The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-12-18
For Shrewd Detectives to
Follow
THE MURDER OF MRS. CLUTE
NO LONGER A PUZZLE TO THE
BAY POLICE
Evidence Against Albert Hof Believed
to Be Strong Enough to Insure
His Conviction



SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 17.-Alhert
Hoff, the upholsterer, now In CUSTODY
is being involved in a mesh OF circum-
stantial evidence from which it will be
difficult to extricate himself. and the
notice believe that he will surely be con-
victed of the murder of Mrs Mary a.
clute. who was beaten to death with
counting pin in her flat at 500 Guerrero
street Wednesday afternoon last. Hon
feels that he is in peril of his life, ana Is d
nervous man. His cellmates in the city
prison say that he slept little last night
He walked about the cell most OF the
night, and when he lay down he was
restless and i'll at ease. About o CLOCK
in the morning he fell asleep, but awoke
again in an hour and resumed his pac-
ing to and fro. This morning the pris-
oner was taken into Judge Joachim
sens court for arraignment He was
permitted to change his coat and to put
on another pair of trousers. His hands
shook violently as he removed and
donned his garments, and there was
furtiye. scared look about his eyes. He
was escorted to the court room by two
officers and placed in the dock. When
his case was called, Walter Gallagher
appeared as his counsel.
Hoff was taken from the dock to the
desk of the Judge, and when asked what
he had to say to the charge, pleaded not
guilty.
The case was then set for next Wednes-
day From the court room, the accused
was taken to a room on the first floor of
the Larkin- street entrance of the build
ing and made to sit for his photograph
in various postures. A picture of his
open left hand was taken so as show the
wound in the palm supposed to have
been received during the struggle with
the victim of his passion. He was made
TO shoulder the old carpet sack in which
he carried his tools, just as he had car
rded 1t when c. A. Legg and his daugh-
ter-in-lav, Mrs. Legg, saw him leaving
the Guerrero-s street house about the
time of the murder. He carried the
sack on his left shoulder and stood with
his right side towards the camera. When
the photographer had completed his
work, Hoff was taken back to prison
and locked up. He was measured and
found to be Just five feet six and half
inches high.
At midnight the police had no new
discoveries to announce in the circum-
stantial evidence they have been find
ing against Hoff. The authorities are
so thoroughly convinced of Hoff's guilt
that they are not looking in any other
direction for possible murderer. Little
attention has been paid to Hoff's state
ment that just prior to his departure
from Mrs. Clute's rooms a stout, we'll
dressed stranger, who was apparently
ON friendly terms with Mrs. Clute,
called upon her and that this stranger
remained after Hoff left. Unfortunate
iy for the accused, if there Is any truth
in his statement, nothing has been de-
duced to give semblance of probabil
ity to the story. Hoff has undoubtedly
prejudiced his case by talking too much
and too wildly, but his attorney has now
sealed his lips and the accused Is not
likely to involve himself in any more
claim to have evidence in their pos
session that the prisoner has little re-
gard for womanly honor. They even
promise that they will produce witness
es who will state that Hoff had boosted
to them of how he had taken advantage
Of women in whose houses he had been
called to do some work as an uphosterer,
and of how such women had refrained
from causing his punishment because
of the unpleasant notoriety it would
bring upon them.