The herald., 1898-11-08
Snf11GRUBS7AKED" him
MRS. FERGUSON HAS AN UN-
PLEASANT EXPERIENCE
Threatened BY ARIZONA jim
He Tries to Burst in Her Door-Had
Said He Would Kill Her-"Bad
Man From Bitter Greek"

Mrs M. l.. Ferguson made complaint 10
the district attorney yesterday against james
Bartley of Randsburg, or Arizona jim, as
he styles himself on the desert. She ex-
hibited a Letter which she had received from
him. in which threats against her life were
made, conditional upon the payment OF $290,
alleged to be due for services rendered, and
the return to him of mining deed which
he claimed as his personal property.
Mrs. Ferguson also informed the public
prosecutor of certain acts on the part OF the
Arizona whirlwind which scanned to indicate
an intention on his part to carry his threats
into execution. She said BARLEY had come
to her rooms in the Phillips block about
midnight Saturday, and tried to break down
the hall door. He was intoxicated at the
time, and making murderous threats, which
alarmed those inside, for they felt that he
was in fit condition to do murder.
Jumping with might and main against the
door, he had planted his heels against the
panels, leaving good-sized dents thereon, but
failed to effect an entrance. Again on Sun
day BARLEY had presented himself at her
house. Being met by one of the gentlemen
of the house, he had asked to see Mrs. Fer
puson. He was told that he could not see
her then, as she was engaged, and would not
be at liberty for an hour. He decided to
wait, and began to discuss his grievances
with the man who had encountered him, and
by talking with him he was detained while
Mrs Ferguson rang for an officer. The ar
rest was thus effected before he had time to
do any further harm, and Jim was lodged,
in very angry mood, in the county Jail.
Justice Young fixed his bail at $3.50 and
Gov 0.Q fap-
day, but at that hour Mr.. Shinn, who had
been retained as counsel by BARLEY, asked
for continuance, as he had just been
called into the case, had not had time to con-
suit fully with his client, but saw that it
would be impossible to make proper de-
fense without longer time for preparation.
Mr.. Hasse, who appeared for Mrs. Fergu-
son, consented that the case should go over,
but asked that the bond be raised to higher
amount, in view of the murderous nature of
the threatened assault by BARLEY.
The complaint charged him with threat
ening to beat, bruise, wound, kill and muir
der" the prosecuting witness, and she had
expressed grave fears that her life was in
danger. To allow the bond to remain at So
low figure was to invite an attack, for if
BARLEY could get out of Jail bond of $3.50
would not serve as any restraint upon him,
and he would ignore it completely. If,
however, it could be made large enough to
guarantee his detention in Jail, the case
could go over. Mrs Ferguson was going
away for ten days or thereabouts, and if the
cause should be continued, Mr.. Hasse asked
that it should be set for such a time as
would enable her to testify after her return.
This was agreeable to all concerned, and
the cause was set for hearing November 81,
at l:30 p. m.
The facts of the case, as explained by Mrs.
Ferguson, are that she employed BARLEY to
locate certain mining claims for her, a
GRUB stake" being furnished A claim was
located near Randsburg, and she continued
to supply funds for its development. Hear
ing adverse reports of the claim, she pro-
posed to send an expert to examine and re-
port upon it's character, but Bartley resented
the suggestion, and threatened to kill any
one who was sent to inspect the property.
1t being apparent that BARLEY was intent
upon concealing the true facts from her, she
took measures for ousting him as her agent,
informing him that he was no longer in her
employ. She had become tired of advancing
funds for development purposes, when all
advices save those of BARLEY were of such a
nature as satisfied her that she was merely
throwing her money away. 1t was her de-
termination not to support BARLEY in idle
ness that angered him and brought about
the attempt to break into her rooms in pur-
suance of threats, made orally and by letter,
to kill her.