The herald., 1898-03-23
ON i CAREfR OF CRIME
ONLY TWENTY AND RIPE FOR
THE PENITENTIARY
M'MAHoN TRIES AN ALIBI
u Whittier Graduate With a Bad
Reputation Is on Trial for
Grand Larceny

Daniel Mcmahon was tried yesterday In
Department four of the superior court
on . charge Of grand larceny. 1t was al
legged that the prisoner. on the 3lst day
of January got into a spring wagon be-
longing to Vincent Sentous, standing in
front of the butcher shop of the complain
ing witness, at the corner of Los Angeles
and Also streets. and, whipping up the
horse, escaped with the rig. He drove
into Sonoratown, closely pursued, and. in
turning corner sharply, the horse STUN
bled, fell and broke his neck, and the
buggy was overturned and wrecked. Nc
Mahon escaped getting arrested that time
by running away afoot, but he had been
recognized by some of the witnesses of
the bold theft, and it was not a matter of
much time before he was in the hands of
the police. A man, presumed to have been
with Mcmahon. but who failed to get into
the vehicle when Mcmahon did, has never
been caught.
After Mcmahon, who is a son Of an
ex-assistant chief of the fire department,
was in the tolls for this trick,
his friends caused him to be re-
leased on bail, pending trial. but he
apparently did not mend his ways, be-
cause he was arrested again in about three
weeks, accused this time Of the crime of
robbery, alleged to have been committed
on February 24th, in conjunction with one
James Patterson. The information which
will probably be filed today by the district
attorney, accuses the pair of having on
that day relieved James H. Heisler Of SIS
IN silver by force and violence. When the
bondsmen of young Mcmahon heard of this
they surrendered him to the sheriff in
Department one, and since then he has had
no opportunity of improving the empti-
ness of his purse. because he has been
confined in a county jail tank.
This young mans career has been one
of continuous trouble with the authorities.
In April, 1898, when Is years old, he was
committed to Whittier by Judge
Mckinley during his minority, be-
and beyond the contro Of his
father. On the Sd of September last he
was arrested under the name of Carl
Dively, with one Albert Manley, on a
charge of grand larceny. 1t was alleged at
that time that these two had stolen horse
and buggy Of the value of 500 from ]. W.
Amey. Manley pleaded guilty in the supe-
rior court and was sent to Folsom for
eight years, and the case against McMahon
was subsequently dismissed on motion Of
the district attorney.
He Is suspected Of a number of hold-ups
that took place in February, and in one
case, at least, has been identified. On the
night of February 2Sth s. S. Booth, young
man who lives with his parents at 1924 Bon
nile Brae street, was stopped by footpad
who claimed acquaintanceship, near Car
son and Pico streets. After short talk
Booth was made to give up all the money
In his possession, $3.25. He had a good
view of the robber, and, when confronted
with Mcmahon in the city jail. recognized
him at once.
Mcmahon is just as imprudent as he is
bold. In every case which is laid to his
door he seems to have taken no pains to
conceal his features, which are of the kind
not easily forgotten, especially when con-
nected with a disagreeable episode. In the
case of Heisler. who was robbed by the
prisoner and Patterson Of SIS, the two
cheekily rolled him as he came out of the
Ekhorn saloon. in sight of passers-by.
under the impression that he was too
drunk to know what was going on. He
was too Intoxicated to resist, but had by
no means lost his senses, and boy who
was coming along saw the whole thing
and recognized both footpads.
Most of the evidence introduced yes
terday afternoon by the Defense when the
prosecution had made out its case, was
for the purpose of proving that Mcmahon
was elsewhere when Sentous' horse and
wagon were stolen.
The case will go to the jury today.