The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-16
LOOKS NEARLY
HIS UND0ING
Lecturer Barely Escapes Arrest
For Pelican Point Murders.
HANDWRITING WAS SIMILAR
GEORGE WRIGHT's DOUBLE is
sHADoWED BY ErERIFFS.

DISAPPOINTMENT after a long
spell of hard work. the narrow
II escape of an innocent man from
being taken into custody on d charge
n committing three foul murders, and
rsaIizauon of the almost positive hope
lsssness Of ever capturing the culprit--
such was the result Of the man hunt in
San Francisco from which Sheriff Nay
lar and Sheriff George A. Storrs Of
Provo returned Yesterday
They had discovered a man physi-
rsllv and in every feature a counter
nail of the man they esought-GeOrge
Wright. accused of the commission Of
me Pelican Point murders in 1895.
with The aid Of San Francisco detec-
lives hey had Swallowed his every
movement, listened TO the sound Of his
,oice. secured copies of his writing,
Consulted experts ana at their advice
we're ready to take him into custody.
Tn fact, Sheriff Storrs kept guard over
him I'm a hotel While he slept, lest he
should grow suspicious and escape.
The suspect was c. f. Jones, a for
ner newspaper man of Minneapolis
and ST. Paul, later a lawyer on the
Pacific coast and at present "A lecturer
ON SDIldA anu AADOA "a bbANAlAos 1OlAfer
when confronted with the suspicious
Of the officers, gave a written account
~ his life from childhood. The various
details were corroborated by others,
showing conclusiyely that he was not
the guilty man. The surveillance eL-
ercsed over him ceased and the Of
fcers turned hOmeward in disappOint-
ment.
Expert Advised Arrest.
The suspect himself did not arise to
The seriousness of the situation until
shown a picture of the fugitive and
samples OF his writing. Both corre-
sponded so closely that he was thor
cughl.r awakened TO his peril. Wright's
uenmanship was shown through letters
written years ago, long before the muir
ders An expert to whom the letters
acre submitted, together with samples
Of Jones writing, advised the latter's
arrest
To add to the circumstances on which
the officers acted was the declaration
Of a relative of Jones that he was in
Utah during the period in question.
His statement was to the effect that
he was in Arizona instead.
Sheriff StOTrs was particularly cha
grined, because he entertained high
hopes that at asst the wanted man
hal been run to earth. 1t was through
his efforts that n. f. Hayes was par
doned, after being convicted the
crime, because the Provo officer was in
possession Of a confession from a wo-
man VINO knew the entire story, fasten-
ing the crime upon Wright. Sheriff
Storrs continued on his way home
without stopping over in Salt Lake,
and had nothing TO say about the
ease.
Look For School Teacher.
Sheriff Naylor learned of a circum-
stance last night that may be of value
in identifying Wright, should he be
caught, despite the changes time may
have worked in his appearance during
the last seven years while he has been
fugitive. Wright's former school
teacher. a woman who was singularly
attracted to him by his peculiarities
and, therefore, studied him closely day
by day for years, is believed to be liy-
ing in Salt Lake City. The officers
expect TO be in touch with her within
day or two and hope 10 find her
knowledge of the fugitive of value i'm
case another suspect is found.