The record-union., 1894-07-11
ENDEAVORING TO PROVE AN ALIBI
Trial of Horace Black for the Wach-
horst Robbery.
Edwards Says He Engineered 1t. But
Blacks Witnesses Swear He
Was in San Francisco.

The trial of J. II. Black for completely
in the burglary of the jewelry store of ID.
Wachhorst in the month of January, 1888,
was begun in Judge Catlin's court yester-
day.
Black was indicted by the Grand Jury
with William Edwards. Frank Sherclifl
and James Jordan for stealing number
OF diamond rings from Wachhorsps store
by hurting brick into show window
and taking jewelry which was valued al
between $1,000 and s. 900.
After the jury had been secured Dis
trict Attorney Ryan made the opening
statement for the prosecution. He said
he would show that Edwards. who is now
an inmate of the State Prison at Folsom,
stationed himself opposite the jewelry
store on street, between Third and
Fourth, and at a signal given by him
Black went into the store and presented
a pistol to August Geriach, Wachhorsts
clerk. while ShercliH picked up the brick
and hurled it through the plate-glass
window.
AS soon as he had secured the d1a-
monds he and Black ran away and were
followed by Max Ginsberg, who conducts
a cigar store across the street from where
the burglary took place. Glnsberg was
forcibly reminded by Black that he
should not interfere in the flight OF the
men by the latter turning around ana
firing a shot at him.
The men afterward divided the stolen
property In saloon in Washington. olo
County, and atterward Black and Ed-
wards left for San Francisco and Jordan
departed for the East. 1t will be remem-
bered that Jordan was apprehended IN
Denver, Col, and Detective Ike Simmons
was sent to bring him back. Governor
Waite refused to deliver Jordan up on &C
count of Simmons not being an officer al
the time. Both Edwards and Black were
arrested in San Francisco on another
charge, for which Edwards was convicted
and sentenced to Folsom Prison.
Following is the jury who will try
Black: j. }. Horton. J. J. Bailey, j. .E.
Baldwin, John Beck, \. d. Gage, Charles
OFT, C. Holland, NJ. Rhoades, w. f.
Peterson, William Olsen, William Salz
and d. Dierssen.
Black is defended by w. A. Anderson.
His mother and two young lady sisters
were present during the trial. They are
all ladies OF refinement.
The taking of testimony was COM
menced at the afternoon session, and III.
Wachhorst, proprietor of the store that
was lu6uLlu0u HuluU0I VI bu0
diamonds recovered from Ned Foster. 10
whom they had been pawned, as having
been taken from his ShoW-window.
Max Ginsberg testified to having seen
the robbers running away from the store,
and that one of them turned and shot at
him. lie also identified Black as a man
who was in his cigar store, opposite
Wachhorsps place, on che day of the rob-
berry.
.,,<~,... Co-looI, coIasp,o~ fo. III IXTool,
horst, in his testimony related in detail
the story OF how he was held under cover
OF Blacks pistol while the Iatter's confed-
crates were seiZing the diamonds, which
statement is familiar to the public. He
positively identified Black as the man
who held the pistol to his head.
on cross examination MIR. Anderson
indicated by his line of questioning that
the main point of the defense will be that
OF the robbery.
w. Ii. Edwards, who was brought
down from the Folsom Prison as a wit
ness for the prosecution, testified that he
was in Sacramento from November, 1892,
till February, 1893. He first knew Black
three or four years ago. The witness was
employed on the electric railway in this
city as motorman in November, 1892.
Black and one Wright, or Kid Mccoy,
were in this city at that time. About the
Goth Of that month the witness laid OF.
He met Black at Third and l. streets and
the latter asked him If he would like to
go into q job, and the witness replied
that he would if there was anything in
IL. Black then explained to witness how
the Wachhorst store could be robbed of
50, 600 or $40, 600 worth OF diamonds, and
told of how he had planned the job with
Wright.
The robbery was postponed from time
to time, because of the removal of the
jewels, and it was not until the evening
of the last day in January that the OPP
portunity arrived. Black had a man
named Wright engaged in the plot. The
witness had engaged room on j street,
opposite Wachhorst's store, and was to
keep watch of the street and give the sig
nal from window when the Wachhorst
window was to be broken.
Edwards then told how Black entered
the store and covered the clerk with a re-
volver while Wright smashed in the win
dow and got the jewels. He lEdwards)
hastened down stairs and saw mum Der
OF people in the street. He also heard two
pistol shots. On reaching the street he
went down to Front, and passing the DO
lice station crossed the bridge 10 Wash
ington. After waiting there awhile a man
named Walter Butter came to him and
spoke of the robbery, This was the first
witness knew Of any such man having
been engaged in the job. Soon Black
and Wright crossed the bridge, and they
went into the back-room of a saloon on
the olo side, and remained nearly an
hour.
When they came out Wright.and Butter
jumped on the $40 train from San Fran
cisco and crossed back to the city. The
witness asked Black if he had received
their ''divvy." Black replied that he had.
and that it was '3S and A." The witness
did not know what Black meant. They
met the next day, and Black permitted
the witness to feel of something in his
pocket, which he said was their share Of
the diamonds.
The next day witness and Black went
to San Francisco, and that night met at
the house of woman known as Willie
May. From there they went out to Col
den Gate Park, where the stones were
tied up in a handkerchief and buried III
the sand. Black made him promise he
would not visit the spot unless he Black
were with him.
Being out of means, he got S25 or $50
from Black, and shortly afterward he was
arrested for another robbery of a similar
character, convicted and sentenced to
Folsom Prison. He had never received
any portion of the stolen diamonds.
Prior to his arrest Black suggested to
him that he get in with some boarding
house keeper and fix it so that he might