The morning call., 1894-12-12
A Confidence Mans Wife
Robbed of $4O5
BY A SPECIAL DETECTIVE.
"Black Bill" of Oregon Boasts of
His Wealth.
SUFFERS THE CONSEQUENCES.
The Local Gang Successfully Carry
Out a Plan to Relieve Him
of Part of 1t.
THE CONSEQUENCES.

=
and bare-faced robbery was perpetrated
yesterday morning in the clearinghouse at
PIT EDDY street, kept by Mrs Wilson.
Later developments. however, showed
that the victims we're themselves accus-
toned to the devious ways of life, and
that one of them, at least, had practically
invited robbery by Boosting of the extent
OF his ill-gotten gains.
Two or three days ago Mr.. and Mrs. Will
liam E. Brown arrived from Portland, Or,
and as Mr.. Brown had known Mrs. Will
son in Nevada, ho aud his wife went to
her house to live till they left for Eureka.
Humboldt County, which they intended
doing to-day.
According to the story they told,
Mr.. Brown is a paper-hanger, and in
tended starting business in. Eureka. For
that purpose they had all the money they
had saved with them.
After breakfast yesterday morning
Brown went downtown to make some ar
rangements about their trip to-day. Not
long after he had gone some one knocked
on the door OF their room, and, on opening
1t, Mrs. Brown, who is timid little woman,
was confronted by man wearing a dark
suit, dark derby hat, light complexion,
blue eyes and blonde mustache.
The man said, you are Mrs. Brown
from Portland, l believe" She answered
in the affirma tive, when to her astonish-
ment the man announced himself as a
detective and displayed badge on which
she saw special detective"
"Y on and your husband" said the man.
have committed a robbery and [ intend
to search your room for the plumber.
Don't make noise or ! will arrest you at
once"
You must be mistaken" replied the
terroT-stricken little woman, my husband
and l never committed any robbery. How
could we, when we have only been here
two or three days?"
The special detective" paid no attention
to her protests. but proceeded 10 go
through two or three vaises, scattering
the contents on the floor. He did not find
what be was looking for and then he
closely examined different articles in the
room with the same result
Mrs. Brown was all this time too terri
fed TO call for help. and when the special
detective" approached her and began to
search her pockets and dress she meekly
submitted. She had a roll of greenbacks.
amounting TO S495. in one of her stockings
for safety. and the especial detective
Tudely dragged 1t out and triumphantlv
exclaimed, $50. so. madam. l thought /
would get the plumber somewhere. This is
tue lUhBtJ Aidk w rs SkOAtus
Mrs. Brown feebly protested. but he
roughly told her to keep quiet tongue in
her head. 81 won't arrest you now" he
said. "but will come back when your hus-
band returns and arrest You both at he
same time. Don't stir from this room till
return"
Then he backed out of the room, closed
the door and disappeared. After he had
gone she plucked up courage to leave the
room and tell Mrs. Wilson what had &C.
Cured. Mrs. Wilson at once suspected
that Mrs. Brown had been the victim of a
bold and daring robber, and advised her
TO get police officer at Ones and have the
man arrested.
81 can't do that" said the little woman,
innOcently. because | am under arrest
myself and must not leave the house till
the detective comes back"
Finally Mrs. Wilson persuaded her to
go in search of an officer She found
Policemen Frank Riley aud Mclean and
told them her story. Even then she was
so scared by the Intimidation of the
special detective" that they had to draw
il out of her by degrees.
The robher had a good start by this
time, and the officers thought :he best
thing TO be done was TO take her TO police
headquarters Riley took her there, where
she repeated her story and gave descrip-
ton of the man. Detective Ross Whit
taker was sent out with her 10 see if she
could come across the man and other de-
tectiveS were detailed to hunt for him,
Detective Ross Whitaker stated last
night that when he went with Mrs
Brown 10 the house he found Brown
there. Brown told him he had heard OF
the robbery downtown, which rather sur
prised Whitaker.
Il questioned him." said Whitaker. "as
TO himself, and he admitted he was con-
fidence man and was known up north as
Black BILL After he came here he met
some Of the gang, and took two or three
of them occasionally to his rooms AT o17
Eddy street. He had been Dragging abon'
the amount OF money he had got out of
Suckers and had excited their envy by
displaying rolls of green backs and snend-
ing money freely in drinks.
"On Monday man engaged a room for
two days at Mrs. Wilson's which ad-
Joined the bedroom of Brown and his
wife. He wanted a key for the front
door, but Mrs. Wilson told him KEYS were
only given 10 weekly or monthly roomers.
He SAID he might make a long stav and
she gave him key. The front door was
always kept locked.
Yesterday morning Brown gave his
wife tbs S495 and went downtown with
two buDko men. who wanted him 10 Iook AT
some watches they had in pawn, which
was merely pretext to get him out Of the
way. Then tile robbery was committed
uo uooClip OiOn VI tuo ndu WHO rented
the room exactly TALES with that given bv
Mrs. Brown of the special detective. and
il was no doubt planned and carried out
by some of the gang who had heard Brown
boasting of his wealth. The roomer has
not been seen since the robbery, but Police
men Graham aud Brown are searching for
him.
Browns folks live at Eureka, and he
said he was going there to settle down.
He is a paper-hanger by trade but has
been a bunko man for years"