The San Francisco call., 1896-05-10
Nine Man.KillerS Who Now
Stand in the Shadow of
the Gallows.
ONE HAS LOST EVERY HOPE.
A Dark Chapter Of Crime and Blood
From the Condemned Cells at
San Quentin.


him in the face kid Thompson, the Ros-
coe train-wrecker, is still the most profane
and toughest prisoner now confined in the
State prison at San Quentin. His execu-
tion is SCI for the 22d inst. and he views
his fast-approaching end with the stoicism
of an American Indian.
OF the nine murderers now under the
death penalty in the prison across the bay
the Kid is the only one who has given
up all hope of saving his neck by process
of law or the Governors clemency.
The Roscoe train wreck and the sacri-
fee OF life that followed are still fresh in
the minds of the public. Thompson's
partner, Johnson, turned States evidence
and is now serving a life sentence.
Thompson's indifference to the fated
22d was explained yesterday in a CONVEX
sation with Dan Sullivan, one of the
guards inside of the walls. To the guard
he said:
What is the use of me trying to fight the
case? If they don't stretch my neck here, they
will be sure to in New Mexico. The officers
have dead case on me there, so they say
You see, down in Albuquerque, some fellows
made raid on one of the banks and got away
with $1400 after killing the cashier and shoot
ing several Others The bank robbers escaped
but were pursued by posse. The officers run
them down, and in the fight one officer and
one robber were killed. The robber who was
killed was my cousin. The other escaped. Now
they say am the other fellow, and l guess
they would prove that | was, but l was not
within miles of New Mexico at the time.
Neither was in the Roscoe train affair for l
was sick in bed at the time. am convicted on
one charge and would be on the other, SO l
may as well swing here as to prolong the
agony. 1 have been tough citizen and had
my fun. Now will pay for having bad name.
Sc the days and hours go by, and the
Kid counts them as they pass without hope
or any regret save one-that he cannot
live long enough to get even on the rail-
road company, which he holds responsible
for obtaining the evidence that landed
him at tue foot of the gallows. But he is
only one of nine men now under the
penalty of death.
The next toughest citizen there is Frank
G. Kloss, who few months ago de-
liberately cut William Deady's throat in a
saloon in Hayes Valley. Kloss has hope
that the Supreme Court will assist him in
escaping the penalty of his crime or that
the Governor will proIong his years by
committing the sentence to imprisonment
for life.
There is one in whom the Governor is
interested. 1t is Dennis Mccarthy, San
Francisco boy who shot ranch hand to
death in Sonoma County for a fancied Of
fense. Medical experts say that Mccarthy
is weakminded and subject to epilepsy.
| His case is now on appeal to the Supreme
| Court, and If the death penalty is sus-
tanned it is said that Governor Budd will
interfere with the execution.
The Cummings brothers, John and Ce-
| sar, from Riverside, are hoping to be
spared from paying the penalty for MUIR
der, and their execution is stayed by pro-
| ceedings in the Supreme Court. These
! brothers rented a ranch from an old man,
and when he went to collect the rent one
slipped away and returned with a mask
/ or rN1o 10 hfk fha Il
owner on the head aud took the money
his brother had just paid. The blow
proved fatal, and the robbery story might
have held, but the plot was revealed by
Mexican in the Cummings employ.
a case almost parallel is that of Marshall
| Miller, also under the sentence of death.
Miller and Stewart Green assaulted an
aged pawnbroker in Marysville for the
purpose of robbery. The blow broke the
money-lender' skull. Green turned States
evidence and is now under life sentence.
! Miller's case is before the Supreme
Court on an appeal for new trial. If the
prayer is not granted Miller will have to
be re-sentenced, as the original date of his
! execution is passed.
Charles Marshall, who owned fourth
interest in the famous Desert Queen gold
mine, also wants a new trial. He killed
man in a saloon at Riverside during row.
There are two men whose necks may be
| spared. One is William Leary, who killed
man in a saloon row in Salinas. Leary
is now IS years of age and the Governor
has spared his life by a reprieve.
The other is Bruno Morosco, who killed
an Italian near Vacaville over two years
ago. He too has been saved by the Cover
nor. Leary is too old to work but Morosco
is employed in the jute mill.
| All of the other condemned live in muir
derers' row, a row of strong cells on the
north side OF the prison in sight of the Of
| ficers of the inside guard. Once or twice
a week these felons are taken out for an