The record-union., 1893-11-29
BACK IN TIE EARLY SIXTIES.
"reminiscences Of the Symonds- -CrOzier
Robbery and Murder,
The Part Played by Desperate Jim
Naggs-HIs Attempt to Kill
Chief Burke.

A RECORD UNION reporter yesterday
learned that F. T. Burke, the well-known
railroad detective and veteran officer,
who was Chief of Police of Sacramento
thirty years ago, knew considerable
about the hanging Of George y. Sym
onds in 1863, for the murder Of B. L.
Russell. and of incidents connected
herewith, which have recently been the
subject Of inquiry from the East. From
Mr.. Burke considerable was learned in
regard to the matter in addition to what
has lately been published.
Back in Massachusetts there is q per-
son who still holds life insurance policy
issued to Symonds in 1850, on which he
hopes to realize, if he can prove that
Symonds was not guilty Of the crime for
which he was executed. He claims that
a prisoner has since made a dying state
ment to the effect that he committed the
crime, and that SymOnds was innocent.
sYMoNDS' CONFEDERATE IN THE CRIME
Was one Crozier, who escaped from jail
in this city before it became known that
Russell was murdered, and while he and
Symonds were held for a robbery COM
mitled in Placer County.
ON being asked what he remembered
of the affair, Mir. Burke said that some
time after SYmonds was executed. or in
1864 he learned that CrOzier was en-
ployed on a farm IN one of the coast
counties, and soon effected his arrest.
Crozer at that time was wholly ignorant
of Symonds' death on the gallows. While
in prison he made a confession to Chief
Burke which was taken down in writ
ing by George Smith, who was Clerk OF
the jail at the time (and afterward Chief
OF POlice.)
CROZIER PLEADED GUILTY.
In that confession Crozier did not ex-
onerate SymOnds, but said they COM
mitted the crime together. He was al
lowed to plead guilty to murder in the
second degree, and was sentenced to the
State Prison for life. The officers did not
have the testimony necessary to convict
Crozier of murder in the first degree,
hence he was allowed to plead guilty to
the lesser crime.
1t is claimed by the holder of the Sy-
mOnd's life insurance policy that some
man made dying statement to the effect
that SymOnds was innocent Of the muir
der Of Russell. If so, that man must
have been CroZier, but If he died in
prison the fact has been forgotten by the
officers here.
JIM NAGGS, THE DESPERATE.
There were many incidents connected
Will IDS oy ymOnQS-ITOLl6r dIIdlr W0lCD
created considerable OF a sensation at the
time, among them being Chief Burke's
narrow escape from assassination at the
hands OF a notorious character named
Jim Naggs, who figured prominently in
criminal affairs in this city some thirty
odd years ago.
Burke was a terror to evil-doers while
Chief of Police here. and knowing Nagg's
character he kept him under such painful
surveillance that the latter sought to Kill
him. The fellow came to figure in the
Symonds-Croziera affair in this way:
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS ROBBERY.
In July, 1860, Wells, Fargo d Co.'s ex-
press office at Mountain Springs now
Gold Rum, FL Dorado County, was
robbed. Sheriff Boggs of that county
suspected that Symonds had a hand in
the crime and learning that Mrs. Sy-
monds had. day or two later, secured
passage for Sacramento on the stage, he