The herald., 1896-05-09
ARE NOT WANTED HERE
Three Young Men Whose Room IL
Preferable to Their Company
detectives Arrest Them on Suspicion, but
Release the Trio Upon q Promise
to Leave the City

! by thls time there are probably three
crooks less In the city, as Brown Math-
| ney, "A. +. Ryerson and Frank Gillespie
who were arrested on Thursday morning
py detectives Hawley and Auble were
| yesterday released from the city iail nd
advised to make themselves scarce This
precious trio arrived in the city during
| F1esta week, but were soon spotted bv
tne detectives and have since been coli
| stantly under surveillance. AS showing
the character of these men a little of
! their record is quoted:
Brown Mathney is about SO years old
| and was first heard of in this city some
time In 1881, when he was arrested by
detective Benson together with the no
| torious Eddie Moran, bank burglar a nd
all round crook. Benson saw them bury
some drills caps and fuse in the founda-
tions or the Tenth street hotel, and in
their room found powder and burglars
tools, which indicated that the pair were
contemplating some job. There was no
case against them, but they We're run
! out OF town in short order. The next
heard of Mathney he was arrested in
Oakland on charge of murder. One
night, nearly three years ago, q grocery
store In that city was burglarized and
the thieves surprised at their work by
Two officers. a running revolver fight
followed, In which one burglar and an
officer were killed. The other thief got
away
Mathney was arrested, and had two
trials on charge of numbering the po-
liceman. On the first the jury disagreed
and on the second he was acquitted.
Then he was prosecuted on the burglary
charge. also escaping in this instance.
Altogether he was in Jail in Oakland
some eighteen months He is said to
be one of the smoothest crooks on the
coast.
Ryerson is young man about the
same age as Mathney and was only re-
Gently released from a term in San Omen
tin, where he served fifteen months for
forgery. He is also from Oakland and a
bag egg. of Gillespie not so much is
known. He is about 2S years old and
evidently on a bad road. as his asso-
clates would indicate. There is said to
be still another member of the gang IL,
the city, but he has not been taken in
and will probably get out of his own
accord
Shortly after their arrival the men
We're spotted. although they avoided the
most public streets, and every move
they nave made has been carefully not
ed They occupied rooms in different
parts of the city and only met at night.
Mathney and Ryerson had a room or
Buena Vista street, and Gillespie one on
South Main There was also another
place on Temple street where confer
ences were held. A close watch on them
vas hVpt' 1lu every where tney went
they We're followed, their habits, asso-
ciates and meeting places ascertained in
order to get an idea of what they were
up to-
1t was the intention of the officers to
give them enough rope to hang them
selves, but the plan miscarried Thurs
day morning Detectives Hawley ard
Auble gained access to Gillespie's room
after he had gone out to breakfast in
the morning, and were placing private
marks on his clothing, hats, etc, in or
der to know them should they be left
at the scene of a crime, when Gillespie
suddenly and unexpectedly returned TO
the apartment, having forgotten his
watch. Nothing remained but to arrest
him. which was done. An hour or two
later Mathney and Ryerson were bagged
and their room searched.
Every man was heavily armed with
revolvers and three masks We're found
also quantity of dynamite caps. No
burglars tools We're discovered. At the
station the men were closely interrogat-
ed and their photos taken for the rOgues'
gallery. Yesterday morning the tro
We're taken out and shown to the morn
ing watch of police, who We're warned
TO look out for them. Later in the day |
the men We're released and told to leave |
the city Immediately. or they would be |
as vagrants. This they have !
probably done. All are finely dressed |
and seemed to have plenty of money, |
and would be the last persons to be sus-
pected of such desperate characters |
Altogether their departure is a good |
thing for the community. and the de- !
tectives are to be congratulated for |
I heir good