The herald., 1895-03-18
No Clue to the Identity of the
Daring Highwaymen
WAS A VERY BRAVE MAN
Cons Resort Figures in Gay Life.
History of California
All the Notables Who Visited the Coast Were
Entertained There Was a Famous
Caterer

San Francisco, March lin the cloth
ing of Cornelius Stagg, the famous caterer,
murdered at the Ingleside last night, was
found $40, taken from the till shortly be-
fore the masked robbers entered the bar
room. The police believed the intrudcrs
were aware of this, and so is explained
their desire to drive him back into the
bar, where all the occupants of the bar
could be robbed in row.
No clue to the robbers has been obtained,
but they are believed to be the same men
who held up Robert Hagerty at the
Cliff House last November, shooting
Hagerty through the body.
1t has been learned, however, that after
numbering Stagg, they hid in the brush
for several hours, evidently fearing pur-
suit. About O'Clock this morning two
men answering their description at
tempted to hold up a French laundryman
on his way to work. about two miles
nearer town than the Ingleside, indicat-
ing that they were returning to the city.
The Frenchman ran away and the foot
pads, content with one murder, did not
follow and fired no shots.
Stages fame as % caterer has been de-
velopng during the last thirty five years
At different times during that period he
has held federal and municipal appoint
ments but always remained proprietor of
his wayside resort.
He was born in the state of New York
about sixty-eight years ago and came to
this city when young man. lie made
considerable money and during the sixties
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 conducted in con- junction with
the 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 a pioneer.
When General Grant and Dom Pedro,
Emperor of Brazil visited this city, a
special series of races was arranged and
the leading citizens of the time could be
found at Stages resort every afternoon.
During the first visit of King kalakaua
to California in the latter part OF the '7Os,
he was the guest OF the California Club,
the members being the gayest of the gay
boys of San Francisco. He was taken to
Stages 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 a
time" at Stage resort. The proprietor
was given carte blanche and told to invite
the guests. About one hundred news
paper men, actors and sports met at the
resort and led the hero of the plains the
chase of his life. The nights frolic cost
several thousand dollars.
During the early days OF Benito Juarez'
presidency in Mexico Stage acted in the
capacity of confidential agent for him, and
what his business was with him he never
disclosed. While in the Mexican Rcpub-
lie he had access to a great deal of inside
information which he put in the shape of
interesting letters, which were published
in The Bulletin of this city.
When the pumping works at Lake
MERGED blew up on Christmas eve eight
or nine years ago Stages resort was par
TALLY wrecked, and he moved from the
historical resort and started the Ingle-
side.
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, Stages patrons con-
tinued to visit his resort
In later days the good fortune that at
tended Stage 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.
He was an unusually brave man and,
small in stature, had more grit
than most 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.