The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-04
HIS MAD CAREER.
Walter Everett Stones
Adventures.
His Faculty for Getting Into Trouble
and His Contempt for HUI
man Life.

Walter Everett Stone Is doubtless de-
ranged in mind, but he knows enough to
keep an audience In perfect roar of
laughter when he tells the history of his
lite's career. His IDEAS, if not lucid, are
original and well CO INJECTED.
The history of this man is more than
peculiar. In person he Is short, with a
pale. not intellectual face and a short red
dish beard. His self-sufficency is more
than sublime, and he tells the story Of the
dark passages OF his life with calm self
satisfaction that is quite irresistible. AS
to his career, he has been in England,
Aus tralia and all over this continent. He
claims 10 have studied bookkeeping. law,
medicine and theology, and his learning
on the subject of INSANITY is so great that
it has successfully led him to establish a
defense TO an ignominious charge Of grand
larceny.
District Attorney Barnes is well ac-
quainled with Stones record in this
country. "The first knew of him." said
MI Barnes yesterday, was about two
years ago when the Sidney Bell case was
on trial. He was one OF the original Jury
panel. Then he disappeared. To blossom
forth as a leader of what he called the Co.
perative Society of Christ. He used 10
60 about selling tickets of membership.
He's queer character, but l dun't think
he's crazy" Besides This. it is known that
the distinguished Stone, about three wears
ago, obtained permission To address the
State Legislature on the subject of pro-
vidlDg employment for the unem pioyed.
Ii was not as hero, however, that Wal
ter Everett Stone showed up in Judge
Belcher's court yesterday. There he fig
ured as defendant in criminal action
FIR a Isarn
having. Oh Octoner 30, 1898, S Glen a cloak.
some gloves. hose, umbrellas, lace cur
tains, etc, from the premises of the ham,
burger Company. To which Stone pleaded
not guilty.
Stone possesses wife, a daughter and
an attorney. Likewise brother. So
when these parties pleaded that Stone was
not thief but merely irresponsible for his
actions. Stone ~axed intensely indignant
and demanded 10 be tried on the criminal
charge, refusing to take refuge in the
shameless plea of insanity. But the DOW
ers that be ruled Otherwise, and insanity
was the preliminary charge upon which
Stone had To stand his trial before q Jury
yesterday morning.
Stone was his own principal witness.
offensive and defensive. He blandIy in
formed the jury that he was proba bly a
rogue. but no fool. certainly. With great
gusto he stated that lie had been i'm
trouble all his life. The number of scaIps
that hung from his belt he did not enumsr-
ate, but they were many. In Australia
Stonr said he distinguished himself by
undergoing seven separate and distinct ex-
sminatlons before the iunacy commission
ers, aud the cold and cherries walls of a
prison cell moved not his indomitable
spnit.
After exhausting the pleasures of Aus
trallan lIie." said he, Il found myself
possessed of good wife and one female
child de then told how he came here,
and commenced new life with a quarrel
Win gentleman at picnic ground. The
gentle man Ia question wanted to wipe the
earth with Stone, while Stone, as he ex-
pressed IL, was equally determined 10
send him to the kingdom of heaven"
Alter this triumph Stone went to Agnews
Tor three months. Stone said he was per-