life, because he believes MN
innocent; but Eastern detectives have involved
the case in such slough Of perjury that every
one has been smrched DR.. Ea'ton on Thurs
day created sensation III court by an eloquent
defence Of lis conduct hu; his OWL words showed
he had acted with little Judgment or discretion
IL is TO he feared that tic gang who haNc hcen
manufacturing evidence III the Eel case may
90 free. but it would furnish a good example II
they were sent 80 Stare Prison 1or the iull term
provided BY law.
Treasury Agent Gibson mas gathered large
amount OF damaging evidence against inc post
Office site at Seventh and Mission SITS. Scores OF
prominent citizens who are experts on the value
NJ real estate have testified before Mr.. Gibson
that 500. 600 would be big price for the lo'
Much evidence has also been secured showing
that the site was originally swamp ms In
cludcs d photograph Of the place 1T 1891 "h'n
S;ephcn Masectt, the humorist. known as Jeein'
Pines lived there. 1t WAS then necessary u
cross q Lranch of Mission Creek by nrIdge l.
reach Alassetts house. The facts obtained oE
Mr. Gibson in regard 10 the excessive price ana
10 the swampv foundation ought 10 nave "cish'
in the final decision Oh the SITE
President Huntington Of the Southern faclhc'
is doing good wock in breaking up larse
land holdings IN Ca.Iofla lHs I1" ;ntn
mat if great wheat ranches are converted mo
fruit farms rot only will new settlers Dc broush,
into The STATE, but the railroad business Will pe
vastly Increased. As IL is now, wheat pays ~"
freight rates and is transported only to tde water
f;reen or dried fruit gOe1 East by rall, ana pays
n good rate Tie Southern Pacific Company re
Gently bought large tact IN 'apaN NaIicy' lolo
County, which they divided mt twel.H,nNGi We
fruit farm iney propose TO buy several biS
wheat ranches in Northern California ana sup
divide them. selling them At low rates ana CIV.
ing advantages OF time. This is onf OF me pCsl
pllns yet devised for tie Development OF Inc
State.
The Califo.nl orange crop this year VIII De
small The first estmotc 4, 800 carloads, nit
the viudstoym OF last December reduced TINS luily
one.third. rhe losses, however, proved heaVler
than anticipated, and tons Of frut were uhit ~
market. Sargune experts nov put ne to'm
crop at two thousand carloads, but eXcclcht au-
thority places it at 1850.
The earthquake this week in the southern part
OF the State WIS the most severe III III" history
Of California Luckily lofty buildings never have
been popular in Los Angeles and san Diego. ana
only few instances Of tie collapse OF poorly
built houses are reported. In Lower California
the shock was even worse
The reports from Yuma show that Indians PIE
dict another biz 1OoG in few days. ii Il comes
Salton Lake Will fill again, the sand ridges
on the desert are not high enough 10 prevent
Pacific Railroad il safe from the washout, on the
dcsert west o.. Yuma. the track has been raised
an AVERAGE Of twenty feet, and many strong tres
Ties have been built at dangerous places
sLUCBIEG AND COASTlNG Ar LEN01.