The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-31
FEARS OF FOUL PLAY,
Belief That the Men Were Muir
dered by Robbers Who
Waylaid Them.
RETURN OF THEIR HORSES.
The Animals Were Without Trap
pings and Showed Signs of
Hard Running.

ESAN DIEGO, CAL, March 30.-Deputy
County Assessor l.. \. Bailey of Julian
and ]. B. Bracket of this city are missing
on the desert, and it is feared that they
have been murdered. If murder has been
done it must have been peculiarly cold
blooded, as the slsyers must have followed
their victims from Yuma and camped on
their trail till the opportunity came, leav-
ing the bodies of their victims on the desert
and turning their horses loose to create
the impression that the men were lost.
Both men have families in this city.
The two men went out to collect taxes
on personal property and ,polltax at the
mining camps OF Gold Rock, Largo, Mu-
chacho and Picacho. as well as other points
on the desert. They left Julian, which is
a short journey from the western edge of
the desert, on March 5. Nothing was
heard of them until they arrived at Picacho,
on the Colorado River, above Yuma, where
Bailey wrote TO County Assessor Burt
This was on the 18th. On the Goth Bailey
again wrote to Assessor Burt, this time
from Yuma, remitting $400 which he had
collected. He asked for certain instruc-
tons, which were wired him.
Bailey and Bracket were to leave on the
day after receiving a telegram, which was
the 22d. Nothing has been heard of them
since, though plenty OF time has elapsed
for them to cross the desert. On Tuesday
night, the 26th, their horses arrived at San
Felipe, east of Julian. The animals
showed every sign of hard running, and
were apparently suffering from thirst.
They had no harness upon them. They
were seen on the San Felipe grant for two
or three days, and then made their way to
Julian.
Charles Bailey, a brother Of the missing
Deputy Assessor, accompanied by Fred
Paine, an old desert trailer, Immediately
left Julian to search for the two men.
They ware of the opinion that foul play
had beSta committed, as Bailey was well
aequainled with the sandy plain, and
would not have let the horses escape. The
fact that not even halter was on the ami
mails looked as if they had been deliber-
ately turned loose.
So far as known Bailey would have had
considerable money on his person collected
in the mining camps. His brother fears
that Mexicans or Indians, or even white
men had followed the two men and MUIR
dered them.
Though no trail existed Charles Bailey
and Paine struck out for Yuma on the
course they thought most likely to find
the missing men. They were well armed.
1t was suggested that perhaps the two
men had themselves fed, sending their
horses home to make it appear they had
become lost. But this is hardly likely, as
both men have property, while the sum
they had collected was not sufficient to
tempt them to such a move.
Bracket IS part owner of Santa Yzabel
ranch and Bailey some time ago sold the
Kynola ranch at Julian. From the re-
remarkably fast time made by the horses,
crossing the desert in four days, distance
of about 160 miles. it is believed they got
away soon after leaving Yuma, and that if
murder was committed it was in the east
ern end of the county. Information re-
garding the case was furnished by Asses
sor Burt to the District Attorneys office
to-day, and District Attorney Sweet tele-
graphed to the authorities at Yuma to
make search.