The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-25
BLUNDER OF ABDUcToRS
BELIEF THAT THEY SOUGHT ED
MA oSBoRN's OLDER SISTER.
Examination of Romero and Carnes
Continued Until Wednesday
by Mutual Con
sent.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WATSONVILLE, Oct. 24.-The Os-
born abduction case occupied the at
tention of the general public to-day
and there was much speculation dur
ing the forenoon as TO the outcome or
the preliminary hearing. When the
prisoners were brought into court the
room was packed to sufocation. no
nero was accompanied by his sister, a
rather pretty girl. Carnes, the other
prisoner, was painfully uneasy.
Brad Sargent of Salinas, the defend
ants attorney, sprung surprise by OBJ
tecting to going TO trial before Re-
corder Hawkins on the ground OF pref
udice. Sargent declared the court
had advanced theories to him as to the
guilt of the men, which indicated that
his mind was biased. This Recorder
Hawkins emphaticauy denied, but
rather than take any chances on OBJ
jections called Justice of the Peace
Yoacham to preside. When the court
was ready to proceed District Attorney
Lindsey demanded the services or a
stenographer, and after considerable
delay it was found there was no one in
town capable of doing the work The
prosecution then asked for continu-
ance until Wednesday, which was
granted.
The officers are now working ener-
getically. District Attorney Lindsey
and Sheriff Besse put in the greater
part of the day in strengthening their
case, and expect to go into court Wed
nesday with the evidence necessary to
remand Carnes for trial before the Su-
perior Court. Carnes came here from
Gilroy two months ago. He had been
working in that neighborhood for about
a year, and the statement comes from
that town that he was suspected of be-
ing guilty Of crimes similar to the Wat
sonville case, and was given two hours
to get out of the place
Romero's record in Salinas, his home,
is good, and the probabilities are that
he will be released on the preliminary
examination.
Mrs. Jane Baker, the woman with
whom Carnes lodged here and who had
him as a boarder in Gilroy, was put
through a rigid examination this after
noon by District Attorney Lindsey and
Sheriff BeSSe. The woman has long
been an associate of half castles, and
succeeded in contradicting herself
many times.
Much time was devoted by the Dis
trict Attorney to-day in endeavoring to
trace the Pasteboard coffee can, which
was used by the abductors as dark
lantern. 1t is a large three-pound
package, put up by San Francisco
house. 1t has a crude swinging door
cut in the side and a candle was used
for the light. Owing to the fact that
such cans are sold in most grocery
stores, the effort to trace it has thus
far been fruitless.
Edna Osborn, the child who mar
rowly escaped abduction. was IN court
to-day She is exceedingly large for
girl of her age, II years, Weighing near
ly 100 pounds. She is a quiet, unas-
Stunning miss, and evidently does not
realize the narrow escape she had.
Owing to the unusual darkness that
prevailed on the night of the abduc
ton, she could not see the face Of the
man who carried her out of the house,
and was therefore unable to identify
the prisoners.
After going over the ground thor
oughIy to-day District Attorney Lind
sey stated that the evidence up to this
evening is. very strong against CarneS.
The officials paid considerable atten-
ton to a new theory as to the motive of
the crime, which was advanced to-day
1t is a novel one and involves not only
abduction, but robbery. The PROPOSE
ton is that the miscreants got into the
wrong room, intending to abduct Miss
Edna's elder sister She is the money
order clerk and cashier in the postoff1ce
under her father. She is presumed to
know the combination Of the safe in
which there is usually a considerable
amount of money each night, and 1t is
Yey her to the postoffice, force her to
unlock the safe and deliver up the con-
tents The darkness of the night and
the fact that the streets are deserted
at that hour would have enabled such
bold desperadoes to perfect their job.
GILROY, Oct 24.-W. c. Bennett
says that Fred Carnes is not the man
who was ordered to leave Gilroy. 1t
was a case of mistaken identity. From
the description Bennett heard Of Carnes
he thought it tailed with the man who
was ordered to leave, and so Informed
the Constable at jacksonville. He has
since discovered that the guilty man
was a Spaniard whose first name was
Fred, last name unknown. Carnes re-
sided two years in Gilroy, and his en-
ployers and associates speak highly of
him.
VENTURA, Oct. 24-If the Fred
Carnes now under arrest in Watson
vile is the same Fred Carnes once a
resident of this city he Is well known
throughout the county and his reputa-
ton and record cannot be considered of
the best Some six or seven years ago
he was Deputy County Auditor and
Recorder. He served in this capacity
for three years. His father and nu-
merous brothers and sisters are still
residents Of this county and are highly
respected. His father, Henry Carnes
Is quite prominent and honored citi-
zen. He has held several public Of
fees, among which was Postmaster OF
Santa Barbara for two terms When
Fred Carnes departed from this city
about six years ago he left dark cloud
IL,