The record-union., 1894-05-12
SAFE BEHIND THE PRISON BARS.
A Quartet of Desperate Highwaymen
and Footpads.
Some of Their Recent Crimes-Good
and Effective Work by Two yig-
liant Policemen.

To officers George Maley and d. W.
Higgins belongs the credit of one OF the
best pieces of police work accomplished
in this city in long time-the arrest OF
four OF the most desperate footpads that
ever piled their vocation here.
The quartet are now behind the bars OF
the City Jail, where they were landed al
different hours on Thursday night and
just OF the eve of another daring job, for
which they had their arrangements all
prepared. Just who has been lucky
enough to thus escape being robbed and
perhaps murdered last night it is difficult
to guess, but somebody owes his escape
to the wide-awake officers referred TO.
The names of the desperate members OF
the gang-who have done most of their
recent work collectively-ar Tom Evans,
Walter Scott, Charles Hollinger and f.
Strickland, minus various aliases.
For some time past Officers Higgins
and Maley have had their suspicious
aroused as to these fellows, but the latter
were so shrewd and did their work sc
cunningiy that the officers were unable
10 fasten upon them sufficient proof to
warrant their arrest until Thursday
night.
Becoming suspicious that the quartet
were about to undertake another job that
might possibly result in murder, and be-
ing pretty we'll convinced that they had
strong evidence against them for past
crimes, the officers decided 10 round
them uD.
Two of the gang wero arrested at
Fourth and l. streets, the third at Fourth
and X, and the fourth on K, between
Front and Second. The last was landed
about daylight in the morning, and all
were locked up separately so they could
not communicate with one another.
Yesterday the arresting officers and
Captain Greene went 10 work" on
them, and SO adroitly did they manage
the operation that one confessed and gave
the officers the particulars OF several OF
the more recent crimes committed by
them in this city.
In order to make more certain the
proofs OF their guilt, Mr.. and Mrs. Ed.
Todhunter, of Washington. who were
robbed on the highway across the river
last Sunday evening, were sent for. last
night, TO come over and see II they could
4dentify the prisoners as the men who
held them up.
One by one the prisoners were brought
into their presence, and three of the tour
were positively identified. IL appears
that the fourth man iStrickland) was not
close enough at the time of the robbery
TO be recognized by the victims. Vixen
Mrs. iodhunter exhibited to one of them
her torn purse, he admitted that it was he
who tore it in getting the money out, in
order to return the purse. as Mrs. Tod
hunter begged so earnestly for 1t, saying
that it was a gift to her.
Richard Parker, Mrs. Todhunter's s
father, also identified one of the men as a
fellow whom he had tried to arrest shortly
after the robbery, but who escaped down
the levee, although he shot at him.
According TO the confession made, the
men all met after the robbery and d.
yided the SD % taken from Todhunter,
and then crossed the river TO this city IN
Il boat The other recent crimes that it is
known these men committed are as fol-
lows:
On April 18th they robbed Japanese
at Fifteenth and r streets of silver
watch. Officer Maley recovered the
watch at a restaurant, where it was
pawned by HoIlinger and EvaIrs.
\ few nights later they robbed an old
man on Twelfth street of a few dollars.
One week ago tonight they stopped
young man and young woman at Elev-
enth and streets, who were returning
from a drive, and robbed the former of
81 70. Strickland was the one who went
The same night they robbed a young
man named John Conlan at Eighth and
u streets, taking from him his gold watch
The same gang also robbed Perkins
farmer at Thirty-first and X streets as he
was returning from the city to his home.
On the night that Mr.. and Mrs. Tod
hunter were robbed, and short time
prior thereto, Chinaman employed on
hop ranch north of Washington was
stopped and robbed Of So or 81 IN the out
skirts OF that village.
In the confession referred to one of the
prisoners says that Strickland tried to
get the others to make a descent on the
faro game over in Washington, while it
was in progress, but learning that there
was man of nerve on guard with q shot
gun, they abandoned that job.
Captain Greene has obtained from this
prisoner written confession enumer-
ating the various rohberies which the
gang has committed also much other
valuable information concerning them.
Strick land has lived about Sacramento
for couple of years, following the busi-
ness of a tin-horD gam bier. He came
here from Jackson, Oregon.
1t was he who engineered most of the
robberies, and it was in his room where
the gang kept their revolvers. They also
had dlrk-knlyes TO aid them in their
work, but these are now in pawn.
There seems to be little doubt that all
four will be sent to the State prison, but
should any of them escape conviction it
will not be "healthy" for them to remain
IN this community.