The San Francisco call., 1896-06-05
LADIES ARE INTERESTED.
They Pledge Hid ia Securing the Re,
4cGrd.

iCGrd.
SAN JOSE, CAL, June 4.-The reports
as to the whereabouts of Murderer Dun
ham seem to grow more and more scat
tering and the scents to grow cooler and
cooler and in the same proportion that
they do SO the people of Santa Clara grow
more and more i'm patient.
The committee of safety is hard at
work in their effort to raise the amount of
the reward TO the $4,000 promised
Chairman Hylands, Secretary Harrington,
Mitchell Phillips and all the members of
the committee appointed at the mass-meet-
ing are giving nearly all their time to the
work.
This morning in response to a call
issued by the committee there was a sort
of mass-meeting OF ladies held in the large
dance Hall OF the st. James Hotel to take
steps for furthering the work. The ladies
are very much interested, and another
meeting has been arranged to be held at
the same place tomorrow afternoon.
They pledge their best endeavors to
raise the amount required, and assure the
committee that they have no doubt that IL
will be raised.
At the same time they feel certain
delicacy in the situation that causes them
TO expressly request that the names OF
each and all Of them be withheld from the
public-that is. kept out of the news
papers. They do not fancy their names
being associated with the offer of a re-
ward for the body of man-eyen of such
a man as Dunham--dead or alive. That
offer, to them, seems to invite the killing
of the man, and, while they admit that he
deserves death without trial. they do not
wish to go 60 far as to say SO in print.
Then there is another reason for wishing
to keep out of print IN this matter and
that is one that cannot be appreciated at
any great distance from this city. That
reason is the absolute terror under which
the community Is suffering.
Individuals Especially women-are in
terror lest this man shall return and re-
peat the horror of Campbells here in this
city. In view of the extraordinary en-
deavors being made to overtake Dunham
in various parts of the State this fear may
seem strange to people remote from the
scene who fail TO understand the peculiar
character of the murderer.
But there is among the more timid, and
especially among those who knew some
thing OF the strange, quiet man, a belief
that the murder at Campbells was only a
climax to a series of similar crimes. Such
a lust for blood, they say, would develop
in a night. The killing of Mrs. Durham,
the wife, was certainly an evidence OF
vicious energy. The marks of the strang-
Ter were upon her throat, but the MUIR
derer twisted the head until the neck was
broken, and in doing this a finger was
thrust fairly through the flesh of the
cheek. 1t is claimed that the man who
did this may have been the author of the
recent cases of strangling in this City.
For these reasons many women do not
wish to become conspicuous in the chase OF
Dunham, while for these very reasons
they are the more anxious that he shall
be oyertaken, and will work actively and
energetically in securing the funds for a
big reward.
A very interesting explanation is given
by those in position to know here as to
why the Brewer family were so prompt to
adopt the Dunham baby. 1t is stated as a
principle of law that if the baby died Dun
ham himself will become the heir of the
McGlincy estate and might use it in case
of his capture to pay counsel in his
defense
Had the baby been killed with the others
then the question as to the order of the
deaths would nave arisen and could never
have been answered. The baby having
died before the others, Durham, as his
father, surviving could not then have been
heir. But the baby having survived the
father would be his heir in case of his
death at this time. By formally adopting
the baby, however, Mr.. Brewer and his
family takes the place of the father and
would become the heirs in case of its
death.
1t is curious reflection that the son OF
the murderer should be the beneficiary OF
his fathers crime.
About two weeks before the murder
Dunham called on an acquaintance, who
had some friends in WatsonviIle, and
asked for letter of introduction
to the latter saying that he expected to
go to Watsonvilie in a short time and the
letters of introduction would help him
o1t.