The record-union., 1898-12-29
A RIVER FRONT SENSATION.
WHO BUTCHERED JUAN OREL-
LANA IN JULY, 1895?
Two Arrests Made-Geonia Baum
Says He Saw the Crime
Committed.

Is there to be another verification
of the old adage, Murder will out?"
Geonia Baum, an old Chilean steve
dore on the river front, claims to know
al least one of the two men who foully
murdered Juan Orelana, a steamboat
watchman, on the night of July 4, 1898,
and he gave up his secret yesterday
to Police Sergeant Plunkett and Officer
Bagley.
Baum is detained in the city Jail
pending further inquiry into the matter,
and the two men whom he accuses of
having committed the crime have also
been arrested by the officers named.
one OF the accused is Frank Mora, a
Front-street character, and the other a
man who has always borne an excellent
reputation and against whom never a
word Of reproach had ever before been
heard. He is Milton Beck, the old
time watchman for the San Joaquin
Navigation Company.
1t is to be hoped that Mr.. Beck will
have no difficulty in disproving the ac-
cusation made against him. The Off
GERS do not generally believe he is
guilty, and Chief Dwyer is determined
on making speedy inquiry into the
| character OF Beck's accuser in order to
| determine whether or not he is to be
relied on.
| 1t was Chief Dryers wish to have
nothing said about the case for the
! ject Of common talk on the streets last
night, wherefore it is useless to longer
| withhold them
! Baum says the reason he never told
what he knew about the crime was that
/ he was afraid he would be killed if he
did So He will be questioned to-day
through the medium of an interpreter,
and may be able to make a clearer
statement than he has yet made.
THE CRIME.
The Record Union of July s, 1895,
contained the following account of the
murder:
| Old Juan Orellana, the Chilean steam
/ boat watchman, has been foully muir
| dered and robbed. His body, bearing
aX-cuts about the head, was recovered
from the river on Saturday, and the
CHASTITY evidence Of another foul crime
now lies at the morgue
The old man had been preparing to
celebrate the Fourth Of July, and start
ed in drinking early in the week. He
was seen about the river front saloons
on Tuesday night, and few persons
say they saw him early on Wednesday
morning, but the general impression is
that he was murdered some time on
Tuesday night.
On Saturday one Of the river steam
ers, while coming up to the city,
churned up the water so vigorously by
| its paddle wheel that the body was
brought to the surface and secured,
and Coroner Clark notified, who had the
body taken from the river
It was then discovered that the old
man had been made the victim of mur-
derous thugs. A colored handkerchief
was tied around his head, and had been
used to either blindfold or gag him
probably the latter. just over his
right temple was gaping wound, ap-
rarently made with an ak or hatchet,
and another on the left jaw
His clothing was partially loosened
1 from hS nd he vi O nnalxQt nf
his trousers turned inside out. The
| left pocket had evidently not been mo-
/ Tested, as it contained twenty-five cents
in silver, and some keys.
! Orellana had been in the habit of
sleeping on the steamer Varuna, his
hour for retiring being about daylight.
Having been drinking on Tuesday
night, it is supposed he retired earlier
! by the murderers. His bedding, hat
and coat We're found on the steamer,
while on a barge alongside was found
his empty purse. An ak is missing
from the steamer, and 1t is supposed
! that after they had killed the old man
his murderers threw it into the river
| While making the rounds OF the river
| front saloons on Tuesday night the
old man foolishly exhibited about S100
and thus attracted the attention of
some of the thugs that frequent that
| locality.
| He had a habit of displaying his
money when under TIE influence of
| liquor, and this habit once before got
him into trouble, he having been