The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-30
DARING CROOKS
ARRESTED FOR A
CRAVE OFFENSE
Bad Men With a Bad
Record.

About O'Clock yesterday morning 70
lice Officer Thomas Conway captured Two
daring crooks after they had stood up
drunk In an attempt 10 commit ROBBERY
al the corner OF California and kearny
streets. Both have long criminal records.
and were booked AT the California-street
police station with having attempted rob
berry. The men were detected by John d.
O'Brien. who informed the officer before
the men cOuld escape. and the arrest foi-
lowed.
Yesterday morning two men who after
ward proved 10 be Joe Riordan and Frank
l. Grafton. both eN-convicts. met Carlo
D. Bernardo. who resides at the California
Hotel. at 2l0 Montgomery avenue. on
kearny street. near Sacramento they
walked him as far as California street
and then CONNIE need d systematic search
Of his pockets. " lille they were engaged
IN The daring operation, almost immedl-
ately under the glare OF an electric lamp,
q Brien stepped from the California-street
police station and walked toward hearny
street. lie recognized the drunk as one
he saw AT the same corner "A snort time
before and witnessed the men in the act
of attempting 10 rob him. o Brien walked
toward the group, and was not discovered
until ne was almost upon them. Both the
crooks then released their victim ana In
a familiar tone bid him adieu Brien
then asked the drunk II he was acquainted
with his companions. me drunk Tepileq
that he was not and that the men had
lust gone through his pockets, whereupon
O'Rrlen called Officer Conway ana APP
prised him of the facts. The pair OF ROB
bers crossed California street, and had
lust started down the side opposite the
police station when the officer was upon
Them Bernardo then confronted them
and accused them of having attempted 70
rob him. I'm the presence OF several oihcers
and witnesses.
Both men were taken into the station.
and Riordan made desperate attempt 10
escape. He was first followed by q Brien.
Officer James Connolly then joined In the
chase. and after a long run caught the
escaped prisoner. Riordan struck Con-
nollV several severe blows with his heavy
umbrella before he could be handcured.
When the crook returned to the station he
gave two names, Joseph Smith and David
klingenfess. and his companion claimed 10
be a physician who recently arrived from
Chicago. Both were locked up.
To-day the detectives found that both
Of the men were eX-convictss and daring
criminals. The man who made an attempt
TO free himself from the clutches of the
law IS Joe Riordan. who has served two
terms one for burglary and another for
robbery, besides having been convicted
minor ofrenses. Grafton. instead of being
a Chicago physician, is Fresno forger.
who spent some time in San Quentin.
The cases were called in Judge Mogan's
court yesterday morning, but, owing TO
the inability of Bernardo to positively
identify the men. he being badly intoxi-
Gated when the affair happened, and the
absence OF other witnesses. the case was
postponed until Saturday morning.
The police think that the men are re-
sponsible for large number of the crimes
and holdups which have recently been
committed. and pronounce them bad char
acters They feel confident of connecting
them with other cases.