The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-19
SOLVES A MYSTERY
OF CARSON CANYON
Body Of Murdered Peter Lorraine
Found in the "Black Hole"
of Marin.

SAN RAFAEL. Dec. ls-The cloud OF
murder mystery hanging over Carson
canyon. which has given II the name OF
ihe Black Hole OF AIarin'-a cloud as
dark as the shadows lurking in the
gloomy depths of that mountain fast
ness-was partially dispened tonight by
n telegram sent 10 Sheriff Taylor by
John Enos. foreman OF the Howard
Shaftcr estate. u was briefly announced
~ the dispatch that the body of Peter
Lorraine, the woodchopper who has been
missing since May ! last. had been found.
The discovery of the body forges the
last lnk in the chain OF circumstantial
evidence connecting Suspect James Dier
with tho murder. and tonight kilograms
were flashed 10 an parts OF the State
ordering the arrest OF DER wherever he
may Doe found.
early in the morning Sheriff Taylor
ANA Coroner Eden viii proceed 20 Car
son Canyon and thoroughly investigate
rhe circumstances leading 20 the dis
c0Nerl. IN is believed by these officials
flat tho finding OF the body viii not only
taston guilt upon DER. but undoubtedly
Wl lead 10 the unearthing Of evidence
showing that the headwaters OF Lagu-
-l,as Creek have been a lair for human
l1enas. spot whore any man who dared
80 incur the hatred Of his fellows was
kept under surveillance 10y clique OF as
e1ssius until an opportunity arrived for
l.s life 10 pay the penalty. Everybody
at The woodchopDers' camp viii be ar
rested. brought 10 town and kept here
until after the inquest.
Peter Lorraine was d woodchopper. aged
about 60 years. who. previous 20 his cis-
appearance. had been employed by John
lnOS. foreman Of the Shafter estate in
Carson Canyon. ten miles from San Ra-
-leL In separate room Of the same
cabin with Lorraine lived James DER
who had been employed 10y Enos as
T.oodchopper for almost two wears Both
mcn had unsavory regulations and were
constantly guarrelng. SO when Lorraine
appeared on May IL was only q short
fne until The other woodchoppers began
f' make ugly insinuations that DER knew
whittier bis house mate had gone.
Dn June fnos gave Sheriff Taylor in
rmauon which caused him TO arrest
.'..r. Tho prisoner showed his blood
r..rety propensities by trying 10 shoot
t-' lOr when he was arrested. but on be-
-- placed Don jail relapsed into a morose
state and would give no other informa-
SION than that ~ one time he had been
employed hy "a man named Miles in The
1isln VALLEY.
10 was shown that on the day after
tr,nch Pete" as Lorraine was called.
ppedred, Dier had shown considerable
taaon when questioned regarding the
l slns mans whereabouts. and also that
I'eF had bitter quarrel the dav be-
fore Pete vanished.
Lorraine was last seen at about noon on
She day of his DISAPPEARANCE on a lonely
path leading from small store kept by
Lnos 10 the woodchoppers cabin DER
called o. account Tor his own whereabouts
ar that particular ;ime A number OF
metropolitan detectives were emploved
10 work ou the case and discovered
enough evidence 20 hang Dier had they
been able to locate the body Of the miss
ing man, but their efforts were baffied by
1le TACT that "a heavy shower on Nav 2
hao onllterated an trace Of the body being
dragged over The ground or buried.
one day der promised 10 make a cor
ff-silu ~ the officials called upon him TWO
hours later when they returned their in
lirra-on and disgust We're unlimited on
learning that yellow journal special
issl0ner" had managed 10 corrupt a
Deputy sheriff 20 the extent Of inducing
Dim 20 supply Dier with bottle Of wine
and the Information that II he refused TO
confess the evidence was insufficient 10
convict The prisoner was IN a fighting
mood and wanted - clean OUT the jall.
shortly aftorWard he was released and
permitted 20 return 10 Carson Canyon.
and he m once tacitly confessed HIS guilt
ly cluding the vigilance Of spies and flee
'lg from the county.
carson Canyon Is commonly known as
The BLACK Hole of Marin" on account Of
its tragedies and the mystery that en-
Ehrouds them. IN 1SSS a cook named John
son disappeared and was never heard of
again. in 1859 William Shields. a wood
chopper. dropped out Of sight. and IN 1892
Antoine Lujar was sent 10 san Quentin
prison FOR stabbing Marcus Pisa 10 death.
Here 80 was. also. that for thirty years
Henry Hazen Abbott. a former Contra
Costa official. buried himself from civili-
0-s-s-S-s-@-s-s- S-%-s-@S@-s-.-:-%-