The record-union., 1894-01-27
SAYS HE WILL SUE RYAN.
Engineer Jefferis Continues to Threaten
His Prosecutors.
He Says He Will Charge District At
torney Ryan With Perjury
After Other Scalps.

George B. Jefferis. the engineer, who
was lately tried in this city for the muir
der of Clara Olga Ayres, the lady tele-
graph operator at Brighton, is in Oak
land, and he is doing some pretty loud
talking TO the newspaper men. Last
evenings San Francisco Post quotes him
as saying:
''It is all over now-at least so far as the
attempt to punish me for something L
never did is concerned. 1t Is not all over,
however, for those who have subjected
me to this trouble, expense and disgrace.
l am going to have legal satisfaction out
of some Of those people, and especially
District Attorney Ryan of Sacramento.
l shall proceed against him for perjury.
1.-The morning [ was arrested, Officer
Burke of Sacramento did not read any
warrant for my arrest. They aiterward
admitted this fact on the witness stand.
They had, therefore, no authority to take
me out of this city. No warrant was read
to me until after l had reached Sacra-
mentO. When L was brought before JUS
tice Henry in Sacramento, it was, l sup
posed, TO have my preliminary hearing.
The complaint was read by District At
torney Ryan. 1t was sworn to by Ryan
and charged me with 'unlawfully, will
fully and with malice afOrethOught,
hlllluR anu NOiIIdd,
one h. O. Ayres.' Now, no man could
have legally sworn to such charge ex-
cept man who had witnessed the COM
mission of the crime.
"When the complaint was read in
court, my attorney asked Ryan if he had
not better amend it to make it appear
that the complaint had been based on be-
lief, and Ryan said that he did not pro-
pose to amend the complaint, because IL
he did, he said, there would be nothing
on which to hold me and [ would have to
go free. Now, that shows malice, and,
coupled to the fact that he Swore | COM
United a crime when he knew nothing
about what he was swearing to, makes
his act very strong piece OF perjury.
Justice Henry kept continuing my
case, so that the Grand Jury could lndlct,
which they did. Ii it had not been for
that complaint of Ryan's they would not,
think, have indicted me, because | am
given to understand that Ryan was about
the only person who went before them on
the subject and that he told them he
wanted them to indict me.
Ryan promised my attorney to allow
me and my witnesses to go before the
Grand Jury, but he afterward broke his
promise and refused the permission. |
was advised by my counsel to get an ad-
mission from Ryan as to what it was that
led him to swear that l had murdered
Miss AyreS. L took friend of mine named
Harlow with me, short time since, in
Sacramento, Just 10 do so. We met Ryan
in a saloon, and in conversation the Dis
trict Attorney admitted that he had never
seen me before he met me in the County
Jail. How could he swear then that l
had killed Miss Ayres several weeks be-
fore? There are three others who will re-
ceive the same kind of attention that Mr..
Ryan will, and for about the same kind of
work. will not mention their Names"
WHAT RYAN SAYS.
District Attorney Ryan had not re-
turned from San Francisco last evening,
but he expressed himself on the above
subject few days ago to RECORD
UNION reporter.
1.-The idea that prosecuting officer cam
not legally swear to a complaint against
person." said Mr.. Ryan, lis absurd. 1t
is done everywhere and commonly. The
District Attorney is the proper person to
swear to a complaint in a case where no
one witnessed the crime but where sus
picion rests upon the prisoner.
This talk about Jederis suing me or
charging me with perjury" he added,
doesn't give me the least annoyance. l
am sure did only my duty in the case
just what has been done in any number of
similar caSeS.O