The morning call., 1895-01-17
HE is NOT NY son. .
Pathetic Scene in the City
Prison.
A MOTHER'S HOPE And FEAR.
She Thinks Wilson, the Young Rob
Der, Her Lost Boy.
HER JOY AT SEEING HER MISTAKE.
Further Identification of Wilson end
Smith-MarSOn Gives His
True Name.
A MOTHER'S HOPE And FEAR.
HER JOY All SEEING HER MISTAKE.

The number of people, more especially
women, who out of morbid curiosity call at
police headquarters and ask for permit to
see the four young footpads and burglars
arrested on Monday afternoon, is astonish-
ing. Unless they can show good and suffi
cient reason, their request is quietly but
firmly declined, and they go away sadly
disappointed.
Two ladies called yesterday morning and
one of them asked for permit to see Will
son, the tallest of the four Being asked
for reason, she said he closely resembled
her son, who left her four or five years ago
for Southern California, and she had not
heard from him since. The name age and
his picture as given in the newspapers led
her to believe that the daring young foot
pad might be her son.
She was at once granted a permit and an
officer acco mpanied her to the prison. She
was trembling with excitement, and as she
neared Wilson'S cell her heart was beating
like trip-hammer. Her face was a study,
hope and fear being strangely mi xed in its
expression.
"Hello, Wilson," shouted the officer.
"Well, what do you want?" came the
surly answer.
CHATS not the voice of my boy" said
the lady, "but it may have changed"
She leaned for support upon the arm of
her companion as the officer turned the
key in the cell-door, and as Wilson stepped
forward she nearly tainted.
'sThank God" She murmured family as
flush of Joy crept over her face and sigh
of relief escaped from her lips, THAT is not
my son. The tears gathered in her eyes
as Wilson said with his usual smirk, ~
guess you're right"
The poor lady could not utter another
word, but turned sadly away from the
hardened young criminal.
"What would you have done if he had
been your SOM" was asked her.
"Done?" she echoed in surprised tone.
''Why, l would have taken him in my
arms and covered his lips with kisses.
les, and l would have chung to him in his
adversely as only mother could. Oh if |
only could find my boy, but l fear he must
be dead. He was bright, high-spirited
boy, but of delicate constitution, and when
his father and | were forced to separate
| had no home to offer him, and he left me,
saying he would not be a burden upon me,
and have never heard of him since"
Wilson and his three companions,
Fraser, Smith and Marson, had other
| visitors yesterday. Two pawnbrolzers iden-
| titled Wilson as the man who on Saturday
offered to sell them a gold watch, and the
| pawnbreker at II Fourth street, where De-
| tective Coffey recovered Whites gold watch,
identified Smith as the young man who
sold it to him and signed the name John
/ Smith in his books.
| f. II. Wulzen. the grocer at Twenty
third and Fair Oaks streets, had a look at
| the four youngsters. He cit morally GER
tain that Wilson, Smith and Fraser were
the three who held him up and robbed the
| till of SIS, but as their faces were covered
with handkerchiefs at the time he declined
| to swear positively that they were the
| guilty parties Wulzen is in poor health,
! and was glad when he was outside the
prison again.
| The boy Fred Marson admitted yesterday
| that his true name was Ray Marion. His
mother is Mrs. Kate Marion, who lives in
! the rear of the Purcell Hotel, East Third
| street, Los Angeles.
He is not the innocent boy it was at first
! thought. He had been the associate of
! tramps and thieves before meeting with
| Wilson, Fraser and Smith. In March last
| year Chief Glass of Los Angeles wrote
| Chief Crowley that Ray had run away from
| home and with two other boys was known
| to be with "Leavenworth Red a we'll
! known tramp, who used them for begging
| purposes. He had been found and sent
! home to his mother, as Chief Glass wrote
| Captain Lees last month that he had about
| two months before that date again run
away from home and if found in San Fran
cisco he was to be sent back to Los An
geles.
Policemen Ryan and Moriarty are still
searching for the room where the young
footpads kept their masks and plumber,
but have not yet been successful. Marion
| admits they had such room, but will not
| say where it is.
They will probably be booked to-day on
two charges of robbery in connection with
the holdup of the Jackson-street cable-car
and of White, the grocer.