The morning call., 1893-10-15
A COWARDLY ACT.
Two Men Gag and Rob
an Old Woman.
CURING BILLY THE PAGER.
The Railroad to Try Its Half-Cage
Doors on the Local Tomorrow.
A Son Found.

committed Yesterday morning at $50
o'clock at the residence of Mrs. Carlotta
Sherman, known also as DR.. Shermer, an
old German woman, 20 years of age.
Mrs. Sherman has lived at that place for
many years and has children and grand
children in town, but preferred to live
alone, with The exception of hired man,
whom she keeps about the place-an old
fellow named John Stuteraus. She has
considerable means.
Yesterday morning the hired man left
the house to 60 to the free market and
was no sooner out of the house than two
pretty well dressed young fellows, with
masks on their faces. entered the house.
While Mrs. Sherman was in bedroom at
tending to her hair the two men entered
the room and without parley of any kind
proceeded at the point of revolver held
by one close to the old woman's face to
tie Mrs. Sherman's hands and feet and to
gag her.
The robbers then proceeded 10 ransack
the house, but seemed only to be in quest
of money. They opened drawers. turned
over bedcothes and mattresses and tore
up the carpets.
In the room of the old man S6 was
found, but this did not satisfy them.
They were rewarded later by finding IN a
trunk $40. This money Mrs. Sherman
bad had in the house only few days and
intended to pay her taxes with 1t.
After getting this money the robbers
made off and the old woman began 10 Try
to secure her freedom. She succeeded in
getting the ropes from her feet and imme-
diately crossed the street to Stacks s
outcher-shOp. where the gag was taken
from her mouth, and her hands, which
were bound in front, were liberated. She
then told her story and gave pretty good
description of the men TO the police. who
had been hastily summoned.
A very short time had elapsed between
the time of the robbery and the time the
police were Informed, and the police i'm
mediataly set watches on all the trains, so
it is certain the two bold thieves had no
opportunity to leave the city.
Mrs. Sherman is under the impression
that the men bad been located in her base
ment for several hours previous to enter
ing the house. and only waited until the
hired man left before making the raid.
Some evidences of their having been in
the basement were found. 1t is thought
that they were about the place last night,
a. the dog kept up furious barking much
of the time.
This is the boldest robbery recorded in
Oakland for some time, and Chief Schatfer
is of the opinion that there will be many
more, and warns residents to see to it that
doors and windows are securely fastened
at all times.
Another Lease of Life.
'Pacing Billy" Butts. who lies at the
receiving hospital perforated with bullet
holes made by divers persons at the time
Billy attempted TO run amuek on Broad
way two weeks ago, had another opera
ton performed upon him yes terday, and
il is now thought that the threafPne'
blood-poisoning has been headed off, an d
that Billy NAV pull through, although he
is not out of danger.
At noon yesterday Drs. Dunn, Leganlt.
johnson and Ackerly decided 20 cut hole
in BiIly's back and put drainage tube in.
The hole was made over the ninth rib and
a piece of that bone was taken out in the
operation by being cat with a pair Of
forceps working like pruning-shears.
A little more knife work. and then the
chest cavity was exposed. Billy was rolled
over On his side. and at least p quart of
blood and pus was emptied out of him.
Then came the dangerous part of the
operation-the sluicing out of the patient.
DR.. johnson remarking, as he reached
this stage of proceedings. that many pa
tients die under this operation.
But Billy did not die. The wound was
bandaged up and Billy was rolled over in
just as sweetly rs though he bad not the
death of two men on his hands or was not
himself so near deaths door.
Barring things unforeseen Billy will get
well, but he will be minus small portion
of one rib.
After Four Years.
Mrs. F. J. Willard of 1920 Oak street,
this city. is happy woman. She has
found q son whom she has mourned as
dead for four years.
About that time the lady was living in
San Francisco and had son, then Is years
IF age She had received a call 10 90 to
Guatemala, Central America, and not
knowing exactly the state of affairs in that
country concluded not to take her boy
with her; and again, she did not like 10
take him from his school, where he was
making fine progress in his studies.
She had received occasional letters re-
garding her sons progress and health, but
finally the mother yearning drew her
awav from the tropics and toward her
child. She FASTENED to San Francisco
with Joy in her heart in anticipation OF the
meeting with ber child.
On arrival in this country she was met
by the information that short time pre-
vlously the boy had disappeared as
though vanished into the earth, and not
trace of his whereabouts had been left to
tell.
Inc poor mOtner worried as only a
mother could. She searched high and
low, but without avail, and had about
given up her son as among the great army
of IN isslDg people.
On the night before last she was sur
prised 10 receive the information bv mail
stating that her son, Richard Willard, was
at the United States Naval Training
School at Newport, r. /. The telegraph
was made use of Immediately TO verify the
glad news. and now, no doubt remaining.
there will soon be a happy union of
mother and son.
Many years ago his mother had in
formed him that he might join the navy
when he came of age, and having an in
clination that way. he concluded not to
await mis- mothers arrival or further
sanction, and so started out on his own ac-
count to become sailor-boy.
Why They Cleared Him.
A Matheny julyman remarked yesterday
that the only thing that cleared Matheny
was the doubt in the mind of the jury as
TO what bullet struck Cashin. The prose
cntion did not show positively that the
first bullet fired killed the officer, while
Ely testified that both doors were open,
and bullet was found in the back of the
door in the jamb. This alone is what
saved Matheny. for this juryman says:
I11a. l..