Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1901-12-13
A TYPICAL CASE.
How Drunk and His Money Parted Com
pany.-The Story as Developed in the Trial
of Eugene Mcpherson.


of Eugene Mcpherson.
The case of the people against Eugene
Mcpherson was commenced in the SUI
peror court last Wednesday morning.
Defendant was charged with stealing
and converting to his own use two
checks, the property Of one Joseph
Hawkins. The scene of the light
| fingered transaction is laid in the pic
turesque village of Pine Grove, and
the story shows that amid the music
of the pines the wolves )f human shape
who toll not and still cOntrive to live
and dress well, are ever on the alert as
we'll as in the crowded cities, to pounce
upon the unwary, and relieve him of
| his wealth.
Hawkins, the victim of the plot just
unraveled before jury, knows no other
way of making a living than by the
sweat of his brow. His besetting weak
ness is taste for strong waters, and
his taste in this direction lasts so long
as he has the wherewithal TO crafty it.
| With money in his purse work is not
| to be thought of. After working for
for some time at the Standard Electric
Company camp at Bear river-in the
wilderness of pines and away from the
enticements of civilization = he wan
dered forth in the latter part of Octo-
Der to mingle once more in the haunts
of business. On the 25th OF that month
he struck his old stamping ground of
Pine Grove, his pockets loaded with at
least two company's checks-one for
$50 IS, the other for $43. 75-and some
coin. He had scarcely resumed his
residence in the pretty hamlet before
| he became loaded up with something
besides money, unloading his cash at
| the same time. Ere long he had a
| full-hedged jag on-in that line there
is no halfway measures with Hawkins;
it is either dead calm or a cyclone
with him. And those who know him
say that when the spirits are in full
force and effect, he is practically OBJ
| livious of passing events. He took the
| precaution to speak for bed at the
| hotel. Thereafter, the defendant in
vited him, in the spirit of a good
Samaritan of course, to share bed and
board with him that night, in cabin
| near the postoffice occupied by him
and one Butternut. After supper, so
one of the witnesses for the defense
related, Hawkins strolled into saloon,
was staying there overnight, So worth
of fish. He had partaken of fish for
supper and was so enthused over his free
bill of fare that he proposed to barbe-
cue the town But this is side-light
from the main issue. Hawkins finally
went to bed with Butternut as bed
fellow; the defendant occupying the
other bed by himself. He had his two
checks in cartridge box in his coat
pocket. About II O'Clock he woke up
somewhat recovered from his booze,
and in his strange surroundings be-
thought him of his money. He exam
ed his coat; the box was there, but
the checks were gone. He asked Nc
Pherson if he had them, and he said,
No. Hawkins said he had not indorsed
the checks either with his name or
cross.
Mcpherson got up at 4 o'clock next
on to jackson. He presented one check
bearing Hawkins name on the back, at
Coset S saloon, and got it partly cashed.
Mr. Coset subsequently got wind that
there was something wrong, and got
back his money and returned the paper.
Mcpherson took the other check to H.
Wells, bought bill of goods and re-
ceived $40 in money. About this time
constable Kay took hand in the
game, arrested Mcpherson, and took
both checks in tow as evidence; both
papers were now mutilated where the
Endorsements had been made.
Mcpherson took the stand in his own
behalf, and in trying to patch up an
ugly case utterly ruined his cause.
He said that Hawkins gave him the
checks, told him to indOrse them for
him, and get them cashed in Jackson.
At first he denied that Hawkins woke
up in the night and inquired for his
missing checks. Then he weakened,
saying he was not sure on that point.
Finally he admitted, under cross-ex-
animation, with the cold sweat stand
ing in beads upon his face, and which
he kept wiping away, at the same time
calling for water-that Hawkins did
ask him if he had his checks, and he
said, Yes 1t was the most dramatic
and abject breakdown of a defendant
upon the witness-stand seen for many
years. His attorney, G. Fl. Croker
was dumbfounded by this unexpected
turn. The following jury sat on the
case: S. Isaminger, D. T. Kerr, r. M.
Ford, J. W. Kirk. W. A. Gregory, j.
w. LOOMS, G. A. Cramer, 1. n. Chit
wood, 7. G. Showers, M. Hammer W.
I'll, Blakely, and Robert Brown sen.
They were not long in reaching YER
dict of guilty. Sentence. will be pro-
nounced Dec. 10.