The record-union., 1894-03-24
Shot THROUGH THE HEART.
A San Francisco Bank Cashier
Killed by a Desperate.
THE ASSASSIN NONE OTHER THAN
EX-CONVICT FREDERICKS
He Denies killing Sheriff Pascoe of
Nevada County and Wounding
Brakeman Bruce, but Admits Hav-
Ing Furnished the Arms and AS
sisted George Sontag to Break
Prison at Folsom.
Special to the REcoRp-U UNION.

SAN Francisco, March ga man
went into the branch bank of the San
Francisco Savings Union, which is stu
ated at the corner of Market and Polk
streets. at about $50 O'Clock this morn
ing. He presented a written demand for
money to Cashier William A. Herrick.
The demand was refused whereupOn the
desperate murdered the cashier and fled,
but was captured few blocks away. The
note presented to the murdered cashier
was as follows:
dr Cashier: After considering my de-
plOrable condition | am convinced that
this life is not worth living for without
having liberal means, and therefore | am
resolved to make one more effort to seek
help to sustain my miserable existence.
Should you not comply with my demand
l am compelled to employ my last rem
edy-a bottle of tro-glycerine-and to
bury myself under the ruins OF the build
ing, blasted to everlasting nothingness.
Yours, respectfully.
y DESPONDENT MAN.
This note was penned IN red ink, and
at the bottom was rudely sketched a
skull and cross-bones.
After glancing at the document, Her
rick returned it to the man with shake
of the head. The man quickly drew re-
volver and fired, but his aim was bad.
Herricl< seized the pistol which lay beside
bis desk. The cashier and desperate
fired at each other almost simultaneously.
The former missed, but the latter's sec
ond shot found the mark. The bullet
passed into Herrick's heart.
AS the murderer turned to flee Book
keeper {. >. Melvin drew a pistol and
sent number of bullets after him, two
Of which. it was afterward discovered,
took effect. The assassin was pursued
from the scene by a large crowd of peo-
pie, among whom was quartet of police
officers. The fugitive jumped into a
wagon and drove several blocks. Finally
he turned into a blind alley and was
forced to abandon this method of escape.
He jumped over a fence into yard, and
crawled under vacant house. There the
officers located him. and, though the
murderer had a pistol in each hand, he
surrendered.
Upon the prisoner was found two 45-
caliber pistols, belt full of cartridges,
dirk-knlte, razor and fuse, such as is
used 10 ignite dynamite.
On being taken to the city prison the
prisoner gave his name as Fred Bonne-
ment, and said he came here from Dem
yer last week. He had been seriously
wounded by Melvin's bullets, one strik-
ing his temple near the eye, the other
lodging In his left shoulder. 1t was not
long before the police recognized in their
prisoner desperate criminal for whom
the authorities throughout the State have
been searching for some time. He proved
to be none other than the notorious
ErederlcllS, an eX-convict, who was at
one time a confederate of bandit Chris
Evans. He killed Sheriff Pascoe of Ne
vada County, subsequently shot at and
wounded Southern Pacific Brakeman
Benjamin Bruce, and is the man who
the arms to George Sontag and
his companions at the time they made
their futile attempt to escape from prison.
FrederickS' last victim, Cashier Her.
rick, was 80 years of age and resided in
Oak land.
The murderer when accused by the
police of being William Fredericks ad-
mitted his identity, saying that he knew
it was only a question of short time
when it would be discovered. The pris-
oner is a slightly built man, about %
years of age.
Il had been planning that raid for two
weeks" be said Il wanted money, and
that was the only way | knew how to get
it. looked about among all the banks,
and selected the one on Market street, be-
cause it was less guarded than any of
Gl0 OGDOTS. knew IHdC only TWO men
worked there. When L went into the
place l had bottle in one hand and was
smoking a cigarette. | handed the note
to the cashier, and told him that unless
he did as l ordered l would blow up the
bank, at the same showing him bottle
to which fuse was attached. | told him
the bottle contained nitro-glycerine, but
there was nothing in it except alcohol.
"He read the letter, and went over to
: T. Il InS of rrixr
s., 900 that told him in the note [ wanted
he commenced shooting at me- One shot
hit me in the right eye and another in the
side. | fired at him then, in order to I
save my own life. l aimed at the hand in
which he held the pistol. The first time
pulled the trigger the cartridge did not
explode. | cannot remembe how many
shots were fired. Then / ran up Market
street, through some alley and hid under
a house. / was unable to move, / was so
tired. Beside, my eye was burning and
my side hurt"
Although he processes to feel great pain,
Is not badly hurt. His eye is |
cut by splintered glass, and the bullet !
which struck him in the breast did not |
enter the flesh.
Fredericks denies that he is the man
that killed Sheriff Pascoe Of Nevada |
County and also shot Benjamin j. Bruce, |
the Central Pacific brakeman, but admits
that he furnished the arms and assisted |
George Sontag to break Jail at Folsom.