The record-union., 1895-03-18
The Proprietor of a Road House
Near San Francisco Killed.
ROBBERY. NO DOUBT. THE MOTIVE
OF THE CRIME.
Daring Jail Break at Seattle. in Which
Several Prisoners. Including Three
Men Convicted of Murder, Make
Their Escape-A Quantity of Liquor
Destined to the Yukon Mines Seized
by Customs Officers.
Special to the REcoRp-UNIoN.


Special TO the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 17.-Cornelius
Stagg was shot and killed in the sitting
room of his roadside house, the Ingle-
side, last evening. The murder was cruel
and wanton, and was perpetrated by one
Of two masked and unknown men,
whose purpose was robbery.
Two persons entered the Ingleside by
the rear side entrance about $40 O'Clock
last night, wearing long linen coats and
white masks that completely covered
their faces. They carried revolvers in
their hands, and their purpose was to
rob the place.
In the barroom they found Michael
Barry, Howard Jones, Max Pannier and
Charles Owttrim, the bartender and
manager of the place. These they COW
cred quickly with their guns and COM
PEELED to hold up their hands.
Leaving the smaller to watch the men
IN the barroom, the larger of the two
walked back into the sltung-room, where
Stagg, the proprietor, was sitting in front
OF the CRATE. With him was Robert Lee,
colored man, for many years one OF the
servants at the place. The tall masked
man looked at Stagg and told him to get
up.
Stagg thought it was one of his friends
playing him prank, and said: "pIl do
nothing of the sort" The command was
repeated, and Stagg still refusing to move,
the intruder began 10 beat him with the
revolver. He struck Stagg twice before
Lee could escape from the room. What
then anSnnN knnwa ahSnl1ltoiyv
Stagg was heard to say, Don't, don't"
Then two shots were heard and Stagg
fell where he stood, mortally wounded.
In the clothing OF Stagg was found $40,
taken from the till shortly before the
masked robbers entered the barroom.
The police believe the intruders were
aware OF this, and so is explained their
desire to drive him back into the bar,
where all the occupants of the place could
be robbed in a row.
No clew to the identity of the robbers
has been obtained, but they are believed
to be the same men who held up Robert
Hagerty at the Cliff House last Noyem-
Der, shooting Hagerty through the body.
and five weeks ago robbing Hagerty's
saloon on the ocean beach. 1t has been
learned, however, that after numbering
Stagg they hid in the brush for several
hours, evidently fearing pursuit. About
o'clock this morning two men answer
ing their description attempted to hold up
French laundryman on his way to work,
about two miles nearer town than the
1ngleside, indicating that they were re-
turning to the city. The FrenChman ran
away, and the Iootpads, content with one
murder, did not follow, and fired no
shots.
Stagg's fame as a caterer has been de-
veloping during the past thirty-tive
years. At different times during this
period he has held Federal and municipal
appointments, but always remained pro-
prietOr of his wayslde resort.
He was born IN the State of New York
about IS years ago, and came to this city
when young man. He made consider
able money, and during the sixties he
started The old and now historic race
course which was IN those days the ocean
beach's banner attraction. The Ocean
House, Wayside resort, which he con-
Quoted in con- JUNCTION with the race
track, was the congregating point OF all
the hOrsemen IN the city, and some of the
nights" given there by the bloods of
those days have become landmarks in the
lives OF many pioneer.
When General Grant and Dom Pedro
visited this city a special series Of races
was arranged, and the leading citizens of
the time could be found at Stagg's resort
every afternoon. During the first visit of
King kalakaua to California in the latter
part OF the seventies he was the guest of
the California CIuO, the members being
the gayest OF the gay boys of San Fran
CISCO tie was taken to Stagg's, and the
way he was entertained there must have
remained fresh in his memory unto his
dying day. on the first visit of Buffalo
Bill to this coast the noted scout decided
to give time at Stagg's resort. The pro-
prietOr was given carte blanche, and to
invite the guests. About 100 newspaper
actors and SnOrtS met 10
and led the hero of the plains the chase OF
his life. The nights trolic cost several
thousand dollars.
During the early days of Benito
Juarez's Presidency in Mexico Stagg
acted in the capacity of confidential
agent for him, and what his business
with him was he never disclosed. While
in the Mexican republic he had access to
a great deal of Inside information, which
he put IN the shape of interesting letters,
which were published in the press Of this
city. When the pumping works at Lake
Merced blew up on Christmas eve eight
or nine years ago, Stages resort was
partially wrecked, and he moved away
from the historical resort and started the
Ingleside. Then the Bay District track
started and the old ocean course became
a thing OF the past, and, although the
racing days were gone forever, Stagg's
patrons continued to visit his resort. In
later days the good fortune that attended
Stagg in the days never to be seen again
deserted him, and on several occasions
he was on the verge of being dragged
into the bankruptcy court. lie was an
unusually brave man, and, although
small in stature. had more grit than men
twice his size. On eight or nine previous
occasions he was held up by robbers, and
each time he fought them off single
handed.