The herald., 1896-06-25
Detectives Claim to Have " hite'S
Murderers in Custody
STRONG EVIDENCE FOUND
Harry Hezekiah and Billy Van Horne
Now Behind the Bars
Footprints In the Dust-Jeaiousy and Greed
the Motives for the crIme-The Prison.
ers Arrsigned Yesterday

| in Justice Morrison's court charging
Harry Hezekiah and William Van
Horne with killing Edward White on the
Friday. On Sunday morning last Ar
thur and Harry Hezekiah were taken
into custody at their home No. 1914 St.
James street and locked up in Jail. On
Monday forenoon, having found that
Arthur had nothing to do with the case,
he was released, but Billy Van Horne,
who resides on Leroy street, was put
| under lock and key. ..to
| 1t was not intended to swear out the
complaint so soon, until further evidence
had been accumulated, but Attorneys
| Marble & Phibbs were retained and
threatened immediate habeas corpus
proceedings unless a charge was forth
coming. Then it was that officer F. G.
Talamantes swore to the murder charge,
and the immediate arraignment of the
defendants followed. Both pleaded not
guilty and examination was set for Fri
day at 10 o'clock.
Harry Hezekiah is good-looking
young man, who has been working for
the Oil Burning and Supply company
as teamster at their works on Date
street. He has for over a year past kept
company with George Abbott, and has
been her accepted lover. This neither of
them deny. On Thursday evening last,
the night before the murder, he staid
the whole night with her, and once asked
her who this fellow White was that she
had been going out with. Georges re-
ply was that he was only friend.
Billy Van Horne is a tough looking
customer, with one eye and a face that
would ornament any rogueS gallery.
He is the one who is supposed to have
done the shooting, and his revolver now
in the possession of the police, is the
weapon thought to have been used. Van
Horne came here from Arizona, and has
been a tamale peddler until about a
week ago, since which time he has work.
ed for a friend who was employed al the
oil works, but who injured his hand in
an accident. Van Horne was particu-
lar chum of Hezekiahs, and was with
him on the night of the murder.
1t appears that at about o'clock Fri
day evening. after he had got through
work, Harry went to Georges house
and staid few minutes. Then he went
to his home on ST. James street, changed
his clothes and ate supper, during which
time his friend Van Horne came in by
appointment, as they were going up
town. Both dressed in their best clothes,
they went over to the Abbott woman's
house, entered and sat down. They
had been there but a little while when
Edward White came in.
George took him into another room,
but introduced the three Then she
went ahead with her preparations to
go up town with White. Shortly after
Hezekiah and Van Horne rose to leave,
asking White the time, to which he re-
piled by taking out his watch and tell
ing them. They then went out, but did
not go away, as party who was watch
ing them saw them hang around until
George and White appeared, when they
followed the couple off up town. White
and the woman knocked around town
and finally brought up at the Vienna
buffet, where they had some beer.
Van Horne and Hezekiah were also in
the Vienna drinking beer but left as they
say at 1890 and separated, going
straight home. They did not, however,
but hanging around until they saw
White and George depart cut ahead of
them and went down to Chavez street.
The description of the men seen by the
bottling works Waterman, Alfonso Lie
Der, TALES exactly with that of Heze-
kiah and Van Horne as to dress and
general appearance. To more fully show
that it was these two who were there
the well-defined tracks of Hezekiah's
shoes We're found all along the side of
the fence where he sneaked along in the
dust instead of taking the sidewalk on
the other side. These tracks have been
followed up to where the men sat on the
barrels and there were some near where
the shooting took place.
The foot prints were especially notice
able on account Of their shape, long,
narrow square pointed toe and their dis
tnctness having been made with new
shoe. he shape is one not usually worn
at present. When Hezekiah was arrest
ed his shoes were Immediately fitted to
the tracks in the dust and found to fit
perfectly and also to correspond to the
measures of footprints taken an hour
after the shooting at the spot by Ser
geant Smith.
1t would seem that Hezekiah was in
cited to the hold up by jealousy and
induced Van Horne to go along for the
purpose of robbery. The latter's revol-
yer, a huge 44-caliber Colts, was found
in a trunk in his room on Leroy street,
but all the chambers were fully loaded.
He was asked when he fired it last and
said on Thursday night on Ann street
at a dog. Since then it had been in the
trunk. Van Horne. claimed that he had
only met the Abbott woman once, being
introduced to her on Wednesday and
had not seen her since. In many other
particulars his tale is full of falsehoods
as has been proved.
HeZeklah mas also been caught nap
ping. He said that he did not get home
until after II o'clock and that he had not
been on Chavez street for a month and
then only in a wagon. When confronted
with the tracks of his shoes in the dust
he said he had on that evening worn his
other pair. The only other pair he pos
sesses are low cut baseball shoes. IN
poor repair with large piece cut out Of
one side for sore corn. They We're
found and showed signs of not having
been worn for some time. 1t is not con-
sidered probable that he would dress UP
in his best in every other way and then
put on the old cut, baseball shoes.
Harry'S mother said that he came
home that night al 1890 and she knew il
as she was sitting up sewing and he
spoke to her In his account Harry said
that when he got home everybody was
leave the Vienna until 1920 as several
witnesses saw him. Yesterday under
the terrible cross-fre of questions by the
detectives and their probing of his
doubtful statements, Hezekiah came
near collapsing. He trembled like leaf
and the sweat stood out in drops on his
brow. showing the strain he was under.
To Detective Goodman assisted byOffi-
Ger Talamantes, is due the working up of
the case against the accused men.
Since the murder night and day he has
been on the trail and if strong circum-
stantial evidence, backed by corrobora-
tive facts, can be depended upon as
proof of guilt he certainly has cause to
think that the right men are now be-