The record-union., 1894-05-03
TWO OF STOCKqON'S INDUOFRIALS.
Their Bold Attempt to Garrote a
State Official.
Major Loop Puts Them to Flight and
Captures One-The Other Walks
Into a Trap.

Major S. J. Loop, deputy in the Sur
veyor Generals office and veteran OF
the Mexican War, demonstrated last
evening that there is great deal of the
soldier spirit in him yet. even if he is a
small man and well beyond the turning
point OF iife's journey.
About O'Clock the Major left J-street
jewelers. store, where he had been to
purchase pair of glasses. and at Fifth
street turned in a southerly direction.
On reaching l. street two burly young
men sprang out of the lum mber-yard there
and confronted him.
One of them grasped him by the lapel
of his coat and commanded him to stop.
Major Loop had no weapon with which
to defend himself, or he would have shot
the footpads down. But be had cane in
his right hand and before another word
could be spoken he laid it with all the
force he could muster across the face of
the fellow who held him-not- once nor
twice. but many times, before his assail
ant could get away.
The footpads separated and ran in diff
ferent directions, one going down Fifth
street. and the other up l.. Major Loop
followed the one whom he had beaten,
and he was captured block or two away,
some of tine residents joining the Maio
i'll the chase.
When the latter reached X street with
his prisoner a crowd gathered about, and
one man came forward and said the priS-
oner was all rIght-that he was member
of the Coast Firemens' Union in San
Francisco, TO which he himself belonged.
and demanded his release, but Loop
would not let hhn 90.
Officor Raulau anA Gnaciol al want
up with the patrol wagon and the pris-
oner was taken 10 the police station. His
face was swollen and bleeding from the
beating he had received, and he pre-
tended to very drunk, but Major Loop
says he was sober enough to run like a
deer.
About an hour later young man called
at the Jail and asked ii man named
William Howard had been arrested. He
said he heard that friend of his had
been locked up in consequence of getting
into a row on l. street, aud he wished to
see him. Sergeant McManus gave a
knowing wink to a reporter who was
present and turned the man over to Chief
Drew. He also gave the latter wink OF
the same caliber.
Chief Drew interviewed the visitor in
his Office, and at once became satisfied
that be was the pal of the fellow whom
Major Loop arrested. 1t was finally
learned from him that he was the same
person who asked to have the garroter
released on the street.
He told several contradictory stories
about himself He said he came here
few weeks ago with a letter from his
father TO one of the railroad shop fore
men, but could not get work there. He
had, however, worked one day for a
Frenchnian who owned the restaurant at
the railroad depot, and the rest of the
time had been doing odd jobs about the
city.
Questioned more closely, he said his
name was Tripp, and admitted that him
self and Howard came here with the
Stockton army, but when they learned
what kind of a man Colonel Inman was,
they lett the camp" He did not attempt
to explain, however, in what respect
garroting was more commendable than
1nman's honest efforts to wipe out the
stains of past inisdeeds.
Tripp said that he and Howard were
both members of the Coast Firemens
Union and carried their credentials. He
admitted having been seen near the
scene of the garroting short time before
il occurred, and was not at all surprised
when Chief Drew ordered him locked
up.
Both men will be examined on a
charge of attempting to commit robbery.