The San Francisco call., 1898-11-21

1 Brandes met her fate at the hands or
 some person, who had killed her by lIi- flicting two mortal blows upon the
 head.
 Attention being directed to the neck
 the idea of suicide by hanging was
 speedily dispelled. pr. Buteau founo i the injuries here were all skln deep. l No signs were present beneath the i skins surface to show that anythlng g l had clutched the neck severely enough I to point to strangulation. The marks 1 were entirely superficial. Dr. Buteau u i was of the opinion that the neck nad 1 been hastily squeezed by some tight 1 rope the pressure remaining on put very short time. The physicians to- i seIher agreed that the soft apron, | which it was stated the father had cut 1 in taking the body down from the bed 1 post. could not account for the conut- ton in which the neck was found.
 On hearing the result of the autopsy ] the District Attorney held short con- ference with Sheriff White, as result of which it was decided to place Brandes under arrest.
 T am innocent of the charge made against me of murdering my little girl, said Brandes after his arrest. These charges have been trumped up against me by my enemies in order to ruin my business. They have had me ar rested before, but have never been
  always groundless. This time they saw their opportunity and by making this terrible charge against me expect to break down my business. No one will want to hire me as waterman now. as people will always point at me and say, He was arrested and charged with murdering his child. This will be sufficient to break up my business.
 T came home on Saturday morning and went upstairs to bed. In few minutes my wife called me and l dressed hurriedly and went downstairs. I found my daughte~ hanging to the bedpost, being suspended with an apron. She was still warm '. hen I cut her down and laid her on the bed. did not wait a moment, but hurried away for a doctor When he came she was beyond aid.
 ''The child was sinple-minded and we were always in fear she would Kill herself. We found knife secreted In her bed tonight. At certain times she was violent and difficult to manage. She would steal knives, razors, money or anything we had about the house.
 She had trouble with her stepmother last Wednesday. I had $15 in the house with which to pay bill. We missed it and accused her of taking it. She finally dug Sl4 out or the earth in the back yard, where she had con- cealed it. We insisted on her giving back the remaining dollar and she fin ally did so. On Wednesday evening she quarreled with her stepmother and struck her with a stick. Mrs. Brandes grabbed the stick from her and struck her with it. In the scuff1e that followed the girl fell down the stairs. If there are any bruises on her head that must have been the time she received them.
 T had determined to send her away to a girls school and she was to leave on Saturday. She may have brooded over this and determined to end her life She was always hard to manage when the moon was full, it seeming to affect her very much. l blame the Richards family colored people, who live next door to me, for this trouble. They and some political enemies of mine are responsible for this charge against me.
 My wife is subject to fits and con- yulsions and I am afraid this will kill her. She may take her own lite. l have had more than my share of trouble, but this is the most cruel of all. As God is my judge I did not kill my little girl. l would give my right arm to have her with me now"
 Brandes' reputation in Berkeley, where he acts as patrolman and night watchman, Is said to be of the very worst kind. It was rumored, soon after his arrival there from Sausalito, that he had been driven away from the lat ter place by enraged citizens, who re- garded his presence as a general nui- sance in the community. It is affirmed he soon began to work policy of blackmail upon the residents of the university town. AS self appointed pa trolman and night watchman he levied sums of $1 and g upon each house in the neighborhood for the ostensible purpose of protecting them from thieves and burglars. He would represent the condition of the town to be thoroughly unsafe and extort monthly pay for ser vices accordingly. Most of the resi- dents with whom his occupation brought him in contact regarded him as nuisance, and paid the toll he ex- acted more for the sake of being rid of him than anything else.
 His plan of operation was an ill-con- cealed scheme of double dealing. With in the district of his patrol are several club houses, used by university stu dents. To the residents generally he has been known to represent that they would be subject to tndiscretions on the part of the clubhouse members, in ire quent disturbances of the peace, and on the ground of preventing these he has levied his toll. From the clubhouse members themselves he has exacted quietly ignoring all that they might do. This system of blackmail he has lately found 1t difficult to carry out.
 More than once has he tried to secure an appointment under the Sheriff as a deputy constable At one time he was successful. But the enjoyment of his official position was only shortlived The next day public indignation forced the Sheriff to cancel the appointment and since then he has received no off, cial recognition from either county or town authorities. About seven months ago he was arrested for stealing lume Der from a neighbours yard.
 Among his immediate neighbors he is said to be both feared and despised. The treatment shown toward his two children is notorious in the community Aside from the instances brought to light, in connection with Saturday mornings tragedy he is said always to have treated both boy and girl with brutal severity, and to have made their lives miserable with harsh blows and