The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-07
CATTLE THIEVES
OF SAN TIA CLARA
Four Suspects Captured and
Incarcerated at San
Jose.
ENDS A LONG SEARCH.
The Captives Believed to Have
Participated in Raids
Months Ago.
STOLE FROM MANY RANGES.
One Of the Arrested Men Accused of
Paying Wedding Expenses
by Thievery.
STOLE FROM MANY RANGES

SAN JOSE, CAL, Sept. Ga roundup
of alleged cattle thieves has been made by
local officers, and four out of about nine
that have been much sought for in the
past eight months are locked up in the
County Jail. The alleged offenders were
engaged in a big job last Decem Der and
were successful IN eluding arrest until yes
terday.
On the Goth of last December +. Brad
ford missed thirty-two fine cattle from his
range about twelve miles southeast of this
city, near the Monterey road. There were
several hundred cattle on the range at the
time and Bradford would not have de-
tected the lossi of portion of his stock
if he had not missed from among them
two very fine Holstein heifers which he
had purch ased short time before from r.
j. Langford. The owner was very proud
of this pair and when he noted their
absence from the herd he ordered a round
up and discovered that the two heifers and
thirty more of the choicest among his
cattle were gone. At about the same time
K. J. Langford missed two cows from his
range, and from G. Fishers herd on
range near by FIVE had disappeared. ALI
of the cattle missed were the finest stock
in the several herds, as though they had
been picked out by an expert cattle dealer
10 supply fastidious trader.
The loss of the stock was reported to the
officers, but no trace coulG be found for
several months either of the thieves or the
missing cattle. The indications at the
time made it certain that the job was
bold one. The cattle were evidently
driven out of Bradford's field through
big gate onto the Monterey road, which
was, in fact, the only means OF egress.
The work was, of course, done at night.
Vague reports were received of a herd
of cattle that was driven toward San Jose
after night, but if it had been phantom
herd the information could not have been
more indefinite. Developments several
months subsequent to the discovery of the
loss of the cattle made it certain that they
were driven TO this city and disposed of
here and at Santa Clara. Most of the
stock was in fine condition for beef, and
as good beef was in demand at that time,
shortly before Christmas, they were I'M
doubtedly slaughtered and sold at the va
rlous shops In this city. This was the
reason that no trace of hide or hair of
them could be obtained by the officers.
Five fine mich cows were not slaugh-
tered, however, and 1t was their discovery
and identification that first gave a cIew to
the supposed thieves. Two of the COWS
were sold to W. A. Phipps, who owns
dairy on the Polhemus tract, and three
were sold to dairyman near Santa Clara
These COWS were identified by r. ]. Lang
ford, who had himself sold several of them
to Bradford shortly before they were
stolen. From the date they were sold it
was certain that the cattle must have been
run off the range about December T.
1t was learned that Francisco Vedal was
the man who had sold the cattle. OF
course, Vedal was then suspected of being
connected with the theft, and search for
him was begun. 1t was known that his
home was in San Luis Obispo County and
he had not been in San Jose for more than
year before the theft of the cattle. Dur
ing that time he wooed and won a Next
can maid named Miss Gavilan, who re-
sided with her parents ON Whitton street
in East San Jose.
The marriage of Vedal and Miss Gavilan
took place on Christmas, shortly after the
successful cattle raid, aud afterward, when
the connection of the groom with the deal
was discovered, twas supposed by officers