davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

young Wagner boys, whose father is in
hiding in disobedience of Judge Woods
order to pay SIS monthly for the mainte-
nance OF his children-Ralph, aged g.
and Charlie, IL years of age.
Mrs. Wagner was this morning elected
from her home by an agent representing
the rich Widow Sather, who is now In
Europe. The ejectment was for non-
payment of rent of two rooms of an old
house at 1511 New Broadway.
The circumstances were so touching in
this case that Constable Weidler of Judge
Cliffs court gave So so to pay for the
moving of Mrs. Wagner's furniture. The
despairing woman. is physical wreck in
appearance and retold the sad story that
Mrs. Willmore, until now, has succeeded in
making ladies in charitable and religious
work of Oakland believe were delusions.
The arrest OF the two young burglars will
help to prove the story only too true.
Mrs. Wagner said:
mo human being can meas ure the
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

the request OF Mrs. Wagner was brought
back by the society, but afterward was al
lowed to go back.
Mrs. Prescott said further that she had
been watching for Majors return to this
city again, anu was not aware that he was
mere until she learned of his arrest. Be-
lore the fact was learned that young Ford
was Majors yesterday, Mrs. Prescott called
on Mrs. Willmore and requested her to
tell where Majors was. Mrs. Prescott said
that Mrs. Willmore replied to her questions
eyasiyely, and she did not learn from her
that the boy arrested with her own son
was the one she was in search of.
This afternoon young Majors told an in
teresting story of his connection with the
Willmore family and 1t increases the opin-
Ion of Chief Lloyd that Mrs. Willmore
knows more than she has yet told.
81 was engaged to be married TO Ina
Willmore, said Abe, ''and was only wait
ing until my eighteenth birthday and
until got more money, so that we could
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

get married. Mrs. Willmore knew of our
engagement and she also knew that l had
given Ina an engagement ring. Mrs. Will
more knew well enough who | was and
she knew who my mother was and how
nv father died. / was trying to raise
money so that l could get married, but l
did tell Mrs. Willmore that l was getting
money from the East. do not think she
knew what we have been doing lately, but
some months ago when The CALL pub
lished some stories about our family We
used to talk about them and Mrs. Will
more need not pretend she has forgotten
them"
Chief of Police Lloyd is still of the opin-
ion that Mrs. Willmore knew what the
boys were doing, and in support of this
belief Detective Holland says that when
the house was searched the mother knew
the location of everything in the posses
sion of the young cracksmen and that she
always had more money than the boys
could earn.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

the alley whence all the burglaries were
committed at IL o'clock and again at 80
out the burglars say they came to Ala
media on the 10:30 train and after break.
ing into nine stores, taking their time and
making thorough search for money. they
knocked off at 5 O'Clock in the morninr
and walked home with their plumber by
way OF Twenty-third avenue.
L. s. Silverberg, whose store was one of
those broken into, had an interview with
the burglars. They told him while at
work in his store they saw patrolmen pass
the windows twice. Mr.. Silverberg ldenti-
ned some of the plunder that was taken
from his store. The iewelry they de-
stroyed after finding that it was not gen
ulne. They declare that they secured less
than $50 in money on the Alameda raid.
Ihe leathern book containing promissory
notes that was taken from Hauch's store
mas been found by Marshal Rogers. It was
IN the rear of some dwellings on Oak street.
IN the same block in which the burelar;es
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

took the name of Ford, and when 1 came
back here went by the name of Ford SO
that my mother could not find me out. L
have not seen her since I came back, about
month ago."
Regarding this matter, Mrs. Prescott !,
secretary of the Society for the Prevention
OF Cruelty to Children, stated that the at
tention of the Humane Society had been
called to the case of Mrs. Wagner, the
boys mother, after her son had left her
home. They found that Mrs. Wagner was
deserving woman, and it seemed to them
that she should receive a portion of the
earnings of her son at least. 1t had been
reported TO them that he was spending his
money on Ina WiIlmore, the 13-year-old
daughter of Mrs. WiIlmore. Some time
after this the boy went to Fresno, and al
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
ARCHIE MAJORS.
Mrs. Willmore Said to Have In
fluenced Him, Too, Against
His Mother

| Archie Majors, the brother of Abe re-
| turned from Texas and New Mexico, where
! he had been a cowboy for over a year.
Seven months ago he came to his mother
as a penitent prodigal son in rags, and
wearing rubbers to cover his feet. Mrs.
| Wagner took all the money she possessed
and fitted him out com fortably in clothing,
and while he sought work she took in
| washing from lodging-house, work far
befond her strength, to support her family
| Archie was then kind to his mother and
| worked in harmony with her and those
| who were trying to locate his brother.
After two months search for work he got
a situation with Fox & Andrews creamery
to drive a milk wagon at wages of $50
month, he said, giving Mrs. Wagner $40
month..for board and room. With this ar
rangement his mother was well satisfied.
All at once Archie became irritable and
abusive to the Wagner children, and upon
Mrs. Wagner's return, one evening two
months ago, she found Archie gone and
the house robbed OF several articles of
value.
Archie had even stripped the blankets
from his mothers bed. Investigation
proved that he had left home again, that
the position he held at the creamery had
been secured by Mrs. WilImore for some
one else, and that Archie had been receiv-
ing 40instead of $50.
Mrs. Willmore, the day he left home,
had collected part of his wages, on what
she claimed to be board bill. Mrs. Wag-
ner went to his employers, but they re-
fused to believe her and accepted Archies
version of affairs.
Mrs. Wagner then proceeded, through
the aid of an attorney, to serve notice on
the firm not to pay the young fellows
wages to any one but her. This angered
Archie, and he gave up his position, and
his former employers refuse to divulge
where he went, saying they believe him
wronged by his mother.
The last seen of him he was in company
with Mrs. Willmore in Judge Seawell's
court in San Francisco, as witnesses
against Mrs. Wagner to help the latter's
husband get the custody of the little
Wagner.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

| he said that there was nothing in it. He
had not been taken with remorse on
account of the manner of his fathers
death, and this had nothing at all to do
with his starting out to burglarize
The crime for which Lloyd Majors wak
hanged was that of planning the murdeE
OF an old Frenchman near Los Gatos, At
the time Majors kept a saloon at Los
Gatos with man of the name of Jewell.
The latter. and one Showers, were the
actual murderers. although Majors fin-
1shed the Job by setting fire to the French
mans cabin, burning up the remains.
Their object in numbering the man was
to obtain his money, and they tortured
him in an effort to make him tell where it
was.
Majors was first tried in Santa Clara.
but when new trial was ordered he OBJ
talned change of venue to this county.
where he was also convicted. While
awaiting the death penalty he broke out of
jail once by overpowering his jailers, but
was recaptured by the firemen at the
Sixth-street engine-house.
The police have found two more pistols
which Majors and WilImore had secreted
under the mattress in their bed. These
pistols are good-sized ones, but not so
large as those found on the boys when ar
rested.
Majors declared to the officers who ar
rested them that he would have used his
big pistol on them If they had not got the
drop by drawing their own pistols.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
MRS, W|LLM0RE AS A FEMALE FAG|N.

tured at their home All are dismayed at
the exhibition, and had it not been for the
incontrovertible evidence that the youths
were the actual burglars the facts in the
case would not be believed.
The affair has created more sensation
than anything that has transpired in this
city since gatling gun was put at the en-
trance to the City Hall two years ago to
repel an expected attack by the Industrial
Army. Ministers have given notice of their
intention to preach from the lessons taught
by the strange features of the crimes and
many have already expressed their opin-
ions in print.
1t is a circumstance worthy of note that
not single burglary or robbery was re-
ported TO the police to-day as having taken
place last night
The Police Department, according to an
official statement tonight, is now satisfied
that Mrs. Willmore was an accessory to
the crimes of the boys who lived at her
house. Four months ago Archie Majors
went to the Chief OF Police and told him of
things that were going on in the Willmore
household, and he advised Mrs. Sanford TO
get the girl Ina away and he offered TO
help her.
Archie went away, and as he was the
only witness who would testify against
Mrs. Willmore the matter could not be
pressed.
Archie asked the Chief to protect his
younger brother, Abe, and the matter was
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

Ing with friends in another part OF the city.
Il am not in hiding" said Mrs. Will
more tonight, "as my attorney has told
Chief Lloyd that he will bring me to him
whenever he desires. / have merely come
out here to avoid the bother that should
be put to if I stayed at home. do not
know anything whatever of all this
trouble. and feel very much the disgrace
that mas been cast upon me.
Il did not know what the boys had IN
the shed and 1 never looked. The tool
cnest was in among. the coal and wood
tnat we kept there, and / never had occa-
sion to look in it. [ do not suppose
should have known that the tools were
burglars tools, anyhow. If l had seen the
guns should have known that there was
something wrong and should have in
Vestlgated, bat [ never saw anything. L
never saw the boys with much money. In
Iact, never saw Burt with any. Abe
MAJORS had some occasionally, but never
very much. He told me he was getting it
from relative in the East, and l believed
MIN. There was never anything in my
boys room to lead ne to believe that any
thing was wrong. I never saw weapons or
tools or any stolen article in there, and |
was IN it every day.
The boys used to 60 to bed at a decent
time every night, and / do not recollect
that they were ever out very late. They
sometimes went to parties and have come
nome about midnight, but never later. l
suppose that after was asleep they must
nave got up and gone out and have re-
turned before l got up in the morning.
Sometimes may have been deceived, for
have learned that they used to fix up the
bed SO that if | looked in at the window
should think they were asleep Probably
l have often thought the boys were in bed
when as a matter of fact they were out.
When the officers came yesterday morn
ing for that chest in the coalshed thought
the boys were in bed. and went in to tell
them what was going on. saw then how
they had fixed their pillows, and it was
then that / feared I must have been de-
ceived in the past.
u do not think it reasonable to suppose
that knew what they were doing. If l
had known that the lads were out commit
ting burglaries it would not have been
necessary for them to have deceived ME by
making dummies. l have been out work
ing for 81 day for several months past,
and have been able to pay my way with
care The rent of this house is only So a
month, and Abe sometimes paid me some
money for his board
Mrs. Wagner's stories about my enticing
the boy, Abe, from home are fakes. The
boy came here and said it was impossible
for him to live at home and that he wanted
to be with Burt, and 1 let them share the
same ROOM"
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
ABE LOVED INA.
Young Majors Says Mrs. Willnora
Knew All About His Coming
MarriaOo

Marriage.
Mrs. Willmore's story is not eatirelv
borne out by what she has previously said
and by the statements of Abe Majors. She
said yesterday that she had known vounp
Majors only about three weeks ana that
she knew nothing of his antecedents. and
that she knew him b. the name of Ford.
About six months ago there appeared il,
THE CALL a story about the Wagner fam
lily, and at the time Mrs. Willmore was
interviewed and asked why she was add
ing to the troubles of the Majors bows.
She gave Indifferent replies, but the mat
ter was referred to the Humane Society
and police, and although nothing was
done, it is believed by the police that Mrs.
WilImore knew who her sons companion
was and whence he came.
When asked to-day why he had claimed
that his name was Ford, young Majors
said: II did not want my mother to know
that l was back here again. l left my
mother because she made life unbearable
for me at home. She took every cent
earned. went to live at Willmore's after
this, but Mrs. Willmore did not entice me
away, as claimed by my mother. Finally
| was compelled to leave town because my
mother bothered me so. While away
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
The Barn in the Rear Is

succeeded until he was slave to her will
even to forget those he once loved better
than his own life. When l sought him he
disappeared. pleaded on my knees with
the wrecker OF NY home to tell me his
whereabouts. She refused.
''The story of Mrs. Sanford's bringing
him back to Oakland from Fresno has
been published. As he was past fourteen
he could not be held by the Humane So
ciety. After that he came and went as he
pleased. Learning of his return to Oak
land year ago l was desperate over the
situation. l went to some ladies, men,
bers of DIR. Hobart's church, where Mrs.
Willmore belonged, and related to them
the facts of the case. They heard Mrs.
Willmore's story, but still wanted to
make peace.
Mrs. Willmore and were both invited
to cottage prayer meeting, where they
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
TRICKED OFFICERS.
How the Young Burglars Succeeded
In Throwing Off Sus-

Now that the lads are in jail, several Of
ficers have recognized them as having
been on their beats at early hours of the
morning.
About week ago Officer Peterman was
On duty about TWO blocks from. the bows
home. He saw them walking along Four
teenth street, and just as the boys ap-
preached him Majors said to Willmore /:
Wasn't that jolly dancer" WiEmore
replied: II should say. Did you see how
that lady tackled that icecream?"
With conversations of this nature thew
diverted any suspicion that the officer
might have. The lads wore large white
buttonhole bouquets and succeeded beauti-
fully IN convincing the officers that they
had just left late dance -
The lads talk with great freedom OF all
their doings. 1t is very evident that they
are daring youngsters, but they are not
desperadoes and they look upon their ad
ventures in much the same light as a
schoolboy would look upon Halloween
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
THE ROBBERS CAVE.
1t Was a Dilapidated Shed at the
Back of the Willmore
House.

u was Dflapidat6d Shed at the
Back of the WiIlmore
House.
The Willmore home is cozy little
building in the rear of 1864 Webster street.
1t has the appearance of having originally
been small house of worship. It has
evidently been moved into the rear of the
lot to make room for the more pretentious
building that now stands in front OF it.
The Willmore house cannot be seen from
the sidewalk.
AT the back of the lot is the. rough shed
in which the boys stored their tools and
some of the plunder. 1t is a ramshackle
place and is falling to pieces. IL contains
a lot of old rubbish and in one corner was
a small rife. The first thing to greet the
eye is book of chlldren's hymns, the
covers of which have disappeared. There
is pile of old books. but the most sensa-
tional was one of Ouida's productions.
There was no dime-novel literature in
sight and neither was the wall ornamented
with cigarette photographs.
The chest that is now in the City
Prison was at the extreme back of the
she'd facing the right-hand door hole.
1t was hastily covered with wood and rub
bish, and would not have attracted atten-
tion, as it is old and Scared and seemed
particularly well suited to the other con-
tents of the room.
The window of the boys bedroom is in
the back of the house, and through the
window can still be seen the dummy pill
lows with which the lads deceived Mrs
Willmore. The house was locked, and the
lady who lives in the front house said that
Mrs. Willmore had not been home since
yesterday afternoon. She stated that she
had never heard the boys go into the
house at night and had never seen any
thing to lead to the belief that there was
anything wrong with Mrs. Willmore or
the boys
Mrs. Wlllmore used to go out working
nearly every day." said her neighbor, "and
DO not think there was harder working
woman in Oakland"
Mrs. Reynolds, wife of the attorney of
that name, called at the house and said
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

depth OF my sorrow, and my frs. trouble
is nothing compared to this the work of
that woman Mrs. Willmore. who has
dragged my whole family down to poverty
ana disgrace.
.'She has been respected as lady, living
upon the money that should have been
mine. When | have pleaded for her TO
tell me where my youngest boy could be
found she has mocked and taunted me.
The beginning of this affair dates back
two years. Then my trust was God and
those who professed Christianity. Several
evenings week 1 took my children and
went to Marshalps Mission, on Eighth
There / met Mrs. Willmore and her daugh-
ter, Ina.
II was attracted to her by the Christian
spirit she showed, and in short while
was led to believe that she was my truest
friend. | depended on her as / should
have depended on my sister.
II even went so far as to confide III her
that my children and I were the rightful
heirs to large estate in New York, and l
foolishly showed her my legal papers and
correspondence with the Eastern lawyers.
AT this time my son Abe was employed by
the news agent at the Alameda mole. earn
ing 81 week, and was keeping a few
boarders to help out
Abe was member of the Young Men s
Christian Association and model boy in
every way. He was the mainstay of my
home, and every one spoke of his tender
love for his little stepbrothers. My close
intimacy threw Abe and Mrs. Willmore' s
daughter Ina together thought moth
ing of it until my attention was called to
the fact that Mrs. Willmore was gradually
enticing my boy from home. At last she
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

pleaded my cause, and Mrs. Willmore
promised never again to allow my sons,
Abe or Archie, to cross her threshold. felt
relieved and thought the matter settled.
put it made no change, only giving her a
chance to be more secret in her doings.
Things went from bad to worse and
ever since she has had full control and
power over both my boys
This last chapter is her work. Ihave
prayed to God to- give me Justice in Oak
land, where have been belied even by my
own son Archie through the influence of
MRS. Wlllmore. | would gladly welcome
death IN the waters of the bay"
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANcIsco CALL,
908 Broadway Feb Z

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
908 Broadway, Feb. 7. T
The boy burglars were in the Police
Court this morning. When they entered
hush fell over the packed lobby.
Instead of two desperate hoodlums, the
crowd saw two neatly y-dressed boys walk
in ahead of Officer Curtiss. They sat down
beside their attorney, and there was
feeling of curiosity expressed on both their
faces. They had not seen each other since
they were arrested, and neither knew what
the other had said. There was no indica-
tion of nervousness, and as their attorney,
Ned Aver. pleaded for them, they had not
a word TO say.
Two charges have been sworn to. One
charges the boys with the Girard affair,
and the other with the Miller & Butler
job, from which they were returning when
arrested. The examination into the first
charge was set for Monday next; the
second one was made out in the name
of Ford Majors alias, and a new COM
plant will have to be filed. The proceed
ings occupied about ten minutes, and the
boys were led back to their cells.
The point of greatest interest in the case
is that concerning Mrs. Willmore, the
mother of the younger boy. She protests
her innocence, but she has told some con-
Trajectory stories. and tie Chief of Police
believes that she must have known what
the boys were doing. The lads had been
making nightly predatory raids for over
three weeks. and have stored the proceeds
In many parts of the house; and yet Mrs
Willmore says she never knew that the
boys were not in bed all night and never
noticed them with more money than
Major had told her he received from a
relative in the East
Mrs. MajorsWagner, the mother of Abe
Majors blames Mrs. Willmore for all the
troubles that have befallen her. Mrs.
Willmore denies it, and the stories of the
two women as printed below, while they
may not carry conviction in either case,
still they show a state of affairs. that must
have added very materially to the de-
moralization of the youthful burglars.
Thousands of people have visited the
police station since the lads were arrested
to look at the outfit of guns and tools cap
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

that Mrs. Willmore had frequently worked
for her, and that if she could find her she
would help her, as she considered she was
very deserving woman.
Mrs. Wagner had not been near her hoy
since he was arrested. and to-day she said
that she was acting on the advice of her
attorney
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

operations: No record like that has
been on the police books of any city in
this country before, it is believed, and
the moralists are trying to study out the
causes that led up to these crimes,
with the conditions that made them
possible. Several persons have already
interested themselves in an endeavor
to keep the boys out of the State prison,
asserting that the Reform School is the
proper place for them. In whatever way
it may be regarded, the case is conceded
to be both startling and remarkable.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
HEREDITY THEORY.
Majors Denies That His Fathers
Fate Caused His Bad
Career.

The fact that one Of the boys proved to
be the son of Lloyd Majors, who was
hanged here In 1884, gives an opportunity
top theories OF heredity and about the
young fellow being forced into career of
crime on account of the ignominy of his
fathers name.
Young Majors was asked to-day if the
report concerning the latter was true. and
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08

thoroughly investigated, but without
Archie nothing could be proved. Since
that time the boys have been leading life
OF crime, and many things point to the fact
that Burt Willmore's mother knew all
about it. Her immediate arrest is consid-
cred certain.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
To Be Arrested for Com.
plicity in the Oakland
Burglaries.
THE BOYS IN COURT.
An Endeavor Will Be Made to
Keep Them Out of the
State Prison.
ABE MAJORS WAS IN LOVE,
He Says That He Wanted to Get Money
So as to Marry His Confeder.
ate'S Sister.
ABE MAJORS WAS IN LOVE

Two boys who have committed forty
burg1aries in three weeks, wrecking
eted booty-and the mother of one of
the boys charged with completely in the
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
THE OTHER MOTHER.

Mrs. Willmore Says That She Never
Suspected What the Boys
Were Doing.
Mrs. Willmcre, the mother of Burt Will
more, has left her residence on Webster
street and with her daughter Ina is stay
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-08
expedition in which the pulling off of a
gate would be great offense.
THE ALAMEDA WORK.
Policemen Passed the Windows
While the Boys Were In

ALAMEDA, CAL, Feb. The frank
accounts given by the two Oakland boy
burglars of how they did the Alameda
job, which was the star performance OF
their meteoric career, is interesting to the
residents of this city, who have been rest
ing in security through belief that they
were protected by guardians of the peace
while they slept. The burglars confess
sion is also confusing TO the police.
One OF the patrolmen said he went down