The record-union., 1893-10-12
"LARRUPIN" JACK TAYLOR.
His Third Trial for Arson is Now in
Progress.
A Brief History of the Crime-One of
the Alleged Principals Acquitted
-Crabtree Not Yet Tried.

SEdOlES0 NV AOk 4kAO0s
John Taylor, Familiarity known as
''Larrupin jack" is on trial in Judge
Catlin's court on the charge of having set
fire to McKinstry & Angravse' barn in
Gait on the 23d of January, 1892, by which
fire the Arcade Hotel was also burned.
This is the third time Taylor has been
on trial for that crime, the jury in each OF
the former cases having disagreed. The
first trial took place in May. 1892, when
eight of the Jurors held out for conviction
and four for acquittal. On the second
trial. the following month, the prisoner
had a narrower escape, the jury at one
time standing eleven for conviction, but
the final ballot showed only ten. Dwight
Hollister and David Finch were stated to
be the two jurors that refused to vote for
conviction.
HISTORY OF THE CASE.
The crime Of which Taylor is accused
created quite sensation at the time. The
investigation by the officers led to the ar
rest a few weeks afterward Of George l..
Crabtree, Henry Dobson, Peter Haller,
George johnson and Jack Taylor. Hal
Ter and Johnson, it was subsequently,
shown, knew of the affair only from
statements alleged to have been made to
them by Taylor.
The prosecution claim that Taylor met
Haller at Lodi the day after the fire and
in explanation of his being "hush'' with
money said he had done a job at Gait the
preceding night by which he made 500,
and that there was more coming to him.
1t is also alleged that he made similar
statements to Haller and Johnson, like
wise to woman at Auburn.
Crabtree is the son of a wealthy farmer
who lives near Clay Station, and is the
proprietor OF a livery stable at Lodi. The
prosecution contends that Crabtree hired
Taylor to burn the hotel and stables
owned by J. X. McKinstry and William
Angraves, and agreed to pay him $500 for
the job. 1t is claimed that Crabtree had
an old grudge against the propuetors and
wanted revenge; that Taylor took into
his confidence Peter Haller, Henry Dob
son and George Johnson. Haller and
Dobson are cousins of Crabtree. Taylor
and Dobson, IL was claimed, were the
ones who set fire to the place, the story
being that they drove by the stables in
buggy on the night OF the fire and as they
passed they threw in cigar box filled
with cotton, which was saturated with
kerosene and had been ignited
Crabtree desired TO locate in Gait, but
McKinstry and Angraves got in ahead of
him and purchased the stables, which
were atterward burned, and 1t was this
rivalry that was supposed to have been
at the bottom OF the affair.
DOBSON ACQUITTED.
Dobson was placed on trial last Deem
Der, when District Attorney Ryan en-
deavored TO place in evidence an alleged
confession made at the County Jail by
Dobson to Sheriff Stanley, Mr.. Ryan. eX-
Chief OF Police Drew, Timothy Lee and
Elxx-OO1 and "a ol-ar in CHI nd
by Stenographer Win J. Davis. Judge
Catlin had declared that he would not ad-
nit the statement unless it were shown
that it was obtained without promises or
inducements. so Mr.. Ryan adopted the
me-! hod OF proving the existence OF the
statement and how it was obtained by the
officials in whose presence DobSon Is said
to have confessed. He called on Stenog-
rapher Davis first, and the witness said
he took the statement down in shorthand
He said that Sheriff Stanley, eX-Chief
Drew and Mr.. Ryan were present.
These gentlemen all testified, and they
each denied that, SO far as they were
aware, any inducements had been held
out to Donson in consideration Of his
making the confession.
Grove l.. Johnson, Dobson's counsel,
strenuously argued the point, contending
that the alleged confession was not vol
untary one, and the court took that view
Ol Inc Ildtl6Ts 1I0 upSuOb OIL luo LIldl
was that Dobson was acquitted.
Crabtree has not been brought to trial,
because If Taylor cannot be convicted
there is little or DO likelihood that the al
legged principal actor in the crime would
be.
TAYLoR's DENIALs.
On Taylor's second trial be denied the
statements made by Peter Haller, Maggie
Mitchell and others. He said he never
4Oll Hal1 or 7 obi rla, oft = b< Fi-o
that he had done a job'' at Gait for
which he had received 500 and expected
to get more. Taylor added that if he had
said anything of the kind TO Haller he
must have been drunk and did not re-
member it.
Taylor also swore that he did not tell
Maggie Mitchell at Auburn that he ex-
pected to get $500 for LOB he done at
Calf" He also denied that he had told
Lon Kittrell at Auburn that he did not
want TO lose sight of Hailer, as the latter
knew ali about the Job" All that he
could remember having said was that
Haller had some money belonging to
him, and he was afraid that Haller would
Jump" on him. He had also said that
II Haller rau away with the money he
(Taylor) would tell something on Haller,
and that was that Haller was living with
two women.
On eross-eXamination District Attor-
Aey NydH SOuBlI 10 prove Uy Taylor IDaI
the latter had told Deputy-Sheriff Alter
that if the District Attorney would let him
off with two or three years he would
plead guilty. Taylor admitted having
sent word to Ryan that he wished to see
him, but said he did not tell Alter for
what purpose.
Taylor has, since his last trial, been out
on $1,000 bail. He is being defended on
his present trial by Grove L. Johnson,
and District Attorney Ryan is conducting
the prosecution.
The jury was completed yesterday, and
the District Attorney made his opening
statement. He went over the same
ground traversed on the former trials !
The taking of testimony will be resumed |
to-day, and it will probably be the same |
as that previously brought out and pub |
hshed in these columns.
A CLOSE CALL
Charles Halbert and Family Escape