The herald., 1894-12-19
The Evidence Is Piling Up
Strongly Against the
Old Man.
BEECHER DID THE WORK
The Accused Was Lodged in tho City
Prison Last Nisht-Smith Says Be
Il Innooent-The Evidence.


day afternoon which tends to show that
the officers who fret asserted there were
more than two mon in the crime, are
correct. A third man WAS arrested for
completely in the crime, and the alleged
robber is George Smith.
Smith was arrested at 2 O'Clock yes
terdsy on the ranch OF Alva johnson in
the Big Tejunga csfion. Deputy Consta.
BILE Beecher made the arrest.
Beecher brought Smith to the city at
once and lodged him in the city Jail.
The old, gray-haired man took his ar.
rest very philosophically and made no
resistance. He said last night that
while he was innocent, he WAS fearful
OF the testimony Of johnson and
Thompson. He knew that he never
could be convicted OF completely in the
terrible crime unless evidence was
Matched up against him.
Smith, it will be membered, was ar
rested on the charge once before. He
was brought in with Alva johnson only
o few weeks after the last robbery, but
upon examination both men were dis
charged, on account OF insufficient evil
dencc.
Beecher had been working on the case
from the start and certainly discovered
the clue that led to the arrest of both
Smith and johnson. His evidence was
not strong enough to warrant the men
being held for trial, but that he was
right is proved by Johnson's confession,
upon which the latter was sentenced TO
life imprisonment in San Quentin.
T. Tok b~
serted another person had assisted in
making the bombs with which the sx-.
press car doors were blown open. The
name OF the man wac not given, and
johnson said that he could not remem-
ber 1t. This does not appear truthful,
in view OF his statement that he
would not say anything that might Inn
plcats any body except Thompson and
himself. However, evidence came up
that showed somebody to be an Access
sorry before the fact, and perhaps that
someone besides Thompson and Johnson
were guilty of even more than that.
Knowing all these things, and having
secured additional evidence, Mr.. Beecher
again swore to Q complaint for the ar
rest OF Smith. The warrant was issued
from Justice Austin's court at 10 clock
yesterday morning.
Mr.. Beecher took the warrant and
went Immediately to Johnson's ranch.
1t had been reported that Smith had
fed the country, but this proved un-
true. He has been on the johnson
ranch for two or three years. and there
it as that he Was found. He quietly
submitted to Beecher's request and LETT
his work to 20 to jail. Smith is so
years of age.
Mr.. Bsecher has worked up strong
evidence against the old man, and
whether he is guilty OF assisting in the
wrecking or bbing Of the train or not,
it is almost certain that he had knowl-
edge OF the crime.
into tho city he met Mrs. Alva Johnson.
She jumped into Beecher's buggy and
declared that Smith should not 20 to
Jail, that he was innocent. From her
actions in the matter it might be in.
ferred that she knows more of the rob-
berries than che has told. Thompson, it
is said. has already made a statement
duplicating Smith.
1t will be remembered that at the
last robbery, in which Smith 10 charged
with completely, the robbers used
wagon. which they left standing near
the railway where the train was robbed.
When the officers we're following the
tracks of the wagon, leading from the
scene of the demoniacal deed. they
found horse tracks following the wagon.
This showed plainly that one of the rob-
bers was on horseback. He followed
the wagon west on the Cahuenga pass
road and then turned south to the little
station, Dundee, whence he went almost
directly to Alve Johnson's house. Two
miles south of Dundee station Officer
Beecher found one OF the bombs that
had evidently been thrown aside by the
rider. who. the detectives now allege,
was Smith. According to their story,
it was Smith who made the bombs,
carried them on horseback to the scene
OF the robbery, and after it WAS all over
rode back in the circuitous route to
Johnson's ranch house, while Thomp-
son and johnson took another route
into the city Smith Is an old miner and
is experienced in the handling of pow
der.
There was not one OF officers who
worked on the case at the time but who
suspected that at least three men had
participated in the robbery, and nearly
every passenger and every trainman
said there were three. The messenger
-" S"J WV. uut 6hiu tuut Wutc eu0
two were robbing the express car there
was shooting on the outside. which led
him to believe that third robber was
keeping lookout, and firing to intim-
date the passengers.
Mr.. Bsecher, when seen last night by
reporter of the HERALD, stated that he
was positive that there were three men
In the robbery, and that he had worked
on that theory all along. He was hunt
ing Kid Thompson when Charles Etzler
made confession in Phoenix, Aria.. as
to what Thompson had told him regard
ing the robbery. Constable Rogers.
too. was OF Mr.. Beecher's opinion
in the matter, and the Developments
show conclusively that they sere right.
Deputy Sheriff Frank Dowler also did
remarkably good work toward the last