The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-31
Sheriff Cunningham Recog-
nizes Him Through a
Call Picture.
TELLS A MUDDLED STORY.
The Prisoner Has Many Aliases and
His Field of Operations Has
Been Extensive.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NAPA, Dec. 3O-The picture of
James Roup, the desperate burglar
captured in Napa Tuesday night, which
was printed exclusively in The Call of
Wednesday, had the effect of disclosing
him as a professional criminal we'll
known in this State. The Call had
scarcely reached Stockton, San Jose
and Oakland before kilograms began
pouring in on Sheriff Mckenzie re-
Questing that official to hold his pris-
oner for crimes previously committed
at those places. The Calls picture was
splendid likeness of the man, and
by it he was recognized in moment.
Sheriff Cunningham, of Stockton, was
expected here this morning to lay claim
to Roup as the third man implicated tn
the attempted train wreck near Stock
ton last September, but he did not ar
rive till this evening.
Schlagel and Williams, ii will be re-
membered, were convicted of the crime
and are now in San Quentin, but the
third man, who was declared by
Schlagel to have been Roup, alias Fred
Hamilton, alias Sam Hall, was not ap-
pretended. Roup is also wanted in
San Jose and Oakland for burglaries,
and Chief Lees, of San Francisco, tele-
graphs concerning him.
This morning at 10 o'clock the prison
er was arraigned before Justice Reed,
of Napa, on a charge of burglary. He
had no counsel and wanted none, say
ing he wished to waive time. His mo-
tive for this was too apparent. His Sc
cret wish was to be hurried off for
simple burglary, knowing the previous
crimes he had committed District At
torney Bell represented the people, and
after hearing testimony from Secord
and Allen. the ShreWd capturerS of the
criminal, and from T. w. Mather
whose house was plundered, Justice
Reed bound ROup over to the Superior
Court in $4,000 bail. AS he was led back
to jail ROup appeared detected and re-
marked that he was Disguised with
life.
Superior Judge Ham, it is openly as
serted, will deal severely with Roup
should the matter of sentencing fall to
him.
4 have no hesitancy in saying that
to my mind this fellow is one of the most
desperate criminals in the State said
Sheriff Mckenzie this morning. 81 was
satisfied of the fact from the moment
or his arrest, and my suspicious are
now confirmed by the results of the
picture puDllSD6Q IN Inc call.
Sheriff Mckenzie visited Roup in his
cell this morning. The prisoner was in
good spirits, believing his identity to
be unknown in Napa. He confessed
that he robbed the Mather residence
and said he proposed to plead guilty
When the Sheriff showed him picture
| bearing a convict number that had
just arrived from San Quentin, he
turned pale. The picture and descrip-
ton accompanying were exact, even to
scars and tattooeS. Roup had protest
ed that it was his first time in jail
and the situation was embarrassing.
Does that look like your" queried
the Sheriff
Something, 1 guess" was the reply
But lots of people resemble me-
How about the number on here?"
was asked
,"Oh, that's just some figures of the
photographer.
Come now, Roup," remarked the Of
ficer, open up and admit that you
have been in San Quentin. That's a
convict number and you know it,
L am not required to incriminate
myself" replied Roup, but in mo-
ment he broke down. Yes, l have been
there and 1 admit it. was sent from
Salinas for ten years in 1890 for grand
larceny. 1 behaved well and was let
out after six years and a half"
Have you been in Jail since or be-
fore until EOw?"
Roup turned around, and in a ner-
vouS voice said: Listen, and I will
tell my whole story. Ny name is
James Roup. 1 was born in Philadel-
| phia in 1850 1 came to California nine
teen years ago and followed an honest
life for a time. I swear that this burg
! larry and the crime committed at Sa-
| linas are all of which have ever been
/ guilty. Last March l was arrested at
San Jose for a burglary committed in
Santa Cruz, but 1 was innocent. After
being held four days L was turned over
to Chief Lloyd, of Oakland, who pho
] tographed me. Then KidweI, of San
Jose, took charge of me again ana gave
me over to Sheriff Bessy of Santa Cruz.
l was kept forty-two days there anc-
| then discharged, because the woman
from whom L was accused of stealing .
gold watch could not identify me.
In the early part of May l was In
Napa and Calistoga and then went Ut,
! to Oregon. / came back to California
| in August, and a while before this
train robbery that they are trying to
! connect me with 1 fell in with Will
| liams and Schlagel. They induced me
to take hold of an alleged patent copy
graph machine and high pressure pow
der of theirs. and I deposited $40 with
| them for county rights. Then they
| suddenly disappeared and the ATTEMPT
/ ed holdup took place. Williams and
Schlagel were run down and Schlagel
turned States evidence, duplicating
me, knowing me to have been in the
tanks. He lied and Hume said that he
lied. ] then shipped to Oregon to get
away from the blamed country, and a
month or so ago returned to San Fran
cisco. Last Monday 1 came here from
| there on the steamer, and that's my
story in full
| Soma DOrfiapc Of Po,.,ofC fol
perhaps, correct, but in the main it is
very fishy. He asked for a copy of
The Call and it was given him.
When Sheriff Cunningham of Stock
ton and officer Wilson of Oak
land arrived this evening Roup was
| brought before them in the Sheriff's
office. Both the officers recognized him
at a glance and saluted him as Sam
! Hall. He nodded in return and hung