The record-union., 1894-03-24
THE SLAYER OF CASHIER HBRRICK.
Something Concerning the Career of
Outlaw Fredericks.
The Man Who Identified Him as the
Person Who Shot Brake.
man Bruce.

Concerning the murder of Cashier Her.
rick Of the Savings Union Bank in San
Francisco yesterday by William Freder-
icks, the ex-convict and desperate who
shot and wounded Brakeman James
Bruce Of this city last June, and while
being pursued for that crime killed Sheriff
Pascoe of Nevada County, the story of
his operations will be Of interest at this
time.
A few days after Pascoe was killed, and
while the life of Bruce was hanging in
the balance, a young man named Harry
Smith was arrested by Railroad Detective
Ben True on suspicion of having had
something to do with the shooting of
Bruce, as he was one of Fredericks' party
at the time Bruce was shot. Smith proved
TO be an honest fellow, whose chief fault
was that he would drink to excess, and
he freely related to RECORD UNION re-
porter all he knew OF Fredericks, whose
photograph he readily identified.
He said he first met Fredericks in Feb
ruary, 1890, when both belonged to
gang of laborers employed to shovel
snow on the railroad in Shasta County.
He worked six or seven days in the same
gang, and when they were discharged a
this city.
On the way down Fredericks got to
drinking and assaulted an old man on the
train, showing his head through a win
dow of the car and cutting him badly.
Some of the men took the old mans part,
and Fredericks, to escape being mobbed.
left the train.
That was the last Smith saw of him un-
til he met him at Colfax, on the night
Bruce was shot, where both were waiting
TO lump train" in company with three
other impecunious tourists.
Smith says he was working his way up
the road expecting TO find employment
on the snowsheds. lie had got as far as
Colfax, and was sitting by the water
tank there at 1l:30 o'clock at night, when
two or three others came along and sat
down in dark place and got to talking.
He recognized Fredericks' voice, and go
ing over to where the latter sat. said: II
think I know you; we worked together
three years ago."
Fredericks got up and walked out into
the moonlight, and after taking a good
look at Smith, said: al don't recognize
you."
Maybe not" said Smith, "but Pm
sure know you."
Fredericks then asked Smith how he
recognized him. and Smith reminded
him of the fight on the train, and also
said he would know his voice anywhere.
He asked Fredericks how he got out Of
that scrape. and the latter replied:
''Oh, got off the train and jumped it
again and got down to Marysville. Then
I went down SOUTH"
He also informed Smith that he was
Pennsylvania German and was beating
his way back to his old home.
The overland train came along at that
moment and cut short their interview, as
they all climbed on in different places.
Txyoc in oh -
pany, German. When the train got to
Gold Run Fredericks got off and hid un-
der the coal bunkers until the; train
started. He (Smithl did not know Bruce
had been shot until told of it, but he
heard the report of the pistol.
1t was half-past l o'clock on the morn
ing of June 28th when train No. 3, known
as 1.-The overland flyer" was about to pull
out of Gold Run. There were number
of tramps about the depot who persisted
in boarding the train, and Conductor
Newton and Bruce had lively time in
trying to keep them off. One or two of
the tramps had succeeded in climbing on
top of the mail, the rest being scattered
about.
Bruce went up OH top of the car, where
he found one fellow lying flat on his face.
He asked the tramp (Fredericks) what he
was doing there, and the latter replied
that he was going to ride. Bruce then
told him to get down upon the platform
of the mail car and remain there until
Dutch Flat was reached, when he would
have to leave the train.
At this the man partially arose, and in
the dark drew pistol and shot Bruce in
the breast. He then scrambled down off
the car, and made his escape before any
one knew what had really happened.
A couple of nights afterward he made
his appearance in Grass Valley, and
when Sheriff Pascoe attempted to arrest
him he ran. The Sheriff pursued him,
when Fredericks turned and shot at the
officer, who was found dead by citizens
who had joined in the chase
Since then Fredericks has been re-
ported as having been seen in several
places. but he always managed to escape
capture. For several months past moth
ing had been heard of him.
He is one Of the worst criminals in the
State, and his capture will be hailed with
delight by all except those of his own
class. But it is to be regretted that an
other life had to be sacrificed before the
outlaw was placed again behind the
prison bars.
The confession of George Sontag con-
firmed the belief that had existed of
FrederickS' part in the battle fought in
the rocks near the Folsom Prison last
June between the guards and several
convicts. It was Fredericks who went to
Visalia and procured the weapons used
In that fight and which he secreted in the
Tocks as per arrangement made with
Sontag and Convict Wilson before he left
the prison.