The herald., 1896-05-19
CHARGED WITH BURGLARY
The Wounded Householder Proves to Be
aB0Id Sneak Thief
Shield for BurgIarious Operations-A
Clear Case Made Against Him

In the police court yesterday after
noon there was filed complaint which
charges Thomas Thornton, the cam
Vasser who was shot on Sunday morn
ing by negro while breaking into the
latter's room, with burglary. The COM
plant has no connection with the cpl
sode already related in the papers, but
shows that Thornton richly deserved
the shot he received and is fit candi-
date for cell.
AS has been stated, Thornton was en-
ployed by the Household Magazine as
a canvasser, and visited from house to
house seeking subscriptions. With him
he carried square grip, or sample case,
containing lot of miscellaneous stuff
which was given away as premiums to
cash subscribers. On Saturday last
Thornton was working Central avenue
in the neighborhood of Seventh street
He called at the residence of a Mrs. w.
l.. Zimmerman, at No. 734, and from
her secured a subscription, giving a re-
ceipt and a silver-plated spoon as a
premium. Then he passed on to the
next house, which is occupied by j. w.
Sprague.
Mrs. Sprague was away across the
street visiting a friend when Thornton
called at the back door This was open
and he entered the house. A neighbor
whose residence is separated from the
Spragues' by a vacant lot saw the man
as he entered and watched the house
The curtains were up and the lady was
enabled to see nearly all of Thorntons
actions as he moved about the rooms
She saw him rummaging around and
finally kneel down before a closet or
bureau and come into the next room
with something bright and shiny in his
hands. He opened mis- sample case and
placed the article in it, walking out the
back door and off across the lots.
TIE ne Nov toe l,o1 o,,t.
of Mrs. Spragues sons came home, and
the neighbor told him her suspicious
and that she believed the man had car
ried something off in his case. He fol-
lowed Thornton and demanded that the
latter open his case and allow him to
see the contents. This was refused and
the boy driven away. He went back
home and told his mother and u search
was instituted to ascertain what was
missing. Not until an older brother
came home at o'clock was 1t found out
what 1t was, when he missed his $50
silver-plated cornet This was the
bright article Thornton was seen by the
neighbor to take.
1t seems that when he got away from
the boy he came up town and later in the
evening, about 8 o'clock, sold the cornet
to q secondhand dealer named Savers,
whose place is at 344 East First street,
for $1bo. With the money thus secured
TIC pulu III tHc WHICH he ana Inc
woman called Frisco drank in the saloon
at the corner of First and Alameda
streets At the time the woman was
assaulted in her room and choked by
her visitor she told several parties that
that it was the man who had been drink
ing with her. and that he had attempt
ed to steal her pockethook. She now
denies that it was Thornton, and says
it was another party who is still at large
When Thornton came to her room at
2:30 am. and was shot by Ellis as he
was breaking in the door he ran away,
but was caught by Henry Schneider,
who is an officer of the Humane society
OF San Francisco. Schneider gave Thorn
ton to two negroes to hold while he went
into the house to investigate, and when
he got back the negroes had allowed
Thornton to go. He blew his whistle,
resulting in the fugitive's again being
stopped by Lyman, the private watch
man. who also allowed him to depart
upon his telling a straight story. Then