The herald., 1897-08-29
Joseph Goldthorpe's I'm
pleasant Experience
A MURDERER'S EXPLANATION
WHY he "CLEANED OUT THE
CROWD"
The Santa Clara Fiend Seen by an
Old Acquaintance in San
Diego County
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 2S.-It has now
been fifteen months since the atrocious
murder of the McGlincy family and the
servants was committed near San Jose
by James c. Dunham, the son-in-law
He spared only his infant son and a
hired man, who managed to escape his
murderous fury. Santa Clara county
and, in fact, the entire state stood ap
palled at the horrible crime which took
the lives of six innocent people, one of
whom was the murderer's wife and two
others her parents. After doing this
terrible deed Dunham skunk away in the
darkness and disappeared as complete
ly as though swallowed by the air. Only
once was he seen near his former home,
and though the best officers in the coun-
try have devoted months of their time
to discovering him, he has succeeded
in evading all their attempts. Many
think him dead. but there are reasons
for believing him to be still among the
living The murderer has been reported
to have been seen in practically every
state and territory in the west, but in
vestigation has always resulted in the
claims being proved wrong, with the
possible exception of John Bartoloni,
who claims to have seen and talked
with Dunham in Hermosillo, Sonora,
some months ago. Durham, however,
did not throw any light on his heasons
for the crime, although Bartoloni says
they conversed for some minutes to-
gether.
In spits of this fact, however, Dun
ham has been seen since the crime, and
he has told something Of his reasons for
his act. The man who claims to have
talked with Dunham resides in San
Diego and bears an excellent reputation
for veracity His name is Joseph Cold
thorpe. and he saw and conversed with
the murderer in San Diego county not
over fifty miles from this city, and this,
too, when the officers were securing the
state for the fugitive The meeting be-
tween the men was unexpected to both,
but, as would naturally be supposed,
Dunham appreciated the situation first
and took advantage of it. Mr.. Coldthorpe
admits that he looked down the muzzle
of Dunham's revolver more than he did
at the eyes of the murderer. Their con-
versation was short, but Coldthorpe
thinks he will remember it as long as he
lives. The men met the latter part of
last year, and though Mr.. Coldthorpe has
quite an extensive acquaintance among
the officers of this vicinity, he deemed it
to his interests not to relate the circum-
stances of the talk with Durham until
only recently. "Pshawi" he explains.
II wasn't looking for the fellow. 1 had
no interest in the matter; so l just kept
quiet about it."
"Well, were you not afraid?"
mo. Certainly not He was not worry
ing himself about me. 1t is different,
you know, when you are after man and
he points gun at you, and when you are
simply attending to your business. This
was the way at that time. l had no
reason to feel frightened, and so I did
not mind the situation in the least"
1t was probably eighteen months or
two years ago that Dunham met Cold
thorpe in San Diego and the two came
to know each other fairly well. Dun
ham then stopped al one of the hotels
with his wife, and though comparatively
recently married, he would often steal
away and meet some of the boys" In
this way he frequently was in the com
pany Of Mr.. Goldthorpe, and would
sometimes speak of his wife Durham
explained his actions by claiming that
his wife was opposed to his drinking
and would invariably raise objections
when she learned that he, had been i'm
bibing, so he chose the more quiet and
retired way of enjoying an occasional
nip. Time soon passed and the Dun
hams went away and nothing more was
heard from them until the murders were
committed. Goldthorpe was unusually
surprised to learn of the mans act, as
the San Diegan states that Durham
was the last person in the world he
would have suspected of such a crime.
Little did Goldthorpe think that they
were to meet once again, and to him
and to him alone was the murderer to
offer an explanation of the deed.
1t was towards the latter part OF 1896,
some time in October, that Mr.. Gold
thorpe was stopping at Warmers Hot
Springs on the Warmers ranch, about
fifty miles northeast of the city of San
Diego. The country there is very wild
and few drives are to be found to
shorten the stay of the camper About
the only place within easy reach is
Mann's store, some five miles from th-
springs. One afternoon Mr. Goldthorpe
got into top buggy to drive to this
place for some goods About three miles
from the store is narrow canyon in to
which the road turns ard follows along
the side of a small stream of water
There is considerable underground in
the canyon, and this part of the route
is well shaded Mr.. Goldthorpe had gone
but short distance in the canyon, when,
approaching a cottonwood tree, his
horse started and partially shied, and
then the driver saw man step from be-
hind tree to the side of the road and
level revolver at his head
Goldthorpe needed but one look to
convince him who 1t was. The man was
Durham. The fugitive was heavily
armed, and in addition to carrying two
revolvers. had a Winchester stun q
across his back. A cartridge belt was
around his waist, showing him to be
prepared to resist any attempt to take.
him prisoner. He showed plainly the
effects of the rough life he had led since
his disappearance in Santa Clara coun-
ty, and his face wore careworr lines and
wan, pnched look that indicated his
hourly fear of capture and death had
told upon him. His clothes were of the
toughest description, torn and ragged
ard instead of shoes his feet had beer,
wrapped In gunnysacks. On his head
4