The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-24
WATSONV|LLE
AUTHORITIES
ARE DELEL|CT
Kidnapers May Yet
Escape.
CLEWS THAT ARE NEGLECTED.
CALL REPORTER INTERVIEWS
THE SUSPECTS.
Finds Them Extremely Nervous and
Contradictory in Their State
CLEWS THAT ARE NEGLECTED
CALL REPORTER INTERVIEWS
THE SUSPECTS.
Finds Them Extremely Nervous and
Contradictory in Their State
ments-Alibis Will Be
Hard to Prove.

WATSONVILLE, Oct-23.-There was
big baseball game in this lively little
city to-day, and everybody attended. In
Guiding law officers who were supposed
to be searching for further evidence
necessary to hold for trial the men who
tempted abduction Of the young daugh-
ter Of Postmaster Osborn.
The fact came to light tonight that
for two days 1t has been known to the
law officers that there was a witness in
this city who stated on the day after
the arrest that he had seen Romero in
company with young American in the
neighborhood of Osborn's house. the
two evenings preceding the commission
of the crime. and that he saw them in
the same vicinity late on the night the
girl was carried out Of bed from her
home. Nevertheless that witness, JOS
eph Littlejohn, has not been sought for
by the peace officers, Notwithstanding
he was on the principal street during
the afternoon to-day.
Littlejohn, who halls from Castro
Vile, met Jose Gomez to-day, to whom
he made the statement regarding Ro-
nero, and abused his friend for CIV
ing to the officers the private informa-
ton impaired. He told Gomez that as
there was no witness to the declaration
he could not prove that Littlejohn had
made the statement. The reason Of Lit
tIejohn's anger was that he did not
want to be mixed UT in the case and
possibly get into trouble. 1t was an
nounced tonight that he would be sub
poenaed and given an opportunity to
tell what he knows under oath.
hnr-
cism by citizens Of the manner in which
the case has been handled thus far,
as it is feared there will not be sur
ficent evidence to hold the men. Some
of these people are unkind enough to
say that election time is at hand; that
there is a large Spanish vote here, ana
that the accused men are Mexican nall
castles. This appears to be harsh, and
it would probably be more generous TO
saw that lack of experience and knoWl-
edge of the value of cleWs is responsible
for the conditions. This is Illustrated
by the fact that the young American
who is supposed to have furnished the
information regarding the location of
the girls room is not being looked for,
nor has an effort been made to learn
what man of that description Romero
has been associating with recently.
1t was learned this afternoon that
Postmaster Osborn is so anxious about
had a private detective at work Sc
cretly LOOKING up evidence for the past
fortv-efght hours. What has been &C
complished Mr.. Osborn refuses TO state.
IT do not want to be the cause OF
Furnishing an innocent man, SAID ne,
''but it does seem to me that 1T Will be
almost impossible TO explain away the
facts that point to the guilt OF these
men. and 1 hone there will be some
thing forthcoming tomorrow TO
ST ,eugthen the case. l am simply 40
in my best to get at the truth ana mete
out enlistment to the Puilty man OF
men,"
An interview with the accused men
had to-day by The Call correspondent
diclosed the fact that they are exceed
fnely nervous Romero, who is black
visaged Mexican, with scar on his
right ear that looks as though ne had
been slashed with a knife, was the more
self possessed of the two, put grew
ouite nervous when told that the evil
dence against him was strong and was
expected to be much strengthened De-
fore the examination tomorrow AFTER
noon. He asserted in a husky voice
that he went to bed in the Cosmopolitan
lodging house at 10 o'clock that night
and slept till a. m. When asked II ne
could prove the allegation he replied
in the negative. He also declared that
he had not been in the neighborhood
of the Osborn residence prior to the
night of the crime, but 1t is stated that
the prosecution expects to produce VIII
nesses to prove that he was seen round
there on several occasions. He admit
ted his inability to account for the pres
ence of the sugar factory weight cara
in the buggy or for the fact that the
tracks of the vehicle led to the side
walk of the house in which Carnes
lodged Romero was about to leave the
city when rearrested, but thinks that
was entirely proper.
II am an innocent man, SAID ne,
'sand can prove my former good charac
ter, but l know that 1t is possible to
railroad an innocent man to prison and
they may do that for me. think l can
clear myself, though. No, do not
know anything about Carnes. l never
associated with him except during the
short time we worked together. Now /
won't talk any more; my attorney has
forbidden me to do SO"
Romero in badly depressed state,
was then locked up.
Carnes. when brought out and ques-
toned, was In pitiable condition. He
was so nervous that he could neither
stand still nor walk straight and had
much difficulty in finding his voice. He
averred that on the night of the crime
he went to bed at Z o'clock, but &C
that he could not establish
the fact. He contradicted his former
statement to Marshal Bridgewater re-
garding his disposal Of the telltale tag.
In the first instance he said that he had
torn the paper to pieces, and to your
he declared that he had
simply taken it from his pocket and
thrown it away. Carnes will have diff
Guilty in establishing an alibi, as the
landlady Of the house where he lodged
was absent on the night Of the attempt
ed abduction, and cannot say whether
or not he came in early or late. The
prisoner is we'll known in Ventura and
Santa Barbara. The examination will
begin before the committing magistrate
at D. m. tomorrow.