The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21
EVANS PARTNER.
Charles MOrrell's Life in
San Francisco.
He Was a Barbary Coaster and
Played the Piano at Several
Variety Dives.

Charles Morrell. the bandit partner OF Chris
Evans, and the man who has played prom
inent part III the troubles OF SheflH ocotl Vi
Fresno County. is quite well known IN Dan
Francisco under The name OF Joseph fler-
charde. Until year ago he was for almost
I'VE years Barbary Coast musician, earning
livelihood by playing a piano al one or the
other of tile various variety theaters Wnlch
abound in that neighborhOod. Shortly before
he left here he abandoned piano-playlng ana
TOOK a position as bartender in saloon at the
corner of Broadway and kearDy street, con-
Quoted by man named Miller. He only re-
NAMED in that capacity short time, wh' Ii
with his wife. known on the coast as swiss
Annie :" he moved to San Diego, and since that
time has not visited this city.
Piereharde, or Morrel as he Is known, came
to San Francisco from the East In 1888, ana
secured employment with Zelgemeyer ana
Grothman as piano player in their Washington
street theaIer. He was quiet fellow, usually
having lew companions and playing strict at
tepti0n 10 his business. Although 10 a casual
observer he would not convey the impression OF
a man OF nerve, on account OF his feminine sp-
pearance, during bis service he several times
demonstrated that fear was unknown TO him.
For the year he was with the house he was
never known TO De under the influence OF
liquor until the night he was discharged. lie
had been drinking all day, and In the evening,
when he came on duty, began TO play the piano
with his feet whtreupOn he was hustled out OF
the house. He then went to the Eureka Music
Han in similar position, in which he remained
for over two years. During his stay there he
confded TO the manager OF the place, Joe
Hayes, part of the history of his life. He
said he was q Frenchman by birth and had
served part of his life In the army of his coun-
try. He came TO America a few years before
he arrived In San Francisco, spending his time
in various cities in the East. He explained to
MIR. Hayes that during his service IN The army
be had learned to be an expert horseman ana
pistol shot, and that both were favOrite pas
times with him. Although never openly pro-
claiming his ambition, he often intmated that
should the opportunity ever present itself he
would like nothing better than spending his life
in the saddle.
After leaving the Eureka he went to the
Franco-Swlss beer hall Gu kearny street. where
he met girl named Annie and married her
lie followed his vocation, playing for dances
there for few months and then secured the
position as bartender for Miller.
From The time he-feft San Francisco for San
Diego nothing was heard OF him for five months.
At the expiration of that time he appeared in
Fresno under the name of Charles MOrrell and
secured employment as waiter at Fay's H0-
tel Working there at the same time in the
capacity OF a wal er was Harry Conley, now a
waiter in the Elite beer hall in this city, who
knew Morrell when he lived here under the
name of Piercharde. When he arrived in
Fresno his wife was not with him, nor did Con-
ley ever hear him say where she was or what
had become of her. After working at Fay's for
a few weeks he left TO take a similar position In
Deacon's restaurant, where he was when Con-
ley left Fresno 10 return TO San Francisco in
September last,