The herald., 1896-02-29
Held to Answer In the StimsOn
Explosion Affair
THE FRIEND OF CROOKS
lmpertant Suit By the City Against the
Providencia Grant
4 Son.in-Law Who Refuses to Yield Control Of
An Estate-Business By the Su.
pervisors-At the Courts


blow up the residence of T. D. Stimson. on
Eigueroa street, q short time ago, was held
to answer in the superior court last even
ing, his bond being fixed at $4,000.
The story as told yesterday in the town.
chip court by many witnesses is curiously
interesting, for the facts upon which
Coyne was held show that systematic
plan to blackmail the lti-millionaire
was conceived and was sought to be car
Yiod out by the defendant. Inasmuch as
blAckmail is nowadays reduced almost to
the exactness of a science, and this city,
In common with many others, has more
than it's share of ''private" detectives, the
mode of conducting business by one who
posed as one of those prying individuals
IL made all the more interesting.
Deputy District Attorney McComas con-
Quoted the prosecution. while Messrs:
Martin and Oliver guarded the interests of
the defendant.
Mr.. Stimson occupied the witness stand
the entire morning. He first explained
how he became acquainted with Coyne. 1t
was some time before the explosion, and
was through his accompanying his son to
Mexico. After Coyne returned to this city
he visited the office of Mr.. StimsOn and
told him that he had learned that a noted
crook was in town from Mexico and threat
ened the millionaire in some way that he
would find out. Re didn't krow whether
the crock contemplated theft or murder,
but he ktew where he was, and with skels-
ton kays he could enter his room and from
the tools he had with min would be able to
tell his purpose. Coyne dweIt particularly
on the fact that he knew all ths leading
crooks in the country, adding that this par
ticular one was ''holy terror" a most
accomplished villain.
In another interview Mr.. Stimson was
again warned Of danger, and was asked if
he knew his house had been tanlpered with.
Processing ignorance he was told that the
crook had been at work on certain window
ofhis residence, and that the dog had been
poisoned. Upon returning home at 5 o'clock
in his buggy Coyno met him and guided
him directly to a window on the south of
the front entrance, when it was discovered
that an attempt had been made to open the
window, and glass cutting tool was there
found.
TRUE PROPHET
"Did he vouchsafe the name of this dis
tineuished crook ?" asked Mr.. McComas.
mo, sir" replied Mr.. Stimscn, "he said
be said he would not tell it for $500, ,OOO."
s'Did he say what he had to do with
him?"
ssNo, as 1 understand it, the eminent
crook was boarding at some place near the
city, at first class hotel, and there were
two others in the city whom he had do the
work.
"Sub.contractors as it were," remarked
Mr.. McComas facetiously.
ssWhat did Mr.. Coyne say about the cuts
on the window and the can opener or tool?''
"He said he knew he would find some-
thing; that he could show me the house
had been tampered with"
.sWhen did you next see him?"
"He came frequently to my office after
that: every day, and sometimes twice a
day."
"What did he say?"
''He said there would be more trouble.
After the explosion he said he knew it was
going to happen; that they had been
scared away; that they had twelve sticks
of dynamite, and that the trouble was not
over. He also said that now 1 would prob
ably be shot at or stabbed, and that had
better not stand in front of windows or ex-
pose myself"
After these cheerful experiences, which
eliminated in the explosion, Mr.. Stimson
received visit from Coyne, when the
latter suggested that some one should be
engaged to guard the place. He warned
Mr.. Stimson that there would be another
demonstration. but wanted $40 to pay off
some small debts and get out of the coun-
try before the crooks could find and kill
him, as they surely would. He suggested
q plan by which these men might be in
weighed out to the residence on Figueroa
street, when they could be killed off. He
advised that the matter be placed in the
hands of Detectives Insley or Gard. When
Coyne returned the day following to see
how his suggestions had been received he
Was disappointed at finding that Mr.. Slim
son had informed the chief of police re-
g4rding the entire affair.
Ia oh nd 4 ~
when he got the men out there for explora-
ton purposes he didn't want the police
about. He would know when anything
was to happen, would get the leader out
the night before and on such occasion did
not want the police nosing around, although
on the night actually set he would not care
whether the police were there or not. He
desired, however, to be present himself
when the men we're killed.
Under cross-examination, Mr.. Stimson
enlarged upon the statements previously
made and refused to be shaken in his testi.
mony. In detail he referred to the one
lengthy conversation he ever had with
Coyne when the latter represented himself
as prize fighter and private detective. He
then said he had associated with crooks all
his life and that his father and he had
often eaten with Jesse James; that he was
on terms of intimacy with those shady in
dividuals and if they knew he betrayed
t0SLn u1oy WOulu Kill nlrl.
''Do you remember asking him how
much it would take to put these fellows ir
the cemetery" inquired Attorney Martin
III forget, but perhaps l did. If hac
been on the spot on the night of the ex
plosion I'd have made someone suffer-"
"Were you anxious they should bt
killed."
CROOKS FOR FRIENDS
"I'd rather all three of these crook,
should be killed than myself"
Proceeding with his narrative Mr.. Stimsor
related how Coyne told him that the dyna
mite used In the explosion had been stoler
and the cap bought at store in Monrovia
He-said that private detectives like hin
were friends with the crooked fraternity
because they made their living by them
He wanted those three crooks killed, how
ever. for failing that they would kill him
He described the leader as a terror, and
counted off on his fingers ten men that ht
had murdered.
"You have considerable prejudice agains
Coyne, haven't you?" queried Attorney
Martin.
mo-" nonchalantly replied the witness
"You've called him some hard names.
sNo name is hard that is true."
"But you've made some bitter remarks. ,
''No remarks are bitter when they ar,
true"
1T is only your opinion that certain
things are true"
II know them to be true.'
That let Mr.. Stimson out and an ad
journment was taken until 80.
Fred C. Devendorf, who is bookkeepe,
for Mr.. Stimson, was the first witness il
the afternoon. In epitomized form his testi