The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-23
THRILLING With THE COURT.
Detective StilWell Still on His Canadian
Tour.
Consequently Judge Hart Dismissed
His Charge Against John
A. Sheehan.

When G. ]. StillWelI, who is now en-
gagged in steering the bogus Baron, BIZ
gamist and perjurer Won Arnold,
through the wilds of Canada, returns
to California he will find that the
courts of this State had refused to be
juggled with by him. He has been
playing fast and loose with the Supe-
rior Court of this county, and that
tribunal has let him down with dull
thud
Several weeks ago he caused the ar
rest of John A. Sheehan of the Sunday
News of this city on a charge OF
criminal libel. Sheehan was duly held
to answer, and the case consequently
called for trial. 1t was continued for
one week in order to give the defendant
time to gather his witnesses, some of
whom it was shown had failed to an
swer their subpenas.
The case was set for a week or SO
later, but when the day came it was
announced that Stilwell had been sud
denly called out of the State, and an
other continuance was ordered until
yesterday. The truth is, Stilwell left
the State on the same train that car
ried hence Won Arnold (the self-styled
Baron Won Turkheim) and the woman
he had married on that day under false
pretenses, leaving behind him a wife
| in San Francisco.
There was a purpose in having the
bride hurried out of the State, and APP
parently Stilwell was 'bossing'' the
/ job. At any rate, he departed with the
bogus Baron and his victim. and has
been managing the pair ever since. AT
last accounts yesterday they We're flying
from Montreal to Halifax, whence the
party, except Stilwell, were to sail for
Europe.
Consequently Stilwell was not in
court yesterday when the Sheehan case
was called for trial, and it was evident
that District Attorney Ryan was con-
siderably embarrassed by the absence
of the complaining witness, on whom
he had to depend for testimony on
which to prosecute the case, and At
torneyS G. T. Jones and f. S. Sprague
who appeared for the defense looked
as if they would like to give the prose
| cution the "ha-ha,' but of course this
could not be done in court
District Attorney Ryan called Judge
Harris attention to the fact that Still
well was not in court, and said he
had not heard from him since he re-
quested that the case be continued.
Then Mr.. Jones asked the court to
dismiss the case, as Stilwen. the prose
cutting witness, had trifed with the
District Attorney. His colleague, Mr.
| Sprague, made a similar request of the
court The defendant, he said, was
entitled either to a hearing or a vindi-
cation. Under the circumstances he
thought the charge should be dismissed
and the defendants vindication made
a matter of record.
| The District Attorney said he could
not raise any strong objection to the
request of the defense but if
vindication were desired by
| the defendant he could. by
waiting till Stilwell returns, have the
charge fully investigated. He did not
| however, think Stilwell had acted in
good faith, wherefore he would not OBJ
! ject to the dismissal of the case.
Judge Hart remarked that Stilwel
had certainly acted in a very peculiar
manner. He may have had important
business in the East, but he also had ir
| NSe'~ anu iiC SllOuIQ dI ledSl
have kept the court informed as to his
movements. Stilwell had not only not
treated the District Attorney with
courtesy, but was apparently in con-
| tempt of court.
AS to the matter of the defendants
vindication, the court said that a de-
| PENDANT is presumed to be innocent
until the contrary is proven, but il
Stilwell desired to renew the case he
could, on his return, file a new COM
plant The order of the court was
that the present case be dismissed.