The herald., 1893-12-04
A TRIO OF MURDERERS.
A CAPTURE IN CHICAGO THAT RE-
CALLS ONE IN LOS ANGELES.
The Arrest of Frisco Slim Winds Up the
Gang-How Miles Bowler Took In
Lee Horrell, One of the
Murderers.

The announcement in the Associate d
Press dispatches from Chicago yester-
day OF the capture there Of Frisco or
Boston Slim, charged with the murder
of night watchman Howard at the
Southern Pacific station at Rio Vista,
near Sacramento, recalls the clever cap
ture OF one of the murderers, Lee Hor-
rell, in Los Angeles by Deputy Sheriff
Miles Bowler in April, 1892.
The capture of Slim winds up the
trio Of murderers. "Specs," one Of the
men, was captured at the time and
turned states evidence. He 10 now at
large in some part of the country. Lee
Horrell, who was captured by Detective
Bowler. then on the police force. is now
serving life sentence at San Quentin,
and "Slim" has kept out of the way
ever since until his capture Saturday in
Chicago.
On the Goth OF January, 1882, at l 80
O'Clock in the morning, the night
watchman of the Southern Pacific at
Rio Vista station, Howard, was shot
and killed by safe-robbers. The bur-
glars were at work in the station and
were surprised by Howard while en-
gagged in blowing open the safe. The
wstchman ordered the thieves to throw
up their hands, but was made the tar
get of volley of pistol shots. He was
hit by one of the bullets and died from
the wound. A reward OF $400 for the
capture OF the cracksmen was offered.
The officers north came to the con-
clusion that Lee Horrell, alias Bob
Powell, and John Williams, alias Frisco
Slim, and Boston Slim, were the
men who committed the crime, and
description OF the two men was sent
out broadcast.
Sometime after local deputy sheriff
captured man who ressmbled one OF
the safe-crackers, but later on it was
discovered that the case was one Of mis-
taken identity. Detective Bowler,
while walking along Spring street, ran
across a trio of young fellows near First
ctreet. They looked like strangers in
the city, and he approached them to
take better look at them. One of
them had been here before, and knew
the officer. He therefore readily
answered the searching questions put
to him, while one of his companions
seemed rather uneasy. Bowler there
fore became suspicious, and was fairly
overwhelmed, when, under the glare OF
an electric light, he discovered the re-
markable resemblance of one of the
three to the photograph of Lee Horrell,
the picture on file in the rogues' gallery.
The suspect was at once arrested, and at
the police station was subjected to q
careful examination.
The physical description of the man
wanted was found to fit the prisoner
perfectly. Another important point in
the circular issued was that Horrell
carried silver watch bearing the
initials IL. H." and a double chain.
On the prisoners person, within the
lining OF his waistcoast, was found a
silver watch with the engraved letters
''R. L. H." as we'll as q double chain
such as described.
When first arrested the prisoner per-
sistently denied that he was Lee Hor-
rell, or that he had ever heard of the
case. He declared that he was born in
Sacramento, and that mis- name was Ray
l.. Harris.
After the arrest number OF detect
ives compared the prisoners marks with
the description given, and in every in.
stance were convinced of the identity oI
the captured man with Lee Horrell.
The prisoner still denied knowing any.
thing about the case. He acknowledged
finally, however, that he had been in
trouble in Napa county for petit larceny.
Detective Bowler asked him whether be
knew any of the Napa delegation of the
Native Sons, and he replied that he did
Then they went out to find some of the
delegates. He had not succeeded, wher
he took Detective George Insley to the
city Jail to look at his man. Insley
agreed with Will Smith and others tha
the Identification was perfect, and tn,
confidence he expressed seemed &
weaken the prisoner. The fact was NO
ticed by the officers, and after the inter
view was over, Detective Bowler re
turned to the cell, and prevailed upo1
the alleged Harris to confess that b.
was really Horrell.