The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-21

safe was blown half way across the room.
A wooden railing had been knocked
down, and the floor was covered with
papers and books. An examination of
the safe showed that the robbers had
drilled hole through the top, put in a
big charge Of powder and touched 1t
off. They were clever enough to wait
until a freight train was passing, but
this did not prevent the inhabitants Of
the nearest houses from hearing the ex-
plosion.
1t afterward developed that Conley
and Shorty" Adams, the latter an ex-
perienced safe cracker. had drilled the
safe and put the powder in. Mccarthy
said that they had not used enough ex-
plosive and put in some more himself.
The result was unexpected and "Deafy"
and Shorty" who were in the building
at the time, had narrow escape from
death. They were hurled against the
side Of the office and badly bruised.
The robbers grabbed up what money
they saw, s115( and made up the hill
east with the money drawer. which was
found next day. The police started in
looking up the case, and discovered
that some scorched silver had been pass
ed over the bar at a saloon in the Kin
near block, corner of Second avenue
south and Main street, within few
hours of the robbery.
The most important clue, however,
and the first that was of special signifi-
canoe, came from the discovery that Nc
earthly had been seen in a drug store
shortly after the robbery, his clothes
covered with mud.
The police knew where to pick up Nc
earthly, but were DESTROYS of getting
more information before acting. In
spector Willard, now sergeant, spotted
"Deafy" Conley as the man who would
probably know all about the job, even if
he did not do the work While Detec-
tives Cudihee and Phillips were running
down the scorched silver proposition and
"Deafy's" doings for week or so, Nc
Carly kept bobbing up. AS Phillips
once said, I'VE could not go anywhere
without finding Mccarthy with u.s."
Mccarthy and Conley were finally
thrown in Jail on suspicion. Cudihee
was in saloon talking about the mony
when some one said: Why. you know
who spent it. 1t was the little fellow
you spoke to one night as he sat at ia
ble."
Cudihee Immediately recalled Adams
face, because he had had him in jail for
a bunco trick. II was satisfied there
was something in this tip" said Cudi-
hee, because Adams was sitting at
table looking pretty thin. I asked him
how things were coming and re replied,
Pretty rocky"
Cudihee Immediately commenced
searching for Adams, and discovered
that he had left town. Cudihee went to
Tacoma and, as luck had it, he ran
smack into his man near variety thea
ter. Adams was brought to this city
and locked UP.
The police also managed to get hold of
a crook named Ellis who knew of the
job, and the men who were engaged in it.
induced RI 6Snnaalp and fell
what he knew
In the meantime Chief of Police Rog-
ers had been inclined to let Mccarthy
and Conley go, but Inspector Willard
chung to the belief that the right men
were in the tolls When the detectives
got at Adams he told them that the
tools used in the robbery were secreted
under the sidewalk at the corner of
Main street and Second avenue south.
He was taken down to the place to see
if he could substantiate his story, and
sure enough brought to light the safe
cracking outfit that is now one Of the
choice relics of the department.
Immediately following this denoue-
ment Chief of Police Rogers had the
prisoners placed in separate cells. They
were questioned and s-questioned,
until Mccarthy became thoroughly
alarmed and agreed to turn states evil
dence. He kept his word, and as re-
suit Adams and Conley were sent to the
penitentiary for seven years each.
He made a sworn confession and got
out of the scrape himself, but Adams
and Conley went over the road. Chief
Rogers was going out of the Jail with
the two men when Mccarthy came run
ming to the jail door and tried to speak
to ''Deafy" and Shorty" They cursed
him for a traitor and cur. and Adams
etruck at him, but missed. Mccarthy
had gold watch at the time which had
been stolen somewhere and Adams
knew the place. He was asked by the
chief to tell where Mccarthy got 1t
and they would send him up for term
for burglary. Adams refused to do this
point blank. He said he knew he had
been thrown down and said he would
wait and after he got out would square
his accounts with Mccarthy. 1t is thus
evident that in being exposed by Jones,
Mccarthy is only getting a dose Of his
own medicine.
Ellis, the informer, was killed in
Walla Walla prison about eight months
ago, three weeks before his time was
out, by Stud Horse Red" who cut his
entrails out with butcher knife. The
deed is supposed to have been commit
ted for revenge because he gave Deafy
and Adams away in Seattle. Red"
is now playing the crazy dodge and
trying to escape the consequences of his
crime. A jury has decided that he is
sane, but Red" is trying to prove by
convicts in the prison that he is luna
tic.
After getting out of Jail in Seattle
Mccarthy found that life in city where
he was known as q. betrayer of his pals
was not happy one, so he left and
went to San Francisco, thence coming
to Los Angeles. During the time that
he has resided here he has been on sew
eral occasions in trouble. At one time
out in Pico Heights. He was in a saloon
one night with couple of men and
quarrel arose and guns were pulled.
Mccarthy sent a bullet through the
cheek of one of his assailants and spent
a term in the county Jail. For time
he worked as foreman in the plumbing
shop of Stevens & Stewart and was
twice arrested with the others in con-
nection with two diamond snatching
cases, one a valuable stud from the shirt
bosom of Ticket Broker Duifin, who was
attending a boxing exhibition at the
athletic club, and the other the robbery
of a man named Miller, from Oakland,
who was relieved of his sparkler in a
saloon. Conclusive evidence was lack
ing in both cases and Mccarthy and
his pals escaped.
While on the way down from San
Francisco, in custody of Detective Brad
lsh, Mccarthy told the officer that he
came from Bath, Maine; that his father
and uncle were owners and captains
of vessels and that he had for a long