The San Francisco call., 1896-02-04
The Crime Was Committed Un.
observed After the Fire a
Week Ago.
REVENGE WAS THE MOTIVE.
When the Machinery Started Betting
Flew in All DirectionS-De-
tectiveS' Theory.

Some mlScreant has been at WORK IN the
mills of the Del Monte Milling Company
at Brannan and Second streets, with the
result that the works were practically
wrecked and heavy loss sustained by the
iproprietors. He perpetTated his nefarious
task under cover of darkness and at time
when the mill was lying idle and deserted
after the fire a week ago. And SO cum
ningly was the crime committed that no.
body can be found who saw. him about the
pre- misses, nor did the mechanics or pro-
prietors have the faintest icea of what
had been done until the machinery was
set in motion some days later.
Then it was that the truth flashed upon
the superintendent and millers. The big
engine was started and the wheels began
to move. But suddenly a strange noise
resembling an explosion startled the men
in the mill. The sound had a sudden
snap, as if something had been rent in
twain with tremendous force, and the
wild burr of flying wheels followed. This
was enough to create a panic, for under
the excitement of the moment the work
men thought that a terrible accident had
happened, caused no doubt through over
heating of machinery during the fire.
Almost instantly there was another
crash and still another until it seemed as
If the works Were tumbling down with each
successive lar and loud report. Those peo-
pie who were on the floors where the
wrecKing was thus in progress saw belts
flying from pulleys in all directions, filling
the air with long ribbons of leather or cot
ton, and coiling around the driving shafts
in great tangled masses.
In q minute, or probably less, for the
time could not be accurately determined
under such circumstances, the works were
still. And yet the engine pounded at its
cylinders and flew on at renewed speed,
having been relieved of the machinery
before steam could be shut off. Little
time was lost, however, in stopping the
engine, ana then the large Touring mills
were paralyZed.
1t did not take long TO find out the cause
of the wreck which had taken place before
the millmen could realize what it was, or
what it meant. The machinery appeared
to be in perfect order, after hasty inspec-
tion.
Attention was then turned to the belt
ing. The superintendent discovered that
in every instance the burst and torn belts
had been hacked viciouSly, and then it
dawned upon him that a crime had been
committed by some evilly disposed person.
The matter was hushed up by the COM
pany for reasons best known to itself. T.
j. Parsons. the president of the corpora
tion, said he did not wish to speak about
it.
is there any special reason for secrecy ?n
was asked.
.9WeH,' he replied, "if anything were
said now it might interfere with our ar
rangements.
I'm week or possibly few days more
we may be in position to tell all we know
about it."
Though the president would not make
any further statement, yet it was common
talk among millmen that the Del Monte
mills had been wrecked AS related by
one of these business colleagues of Mr.
Parsons the act was one of revenge on
the part of a discharged employe. A little
group OF millmen chatted about the vicious
act yesterday en- change, when one of
them said:
'The betting throughout the Del Monte
mill has been ruined. Some fellow got
into the mill and cut the belts everywhere
he could. / understand that the com pany
suspects one of It's recent employees. There
was a man working in the mill and they
discharged him. The belief or supposition
is he felt that be had been badly treated,
and in consequence owed the company a
grudge, which he paid by wrecklng the
mill. Detectives have been put upon the
case and they are shadowing this fellow
as well as working up whatever evidence
they can find"
do they know the man who did it2'
'"lhat / cannot say. All have been
told is that suspicion is directed toward
one man who was discharged some time
ago from the mill, but did not hear any
name mentioned"
Those conversant with the facts agree
that the belts were cut shortly after the
fire occurred in the mill a week ago. OF
necessity work had to be suspended until
the burned parts were cleaned up and re-
paired and an adjustment of the loss made
by the insurance companies. Millmen
were not at their customary places and SO
the mill was almost deserted. This gave
an opportunity for the wrecker to steal
into the mill and through the machinery
unobserved, and then to make good his
escape. He worked in dark places and
with a skill that betrayed his knowledge
of the most vulnerable points.
Fire Marshal Towe was informed of the
miscreants deeds, and lest it might have
had any connection with the fire he made
an investigation yesterday.
81 found that the man who did this
dirty work did it all in out-of-the-way
places, where it could not be seen," Mr.
Towe said. "He hacked pieces out of the
belts, cut holes in the betting and slashed