The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-27
BROOKS INQUEST
ENDS IN NAUGHT
Coroner's Jury Accuses
No One.
NELSON STILL A PRISONER
SHERIFF HARRISON BELIEVES
HIM GUILTY.
Deputy Marshal Cramer's Testimony
Wholly Contradictory of the
Story Related by the
Deckhand.
SHERIFF HARRISON BELIEVES
HIM GUILTY.
Special Dispatch to The Cali.

SAN RAFAEL, Sept. 26.-Despite the
decision Of the Coroners jury that the
facts were not of sufficient force to
warrant it in charging Peter Nelson,
the deckhand on the yacht Chispa, with
the murder of Captain James Moss
Brooks, Sheriff Harrison Is so thorough
ly convinced of the guilt of the pris-
oner that he has not yet discharged
him from custody and pending more
careful Investigation will hold the
deckhand at the County Jail. Coroner
Eden conducted the inquest and did all
in his power to bring out the facts.
The first important testimony was
given by Deputy Marshal Susavilla,
William Harrisons private watchman.
He said none of the party had seen a
boat leave the Chispa. However, as
the night was dark and the wind blow
ing strongly he inclined to the belief
that even if boat had left nobody
would have known it.
Alfred Nilsson, the keeper Of the yacht
Ramona, supplied the additional
knowledge tina at the time he pulled
Nelson into the boat the deckhand had
on one sock, but the foot of his unin-
y g
Of the first to board the yacht, asserted
that as the rowboat approached the
scene somebody on a yacht near by
yelled to them to be careful, that a
crazy man on the Chispa was shooting
at everybody.
Nelson was sworn. He told the jury
his story In just about the same words
as 1t was formerly related to the Sher-
if. He stated that the door leading
FRO, fta % +Io0 -e-+1
he slept, was closed at the time the
murder was committed and that he had
to reach the deck by climbing through
the hatchway. Nelson's wounded leg
was shown to DR.. Jones, the autopsy
physician, who testified afterward that
the wound could have been caused by
either bullet or a scrape from some
suitable instrument.
DR.. Jones testified that he had found
five distinct wounds of the scalp, an
abrasion of tho left ear and abrasions
on the fingers of the right hand and
left wrist of Captain Brooks. The
worst wound was behind the left ear
and the one on the left temple was
also deep. They could have been pro-
duced with some instrument like mar
lin spike or a Ratchet.
BY far the most important evidence
adduced was from Deputy Marshal Eu-
entered the room in which the captain
lay dead he picked up the arm lying
above the cover and found it cold and
stiff. The elbow could hardly be
f1exed at all. The bedclothes were not
disturbed, showing that the captain
had made no struggle. Cramer said
that one of the most peculiar facts in
connection with the murder was that
while the body lay on the right side
the large wound in the back of the
head from which the blood had spurted
being toward the back of the couch
the opposite wall of the room was COW
cred from the hood that had spurted
on it. Cramer said this could not
have been possible if the body lay as it
was found. In his opinion, Captain
Brooks had been dead at least an hour
and was killed while standing near the
opposite wall. The body must then
have been placed in the bed and COW
cred with the clothes.
Marshal Harmon was recalled to the
stand and gave substantially the same
testimony as his predecessors. He said