The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-06
OUT OF THE DARK.
Assassination of a Santa
CruZan.
FIRED THROUGH A WINDOW.
George c. Walker Shot Through the
Heart as He Sat Playing Cards
With a Woman.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

SANTA CRUZ, Dec. 5.-As foul a murder
and as strange a one as ever puzzled de-
tectiye at present engages the attention of
the authorities of this town. 1t happened
last Thursday night in remote and wild
part OF the county, under the most favor
able conditions not easy of access and at
present almost isolated by the impossible
state of the roads. Particulars OF the affair
are, therefore, necessarily meager, but suf-
heient has been ascertained to warrant the
assertion that most cold-blooded crime
has been perpetrated.
The victim was Charles o. Walker, a
young man, who has been in this section
for many years. and who up to the time Of
his death had been working On the ranches
in the vicinity OF Boulder. For about two
months he has been living at the cottage or
cabin of Mrs. Amanda Monks, a woman of
whom little more is known than that she is
possessed Of some property in that neigh
bOThood and is separa ted from her husband
who disappeared several years ago. Her
home is on the slope of Ben Lomond, and is
prettiy situated in a cIamp of trees. Being
located far from the line of travel and some
distance from the nearest neigh Dor. it is an
ideal place for the commission of a crime of
violence.
Walker. since his residence in the cot
tage Oh Ben LomoDd. had passed the even
ings with his hostess, helping to while away
the time with cards and the like. They
were thus engaged when he was murdered.
According to the lady's story they had
been seated at the table with the cards be-
fore them but short time after supper on
Thursday night when there was crash of
glass. report as of the discharge OF rife,
and Walker sprang convulsively 10 his feet,
exclaiming, Pm shot through the heart.
Who did ?' he gave one gasp and ex-
PRED.
The terrified woman remained with the
CORPSE until 1 O'clock that night, afraid to
venture out in the open for fear that the
assassin might be lying in walt for her.
But at that hour she made her way to the
nearest neighbOr, Thomas Maddocks, and
informed him of the occurrence. She was
herself wounded in ths neck and behind
the ear, but not seriously, by pieces OF glass
which were scattered by the bullet as il
came through the window.
Such is succinet recital Of the facts
sworn ID by Mrs. Marks before the Coro-
ner's jury. She was unable to ascribe any
motive for the murder or to give any clew
TO the assassin. The verdict Of the Jury
was simple statement of the fact that
Walker had been murdered by paities I'M
known
Two motives are advanced here to explain
this crime. One is jealousy and the other
revenge. Those who think the cause was
jealousy suggest that the missing Monks
might have secretly returned to the neigh =
borhood, ana finding Walker enjoying. as
he supposed, the favor OF his wife, planned
his death. Against this are offered the
facts that the woman is over 80 years of age
and that Monks is supposed to be dead.
While Walker was not a very loYable
character, it is not known that he had an Y
bitter enemies. There is, however, one
transaction in which he was concerned re-
Gently that may have led to his taking off.
Walker and man named George Bullock
were engaged few weeks since in cutting
shakes on the ranch of S. a. Stewart, near
Boulder. There was Sol % coming to them,
but they could not collect it, and last
Wednesday Walker came to Santa Cruz and
entered suit for the money. He held a re-
ceipt for Bullock's share. the latter not
wanting to appear in the suit as a Judgment
in favor OF the firm of Scott & Ely of this
city was hanging over him, and lie feared
that they would attach the sum coming to
him.
Stewart agreed to pay, but he refused to
recognize the Bullock receipt, and paid the
entire sum into court, Justice Gardner
giving Walker his share and holding the
rest for Bullock. But as Bullock had ex-
pected, Scott & Ely levied on the money.
1t is thought that be may have suspected
treachery on the part of Walker and MUIR
dered him. This, however, seems far
fetched, and is further discredited by the
testimony before the Coroner's jury of
man named Burns that he was in the CON-
pany Of Bullock all night Thursday
Altogether the case is poser for the local
sleQth hounds