The record-union., 1897-05-18
Prisoner MCCrea the Cause Of His Own
Death Wound.
SO Say the Jurors Called by the Cor
oner to Investigate the
Case.
Case.

which was composed of Frank Wick
wire, George J. Perry, Robt. a. Paine,
r. Christensen, w. E. Kent and z. Nc
Williams, lost no time, after the evil
dence was all in, of generating the
officer and praising him for his con-
duct in the affair.
Fisher took the stand and explained
his methods of searching for the van
dal who had engaged in depopulating
hen roosts in all sections of the city and
county. He had located a bundle of
property al a lodging house on Front
street, and had kept a watch for the
owner. He told how John A. Hines
had called for the bundle, was arrested
and agreed to lead the officers to the
owners camp in the brush near Wash
ington, Yolo County.
The witness accompanied Hines, and
found things as he had represented
them When placed under arrest McCrea
| from the first attempted to take every
advantage, and the witness was obliged
to order Hines to place the handouts
on the prisoner After one hand had
been secured McCrea attacked the Off
Ger, Selling him by the throat, and
grasping the latter's pistol with the
other. In the struggle the weapon
was discharged, resulting in the wound
| ing and subsequent death of McCrea.
| Detective Fisher told a plain,
straightforward story which did not
vary from accounts of the matter here
tofOre published in the Record Union"
John A. Hines, the man who led the
officer to the robbers camp, was next
placed on the stand. His story had
never before been told in public, and it
was intensely interesting. Hines re-
sides at 529 Sacramento street, San
Francisco, and is a pensioner of the
| United States, and a veteran of the
war. He was apt at description, and
told his story without the slightest hes
itation. by his earnestness impressing
his auditors with the truth of the mar
rative.
Hines testimony was corroborative
of Fishers in almost every particular.
He had met McCrea, he said on three
| consecutive days before the shooting
| The latter had told him that ne was an
old soldier and had deserted from Fitz
John Porter's corps after the second
battle of Manassas.
The witness further said he believed
he had known McCrea thirty years ago,
at Prescott, Arizona. He thought Nc
Crea was one of the soldiers of the
Eighth Cavalry who had plotted to hold
up a regular army Paymaster The plan
was. however, frustrated, and after
serving long term in the guardhouse
he was released and deserted
Hines told of going to the hotel on
Front street to get the sack McCrea
ha6 Of Tcf, roll h
the proprietor asked where he was to
say that he was chopping wood He
explained that he had been in row
in the city and did not want TO be To-
Gated.
Hines story tailed with Fishers
statement up to the time they reached
the Yolo side. Once there the witness
advised the officer to remain until he
should attract McCreas attention. This
he did, and Fisher was within ten feet
of McCrea before the latter knew he
was near. Fisher, when McCrea dis
covered him. threw back his coat, dis
playing his star, and told McCrea he
was under arrest. McCrea stealthily
moved toward Fisher, asking, What is
this for?"
Fisher, the witness stated, moved
| back as McCrea advanced, and told
him to stop or he would shoot him.
AcCrea stopped and Fisher told him to
| throw up his hands. McCrea raised
his hands as high as his waist, insist
ing that they were up. Fisher ordered
him to put them higher, whereupon ,he
raised them to the hight of his Shout
der. Seeing that McCrea would not
raise his hands, Fisher ordered him to
get upon his knees. This he did, and
when the officer ordered him to put
his arms behind him he rebelled and
swore he would not do so.
Fisher then ordered the witness tc
put the handouts on McCrea. He put
cuff on the right wrist, and handed
the left cuff to the officer. McCrea
again began asking what he was ar
| rested for and Fisher said to him:
THAT was a pretty good mare you had
jim" McCrea then made a break foI
| the brush, but Fisher brought him
back, and man with less forbearance
said the witness, would have shot him
then.
McCrea wanted to get his coat, and
Fisher told him that was all right and
started toward the garment, which was
(
back and told witness to get the coat
which he started TO do, but hearing q
scufie turned around. McCrea had
Fisher by the throat with one hand
and with the other grasped the hand
which held the pistol. He called the
witness to take the gun away IRON
the officer, and said they would do him
up. Fisher got his throat free and
McCrea gave a great jerk upon the
pistol. and as he did 50 it was dis
! charged, the ball entering his side.
The witness told how Fisher had
spoken kindly to McCrea, how the lat
ter started him TO Sacramento in search
of q physician, and how he had met
Deputy Sheriff Schwilk, who marched
him back to where the shooting had
taken place
Here, when it was found that McCrea
was badly hurt, the witness was left
| in charge of him, while the officers
sought assistance. Hines asked Nc
Crea why he had resisted arrest, and
the latter replied that it was just as
we'll to die as to serve a life sentence
in prison.
The witness asked him if it was as
serious as that, and he replied that ii
was McCrea said if he were a little
younger he would have done for Fish
er, and came very near it as it was
He tried to get away into the brush
and the witness told him to have a
care or he would have an inward
hemorrhage, which might result ia
tally. He replied that he did not care
as a life sentence would be his portion
if he lived.