The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-28

well-known local detective, and John F..
Farley, the manager OF the lngleside
refreshment department.
All these gentlemen were dressed as
nearly alike as men OF fashion usually are,
still, John Middlemiss, the dark com
plexioned and tall man OF the trio, did not
hesitate a moment in his salutation. He
picked out the Police Commissioner, ask
ing: How do you do, Mr.. Gunst?"
"Mr. Gunst lost his head So said
Detective SAKE, last evening. eff he had
simply taken that fellow aside Just then,
he would have made him give up his
'innards' by telling him: this is your
chance to square yourself tell me all you
know and FL be your friend
But, as Mr.. Gunst did not do the proper
thing at the proper time, the mystery of
the Ingleside robbery is shade haZy still.
Just the same, Captain Lees sat back in
his armchair last evening, as comfortably
as any man could, tired by twenty-four-
hour vigil, directing his men according to
to his ideas of the proper channel in which
TO work to capture the thieves he believes
to be still at large. lie feels satisfied that
of the three men he has already captured
two are the fellows who shot the foot off
Cashier Clarke and carried away the money
bag discovered yesterday by Edward Will
lis. superintendent of the Olympic Water
Company's works.
The prisoner whose guilt is doubtful is
Fred Gardiner. He is a young man, not
over % wears of age. He is likewise one of
those mentally weak individuals who will
allow himself to be directed by any one to
do anything excepting, perhaps, that
which might result in INN ediate physi-
cal in Jury.
He is OF that class of people who will do
the chores of menials around saloons, run
errands of any questionable nature, ant
who is at the beck and call OF the first
conner for dime. His chief enjoyment,
apparently, has been to patronize the rum
shops nearest to the place where he re-
ceived his tips.
Gardiner has been known for months
around this City as an artistic piano
PLAYER, and not unfrequently has he been
picked up by FOUNDERS at the track and
elsewhere to furnish them with cheap
amusement wherever pianos and drinks
were among the attractions.
Gardiner was positively intoxicated
Thursday night when he was arrested.
He had been so for weeks more or less. &C.
cording to the amount OF money dropped
into his hand by his employers.
When Captain Lees Intercepted him he
was blear-eved and maudlin. He remem-
bered that he had come in on some car,
and that when he had been put off by the
conductor policeman Alb had lnterceded
for him and he had been carried to Third
street. Policeman Alb is Officer Rourke,
as CAPABLE and as honest as any man on
the force. On the night Gardiner claims
TO have sat beside him on the car, Rourke
was in the vicinity of Telegraph Hill,
working on the cases of the injured young
children who accuse Captain Lane OF their
disgrace.
In his maudlin way Gardiner told many
little things that dovetail with the state
meuts made by Middlemiss, but 1t Is evil
dent that where their stories disagree 1t is
not Gardiner who is speaking the untruth.
Middlemiss on the day OF the robbery
was at the track with Gardiner, and caused
him to cash a winning ticket for $40 on
one of the races. That day Gardiner got
we'll and drunk, and he states that when
it was time TO leave the track ne had
spent all his money and had not even car
fare.
Middlemiss furnished him with 10 cents,
and it was on his refusal to give that up
for his fare that he had trouble with the
car conductor Adding to this, he stated
to Captain Lees yesterday:
'As sure as | am alive, had nothing 10
do with this robbery"
There is no belief in the captains nina
or in those of the people who have ever
met Gardner that he is one of the Gull
prits. But, there is this one thing that
rests against him: He was captured by
the detectives who went to watch the
cache under the Olympic Water Com
pany's pier.
Gardiner was too drunk to explain how
he came to be with Middlemiss at that
time. He knew that his friend had asked
him to go out with him to dig up some
thing on the beach, but that is all.
Some valuable evidence has been Sc
cured by Captain Lees from the conductor
and gripman of the car on which Gardiner
and Middlemss went to the beach on
Thursday night when they were arrested.