The San Francisco call., 1898-12-22
SEXTON HAS
 4 HISTORY
 0F MYSTERY Strange Pull With the Southern Pacific. ALWAYS ESCAPES TROUBLE WAS CLOSE TO FAIR AND c. P.
 HUNTINGTON. Once Passed Some Months Waiting Trial for Forgery in the
 Alameda County
 Jail.
ALWAYS ESCAPES TROUBLE
WAS CLOSE TO FAIR AND c. P.
 HUNTINGTON.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,

9O8 Broadway, Dec. 21.
 Oaklanders were surprised to learn that John E. Sexton, ''the man of mystery, :" IS now under arrest at Sacramento TOT operating on the confidence plan. Sex tons home, so far as he has any. Is in Oakland, although he has not been seen here for some time. He Is a most myste- ious man, and some of his Oakland esca- pades and the manner in which he was able to clear himself have long been surprise.
 In March two years ago he was on trial for forgery in Judge Ellsworth's court, but escaped conviction. On that occa- sion he was charged with forging the name of Bob Boyer, a well-known cigar merchant, to a Wells-Fargo check. At the first trial he was acquitted through the agency of the Almighty, only one juror not favoring conviction, and he ex- plained his position by stating that he had prayed to be directed alright and God had told him to acquit Sexton.
 Sexton was kept in jail from December 19 to the following March, and was made very comfortable in his cell, but refused to accept bail, although Southern Pacific officials expressed willingness to go on his bond. At the second trial he was &C., quilted.
 he had but two books in his cell, and he was always studying one or the other. One was Webster'S Dictionary, the other a manual of American railways. He was not educated at school, but in spite of this and although he is but 2S years old, he is recognized as one of the best of civil engineers, skilled especially in the branches of hydrostatics and hydrodynam- les. He is telegraph operator, an electri- elan, and is thoroughly posted concerning railroads all over the country.
 He claimed to be very closely asso- ciated with Collis P. Huntington and was also confidant of the late Senator Fair, and he succeeded in doing some clever work for the Senator that brought down on him the enmity of Banker R. H. Mo- Donald.
 At his trial in this city A. D. Wilder and several other Southern Pacific peo- pie testified on his behalf and the trial, charge, created as much interest as one for murder on account of the mystery surrounding the defendant.
 One of the police detectives remembers an incident which showed that Sexton's claim to importance in railroad circles standing at Seventh and Broadway" said the detective, when the unattached locomotive that runs through from Fruit vale to the mole after midnight ap- preached. Sexton wanted to get to West Oakland. I told him the last car had gone: Then I'll make this fellow take me down, said Sexton, referring to the engineer As the locomotive passed Sex ton commanded the engineer to stop. He recognized the man and brought the To- comotive to a standstll in the middle of the block. I told him to run to get aboard, but instead of doing so he shout ed to the engineer, Here. you; come the locomotive was backe,. to the cross ing where Sexton stood '