The herald., 1897-08-31
GOLD NUGGETS
That Got "Rebel" George
Into Trouble
preliminary EXAMINATION
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MOTOR
IOUS GOLD BRICK AIRED
preliminary EXAMINATION
Geo. A. Bowran and Isaac w. Lord
Tell Their Stories of How the
Swindle Was Worked

The preliminary examination Of John
Alexander, alias "Rebel' George the no.
torious confidence man and gold brick
swindler, who turned a fake nugget
trick in this city by which George A.
Bowran and Isaac w. Lord were swim
died out of $4,000, was begun yesterday
morning before Justice Morrison in the
police court. The court room was well
filed Rebel Georges wife was present
and took keen interest in the proceed
ings. Henry T. Gage appeared for the
defendant and Assistant District Attor-
ney McComas looked after the interests
| Of the prosecution.
| Alexander was arrested upon two
complaints charging him with grand lar
ceny. One was sworn to by Bowran and
| the other by Lord. 1t was on the first of
these complaints that he was examined
yesterday. The proceedings were not
| finished and the examination will again
be taken up next Friday.
The history of the swindle is now ia
miliar to almost every one in this part
of the country. 1t was started in San
Bernardino county in the first part of
| last April, where Alexander put in an
appearance looking for an old mining
| partner whom he wanted to let in on
good thing in the way of bonanza gold
mine. He did not meet his old partner,
| but fell in with eX-Supervsor Isaac w.
Lord "a successful speculator who is al
ways looking for a good thing and is
ready to take hold of it when he finds It,.
| The old prospector was taken to the Lord
home, which is beautiful property at
| Cucamonga, where he explained his
| business in these parts. At that time
George A. Bowran, venerable Eng
lshman who had long been friend of
| Lord, was being entertained at the lat
ter's home. Alexander had already Of
fered to let Lord in on the mining deal
and had shown him sixty five pounds of
gold nuggets which he offered to put UP
as security for a $4,000 loan which he
wished to secure. Lord unselfishly
agreed to take Bowran in with him.
He came to Los Angeles and saw the
nuggets safely locked in safe deposit
vault, after which he reported to Bowran
that he could put up his monew without
risk himself agreeing to put up the re-
naming $1,000 money necessary to secure
an interest in the mines of fabulous
wealth which Alexander had described
and which he had indefinitely located in
the Sierra Madre mountains.
A few days later, on the 18th of April
the three met at the United States hotel
in this city. Bowran put up his $4,000 in
greenbacks, which he counted out and
handed to Alexander, Who rolled them
UP and put them in his lirt. The party
had luncheon in a beer saloon, after
which they all went out to a cemetery,
where Alexander stated he wished to
visit his mothers grave. They then sep
arated, the mining prospector promising
to meet his two friends at the hotel at
supper time. He did not show up, and
that was the last seen of him. Later
when Lord and Bowran examined their
gold nuggets, they found that they had
nothing more than gilded Jumps of lead
worth about cents a pound.
Bowran was the first witness. He was
considerably excited when he went upon
the stand, and under cross eXa nina tion
by Mr.. Gage almost broke down COM
pletely. He was sure of one thing, how
ever and that was that he had been
duped out of his money. He stated that
he had relied entirely on the representa-
tions of his friend Lord and had not
himself even seen the nuggets. He did
not see Lord put up any money, but
supposed that he had done so. Lord had
told him that the transaction was all
right and he parted with his money with
the greatest readiness.
AS the witness was greatly distrissed
by the excitement brought on incident to
his appearance on the witness stand
recess was taken shortly before noon.
When court reassembled at 2:3O p. m.
l. w. Lord, the principal loser in the
gold nugget swindle, went upon the
stand. He graphically detailed all the
circumstances of Alexander's appear
ance at Cucamonga disguised as a min
ing prospector. Lord has a wonderful
initiative talent and he proved an en-
tertaining as well as an interesting wit
ness. His manner Of detailing the con-
versation which had taken place be-
tween himself and Alexander was so
amusing that every now and then the
gravity of those in the court room was
upset and Bailiff Appel found it impossi-
BILE to subdue the litter that would break
out and interrupt the proceedings.
Lord said that when Alexander first
Illdue uiS appearance d. lie
had taken him for an ignorant old pros
pector. The visitor had explained his
presence by saying that he had found
rich mine and was looking for an old
partner whom he had known in early
mining days in California and had long
since lost track Of
Alexander came to me one day." said
Lord, "and told me about this wonder
fully rich mine, which he and partner
named Badly had discovered up in the
Sierra Madre mountains. He made sure
that no one but myself and my wife were
about and then grew quite confidential.
He said that when he came down from
the mountains he had brought sixty-five
pounds of pure gold nuggets with him.
His partner, 'Baldy,' had told him not
to place this in the bank, becausel if he
did the secret of his wonderful mine
might get out. Alexander said: The
first day that got here had the gold
wrapped up in some old rags and placed
in a sack I decided to bury the ore,
but of course could not take out spade
and dig hole to put it in, for that would
excite suspicion, so I went down into the
arroyo near the edge of town close to
big road which they were building into
one of the parks and lay down under a