The San Francisco call., 1898-05-07


 blow up the powder works at Pinole, Contra Costa County. Since the ac- count in yesterdays Call of the con- versation among three Spaniards on the train from the East, in which one remarked that Governor Budd could be assassinated easily, much light has dawned upon the people of Pinole rela- tive to recent events heretofore not comprehended.
 A week ago yesterday three Span iards came from the East over the Santa Fe route, and H. B. Stewart of fciated as brakeman from Sacramento to this city. Stewart speaks the Span ish language fiuently, and a short dis tance out from Sacramento, while trim ming a lamp, his attention was at tracted to the conversation among the Spaniards. They were discussing the war, and one remarked that Governor Budd was making himself very active in getting men to help fight Spain. Stewart in telling a Call reporter of the incident said:
 T naturally pricked up my ears to hear what was coming next. One with a dark mustache said that the Gov ernor was an easy man to pick off, as he does not travel with a companion (meaning a body guard). The fellow said he knew that Governor Budd goes about the city and State at all times and he would be an easy bird to catch. The speaker seemed to be better ac- quainted with the people and the State than the other two. While l was standing on the arm of the seat fixing my lamp the remark was made that the Governor could be attended to at any time, and the manner of their speech gave me the idea that they had hi If for Tal> inn a m to attend to first. When the train passed the powder works at Pinole the three craned their necks to get glance of the premises. This looked suspic- ious, and when the train stopped at the station one of the men got out while the two went on to the city. On the following morning l was much sur- prised to find among the passengers one of the Spaniards who had gone down on the afternoon before and told one of the men connected with the powder works"
 When the Spaniard alighted from the train he started at once for town, which is half a mile distant There he disappeared, and has not been seen since. While the town is thoroughly American, still there are a number of Portuguese and Mexicans in the sur rounding country who speak the Span- ish language, and whose sympathies are not well known. It is with one of IneSe IudI the EIldu no QOuDL 1OunQ shelter. The only clew as to his iden- tity is that one Of his companions ad- dressed him by the name of Mendoto Mendoza or Mendeta- He was fairly well dressed in suit of light clothes and was of slim build. As stated, his companions continued on their way to San Francisco. On the following morning, greatly to the surprise of Brakeman Stewart, one of the latter boarded the train at the Oakland mole, and his ticket showed it was good for trip to Pinole and return. The fellow was short, stout and dressed in a dark suit, and wore light felt hat He had a heavy black mustache tinged with gray. On the same train was John Wilson, one of the clerks at the pow der works. As the SDaniard left the train the brakeman said to Wilson: That is one of those Spaniards who was talking last night on the train about killing Governor Budd- He will bear watching while he is here. While he was on the train he kept consulting a paper as though to get thoroughly posted before getting off the ears. He means mischief to the powder works or I am greatly mistaken"
 Wilson needed the warning and watched. The suspect walked about for a few minutes, as stranger will, evidently sizing up' the people. At last, observing one with swarthy com plexion, a Portuguese employed on a milk ranch, he addressed him in Span ish. He wanted to know how the trains came and departed, the distance to adjoining towns, the names of the latter and last, but not least, where the powder works were. The Portu- guese gave the desired information and the Spaniard went up to the town proper.
 While the two were talking MT. Will son observed the gestures and asked MT. Garrity to watch him and tell the officers to keep up the watch. This was done in sort of fashion and enough was learned to have put most any one on the alert, especially consid- ering the suspicious incidents attend ant upon the explosion and destruction of the powder works at Santa Cruz. The dark-skinned stranger asked many questions in many places, especially where he could converse in his native tongue. His inquiries always led to the powder works. In one place. where he stopped, a barber shop, John Berm- ingham, assistant superintendent of the works, was getting shaved. AS soon as he could he followed the fellow and finally saw the stranger start for the works. He did not take the direct road, near the railroad track, as most men would, but went along the Marti- neg road to the south and by the rear of the big powder plant Berningham drove rapidly along the railroad track and reached the works long before the swarthy pedestrian. Cutting across the field he intercepted the stranger in the rear of the company's property and de- manded of him his business. The Span iard was greatly alarmed and replied that he was just looking around.''
 'Why did you come to Pinole?" asked Bermingham.
 "I wanted to see Manuel Furtado. He is a friend of mine, replied the Spaniard. Furtado is supposed to be a Portuguese. He keeps a saloon in Pinole, at which the stranger stopped before starting for the powder works. Some time ago Furtado was employed Tn the works, yet no one thought to ask of him his business with the mys- terious Spaniard; For the past two