The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-06
Prefers Seclusion to the Com.
pany Of the Men Who Are
Hounding Her.
NOW BEFORE THE GRAND JURY
Bungling Work of the Detectives May
Make 1t Difficult to Convict
the McReynolds.

signed O statement for the private detect
ives accusing her brothers, Albert and
Westley, of killing George Morris, the
operator and Wells. Fargo agent at Chinese
Camp, last month"; is again free girl. The
Grand Jury and District Attorney Otis de-
cided this morning that there was abso-
lutely nothing on which the girl could be
held for murder and that she must be re-
leased from Sheriff Yancey's mansion over
the hill. She was released all right, but
the child refused to leave the prison, say
ing she preferred staying there than going
out into Sonora and seeing the people, who
would "stare me out of countenance," as
she put it.
~ want to wait until NAV comes with
paw and I'll go home with them," Ada
said to Deputy Price, who let her out of
her cell and told her of the Grand Jury's
decision. The girl seems to have under
gone revolution of feeling since her in
generation and she has perfect horror of
the men who were her intimates. Some of
the men. including Jasper Brown and
man named Hopkins, have been hanging
about the County Jail ever since she has
been there, seeking an interview with
her. OF course the Sheriff denied them
that privilege, but they still waited until
the hour when the girl stepped out and
took look at them and ran back.
II don't want to see those men again.
I will not go away from here. Take me
somewhere, for Gods sake, where l can
forget all this" AS the girl exclaimed this
she threw herself into the arms Of Mrs.
Yancey, wife of the Sheriff, whose family
occupy the front part of the Jail as
dwelling. Mrs. Yancey eomforted the
weeping girl and brought her into the
house, where she will remain away from
the hounds that have been pursuing her.
Early this morning the Grand Jury con-
vened, and Ada McReynolds was one of
the first witnesses. She told her story
substantially as it appeared in The CALL.
She told how Jasper Brown had become
her intimate friend and had coaxed her
to sign paper stating that her brothers
had killed Morris. She related how
Brown knew that the statement was
false, but that he told her to sign it any
way, because if she would it would prove
that Morris did not commit suicide. This
proof, to her, was equivalent to $5000 as
Brown said that the policy was made out
in her name. She signed as directed, but
only after M. J. Reilly, the other detect
i've, swore that he would have no arrests
made and that no trouble would come out
! of the whole thing.
The girls testimony presented both
Brown and Reilly in bad light and they
we're brought before the jury to explain
their position. They stated that the in
surance dodge was but bait to induce the
girl to tell what she knew about the MUIR
der, and they professed that their efforts
were made only in the interests of Justice.
Brown produced an old Fireman's Fund
insurance envelope with the word "Fire-
mans" blotted out. On this was written,
Insurance policy, $1,000; George Morris
in favor of Ada McReynold.." This
envelope and telegraph message from
Reilly to Brown saying, "Our general
agent is in town; bring Ada to see him.
gave the girl all confidence that the in
surance money would be hers and no ar
rests would be made, since both Reilly
and Brown said so.
The nature of the evidence was such that
the jurors promptly ordered the girl to be
liberated and incidentally took occasion to
let both Reilly and Brown know what they
thought of that class of detective work
which they had exploited.
"What can you expect from private de-
tectives?" District Attorney Otis said.
'They had no business to ever have ar
rested that girl. The result of the
bungling work, principally on the part of
Brown, is that the Grand Jurors are very
much in quandary."
The evidence on which to indict the Nc
Reynolds for the murder of George Morris
is meager enough without all the taking"
that has been INDUCED in, and the jury is
averse to taking action. If Westley Nc
Reynolds is guilty OF having murdered
George Morris he was not given sufficient
chance to talk and boast of it. Two or
three days more detective work before he
was arrested would have fastened the
moose around the fellows neck. He is a
talkative man, and some say he boasted
that he would kill the other Morris boys as
he had their brother.
Detective Reilly, Sheriff Yancey and
District Attorney Otis all procrastinated,
thinking it for the best, but Jasper Brown
drank too much, and began telling the
people about Chinese Camp that Westley
McReynolds was the murderer and was
about to be arrested. This talk precipi-
tated the action of the authorities. West
ley McReynolds and his brother Albert
were arrested and housed in the County
Jail ahead of the time the mob assem- bled
to lynch them. Now Westley McReynolds
lies back in his dark cell and actually
laughs. He seems to be easy of feeling
and does not show any dread of the re-
suits of the terrible accusation made
against him. Westley depends chiefly for
an acquittal on the testimony OF the Ward
family. He claims that he was heard to
cough by them some time about the hour
when the murder was committed. II this
is the only alibi the accused can present
there is every likelihood that the detec-
tives will hang him.
The cough" alibi was started some days