The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-12
REACHED FOR HIS REVOLVER
Intended
Himself.
MANY PEOPLE HOLD HIS NOTES.
He Maintains That Everything Is
Regular and That He Can
Straighten Out.

James F. Turner, real-esiate dealer.
having an Office st Suffer street, occupied
a cell in the old City Prison last night. IL
was not his fault that it was not cot In
the Receiving Hospital or cold stone slab
in the Morgue.
There is not a doubt that he made an
attempt at suicide when the officer placed
him under arrest Yesterday. No sooner
was he told that he was wanted than he
made dive for his hip pocket, and the
officer, being fully informed of his despe-
rate straits, grabbed his hand and pre-
vented the sudden ending of his prisoners
history. In the pocket for which Turner
reached so desperately a loaded revolver
was found. He was promptly disarmed.
and another such attempt prevented for
some little time at any rate.
Three charges are booked against him.
Two made by j. P. FTenna, who conducts
a barber-shop at 1907 Polk street, residiug
at l2S0B Bush, in which Turner is accused
of defrauding him TO the extent of 81, 200
and one by the police, for carrying the re-
vOlver concealed on his person.
This is not the first time that charges of
fraud have been made against Turner.
Two years ago, when Lawrence c. Meg
ginSOn brought suit against him for the re-
fraudulent transactions were brought to
light, and he was accused of having de-
frauded any number OF people. Among
them were:
Herman Oterson, wine and liquor dealer,
30 Post street, was in the clutches of
Turner to the extent of $4,000; Judah
BOas. $4,000; Mrs. Mary S. Knoll, $4,000;
her daughter. Mrs. Frances Gay of South
Francisco, $4,000: w. +. Kincaid, $4,000;
}. NJ. Raum, 436 Montgomery street,
$2S, 500; Curran & Kern. BARRIERS. Kearny
ana Post streets, $500; Nathan Dodge,
$4,000; Henry Black. $1,000; Jacob Berlz.
$40 Sansome street. about $40. 900; the Col
lateral Loan Bank. SIS, 1000; Y. Duhem, "a
Third street, $1,000; Charles j. Wesson.
lum ber-dealer. Ninth and Channel, $12, 500;
Smith & Co., tailors, $1,000; +. S. RowIey.
Mills building. $4,000; Asa Fisk. 240
Montgomery. $1,000; G. P. Rixford. Mills
building. $500; r. s. Starrett. proprietor
Texas Market, $1,000; the defunct Pacific
Bank, SIG, GOO; several small banks and
small loans, about $4,000 more.
None of these parties came forward TO
press claims against Turner, although
some of them at the time made statements
in the papers that thew had sustained the
losses reported. The Megginson case was
fought along in the courts and is still
pending. Since then Turner has been
conducting his business as usual and
handling large sums Of money, and, had
would probably have continued.
According to the affidavit made by
Frenna when the warrant Tor Turner'S
arrest was issued, they had had dealings
for two or three years. On September 20,
1892 the barber alleges, he obtained from
him by fraud notes and cash TO the
amount of $500. The notes were all
given TO Frenna by Turner for money
borrowed, but the latter induced the
barber to give them back and receive in
exchange one note for the amount, $500,
and to accept as security for its payment a
deed made by Lizzie O'Donuell, the re-
puted owner of fifty acres of land in
Fresno County, which deed. though abso-
lutte in form, was designed and intended as
mortgage and not as conveyance.
As further step to the frand, the
barber alleges that Turner pretended tn
send the deed to Fresno to be recorded
there. They went together to the Office of
Wells, Fargo & Co. and Turner pretended
to forward the document, whereas, in
truth, he distracted it from the package
which he held in his hand and it was MOI
sent On October 10 Turner showed the
barber paper which purported to be
certificate OF the recording OF the deed.
obtained from the Recorder at Fresno.
This pretended certificate and the deed
were given TO Frenna by Turner.
The agent subsequently obtained the
deed. and, according TO the complaint, on
October Is, 1892, he caused Lizzie V.
O'Donnell to make another deed conveying
the same land to Judah BOas. Turner gave
Boas the deed with the understanding
that it should be held and treated as
mortgage to secure the payment Of money
due the latter, and the deed was recorded
to BOas at Fresno on February 10. 1898.
Several months later Turner caused Liz
Zie ODonnell TO make another deed of the
same land to j. j. Pagan as security Tor
money obtained from him, and it was also
.loa ~, har CuO
Turner caused the woman to make still
another deed of the Fresno land, convey
ing it this time to one Victor Duhem, from
whom be had obtained loan.
The second affidavit charges Turner
with defraudlng Frenna of $1,000 and
Lizzie V. O'DoDnelPs name appears again
In the transaction. FTenna asserts that on
October 81, 1898. Turner gave him as
security for loan of $4,000 Lizzie Y. ODon-
nelpS deed to a portion of the Rancho
Laguna de las Calabassas. near Santa
Cruz. The alleged value of the land was
10000. There was a mortgage of $1,000
on The property held by DR.. Calender,
and Turner said he wanted the money TO
wipe out the physicians claim. He would
then sell the land and REIN burse the barber,
who at his urgent solicitation did not have
the deed recorded. Frenna says that
Turner juggled with this property as he
juggled with the land in Fresno, and had
1t conveyed to Judah Boas and two Others
Turner's bail was set at 81, 600 by
Judge Low and he was booked for obtain
ing money under false pretenses.
There is nothing in this charge of
Frenna's." Turner stated, after surveying
his new quarters with an air of profound
disgust. He is amply secured for the
money loaned me by notes amounting to
SIT, 800.
Besides that he has land under deeds
from me, three sections about, that is
worth not cent less than SIS, 600, while,
if the money paid him at various times
as principal and in terest was set off against
the money loaned. ] could not possibly
owe him more than $500.
81 have more than enough real estate
and mining property to pay off every cent
/ owe, | calculate, and leave me from
$50 600 To $4,000 cash. as soon as / can