The herald., 1897-05-05
A BOSS LIAR
Valdez Held to Answer for
Lorden's Murder
RONEY CRANE is FREED
Will Warner Poses as a Theat.
rical Star
AND AS AN INJURED MAN
A HERDER's ACCOUNT AGAINST
"LucKY" BALDWIN
AND AS AN INJURED MAN
A HERDER's ACCOUNT AGAINST
"LUCKY" BALDWIN
A Whittier Graduate in the Tolls
Notwithstanding Order Ask
ed for on the Oil Field Dis
trict-Complaints

trict-Complaints
- L..
Frank, or as sometimes known, Juan
Valdez, the Mexican lad charged with
having killed Mike Lorden, the store
keeper at Calabasas, was yesterday held
by Justice Young to answer the charge
in the superior court without bonds. At
the conclusion of the Valdez examina-
ton. Roney Crane, jointly charged with
the boy of murder was brought into
court, and upon motion of Assistant
District. Attorney Williams the charge
as against him was dismissed and the
defendant discharged.
The examination just concluded has
proved one thing conclusively and that
is that the boy Valdez is phenomenal
liar, and that all he has said relative to
the killing in which he was concerned
has to be taken very cautiously. He
made two confessions, so-called, each of
which was different from the other, and
neither of which in certain important
particulars were true. 1t is but just to
the lad, however, to say that these al
legged confessions were not in the full
meaning of the law voluntary, and were
they of much more Importance than they
are they would. thousand chances to
one, be knocked higher than kite upon
the case coming to trial.
When Constable Branscombe arrested
Valdez he took him into a room in the
courthouse and, failing to get from him
the information he desired, he prompted
Roney Crane to find out what he could
Then upon driving with his charge to
this city. in company with Mr.. Settle,
Lorden's brother -in-law, the boy was
further bulldozed into making some
statement. And this not to mention the
whisky that was administered en- route
given, according to the testimony, with
innocent intent, but which was not cal
culated to make the boy keep his tongue
tied between his teeth Upon arriving
in the district attorneys office the in
Quiry partook somewhat of the nature
Of an inquisitorial examination rather
than a defendant making voluntary con-
fession without fear. The district at
torney administered the oath to him,
and then the examination appears to
have been conducted by question and
answer. Questions that only a legal
mind could devise were put while no one
was by to guard the interests of the boy
But Valdez is only Mexican sheep
herder. and while quite uncultured has
the animal instinct of preservation.
He had wit enough to know he was not
among friends, and so he used the de-
tense the weak are always forced to USE
against the strong-he lied. He made up
a fairy story, duplicating Justice Rich
ardson, and after a prolonged investiga-
tion he was taken back to Jail
But a calm review of what Valdez had
said made it apparent that he had noted
the truth only to avoid it, so he was
brought into Sheriff Burr's private Office
and another confession was drawn from
him. Meantime the boy was as hunt
ed animal, without anyone to advise or
tell him what he should do. But this
time he said he was going to tell the
lTulll, the NHOit truth anu HOlIIllS Uul
the truth, and he sailed in and told a
bigger whopper than before. He said
Roney Crane put him up to killing Lor-
den, and all the frills he put on his story
made it at first glance plausible and the
story at length was published at the
time Roney Crane was arrested.
Now it appears with the two confess
sions out of the way Valdezs statement
as to the actual killing stands unchal-
longed. He says that Lorden threatened
an attack upon him with pick handle.
No witness of the prosecution testified
to anything that would indicate this was
not so. On the other hand, the prosecu-
ton showed that Lorden was drinking
man, was drunk on the afternoon Of that
day, and that when he was found dead a
new pick handle was found lying behind
the counter.
HARVEY TRANSFORMERS STORY
Harvey Branscombe, the township
constable of Calabasas, was the first
witness yesterday. ''At the time of Lor-
den's murder" he began, every one was
suspicious, and so was I, and two days
after I arrested the defendant at the.
Calabasas station. He then made a
sttement to me voluntarily. I said to
him, Frank, you may as we'll tell the
truth; I am onto you, and have it down
fine He said no, that he hadn't killed
Lorden, although he might have done
so, for Justice Richardson had offered
forgive him $100 to do it. / tried to get
track of his pistol for knew he had car
ried one, but he said he had been carry
ing Ed Dice's pistol and had returned il
to him. Dice was brought and il davei.
oped that his pistol was black one ant
not the one that had been seen in thf
boys possession. took the boy into 6
room in the courthouse and Roney Crane
came along about that time and I asked
him to try and find out about the pistol
left him in charge of Valdez for the
boy hadn't much use for me nor 1 fol
him. After the conversation was ovel
we started out and found the pistol ir
eviden e among some blankets in the
sheep camp where Valdez said he had
been sleeping. Upon returning showed
The boy the pistol and said Roney Crane