The San Francisco call., 1899-06-12

father said that even were his son in the
vicinity he would not let him know Of ii.
Although the Alameda County peace Of
fcers have not been able to locate
ed. after they had heard Belden's story,
that the man they were looking for had
started out to kill. The similarity of the
attack on the Oak street capitalist to that
last August on the Brooke home was at
once recalled.
At $50 o'clock on the night of that trag-
edy Cheeseman rang the bell on the door
of the house of Henry Brooke at Is Sew
enth street, Oakland. In the house at the
time were Henry j. Brooke, his wife ard
his stepdaughter. Eta Payne, to whom
Cheeseman had been paying attention.
At the summons Brooke went to the door
and threw 1t open. Without a word tho
over the PROSTATE body he went into the
house, where Miss. Payne and Mrs.
Brooke, having heard the shot, were run
ming to places of concealment.
Cheeseman came first upon the girl.
With pistol leveled at her head, he ad-
vanced till he could have touched her.
the maniac pressed the trigger. At that
instant, by a superhuman effort, the girl
struck at the weapon. knocking it down
as it was discharged, the bullet entering
sight OF her mother, who was endeavoring
tc hide herself in a closet. He fired at
her, but missed: the bullet merely cutting
a hole in the skirt of her dress. Appar-
emily satisfied that he had murdered the
entire family, Cheeseman ran into the
back yard scaled the fence and made his
way downtown, where he was captured
several hours later.
The attack on Belden. though lacking
the motive, partoek of the other peculiar
tiles of the descent upon the Brooke
household. If Cheeseman made it, the
members of the Belden family can con-
graduate themselves that his first aim
have been foully murdered and the beau
tiful home on Lake and Oak streets turn
ed into a veritable snambles.
Mr.. Belden did not get much more than
a glance at his aSsailant, so sudden was
the attack and so dim was the light
thrown from the hall room on the mur-
derous visitor. His description of the
man, however, tallieS in a general way
with that of Cheeseman, which was called
to his attention yesterday morning by De-
tectives Hodgkins and Shorey of the Oak
he got of the ax-wielder between the
opening of the door and the descent of the
weapon upon his upraised arm revealed
to him young man, dark complexioned
and tall. This would fit Cheeseman to a
dot Whether he could recognize the man
again if he saw him Belden thinks is
1T all occurred so quickly he said yes
terday, that 1 didn't have time to take
a good survey of the man. Then again,
when l went to the door, was expecting
telegram and not an ak When the ring
came to the doorbell had just retired. I
poked my head out. of the window and
dShSQ, w no y there. "A SOiGCt Tile pOS-
SCISSOR of which I could not see by reason
of the intervening porch, answered:
Here's telegram. AS it is not unusual
for me to receive kilograms at almost any
hour l went to the door at once.
Had / been suspicious | probably would
have played into the mans hands more
than | did Instead of opening the door
cautiously and sticking my head through
l flung 1t open and stood back, fully three
and a half feet from the threshold. A
small light was burning behind me and
by it had just time to notice the figure