The San Francisco call., 1903-12-02

Judge Conlan when several retailers OF
groceries and ardent spirits of that sec
ton of the city told of how they had
been taken in and done for by Thomas
Kelley. alias Frank Cunningham,
charged with having obtained money
by false pretense.
The complaining witness, a grocery
man. whose store is at Sutter and La
guna streets, described the Kelley
method Of getting something for moth.
ing, and his testimony was corrobo'
rated by other dealers in household
necessaries doing business in the same
district. Mr.. Kelleys system was sim
plicity itself. He just went into gro
cery, ordered a quart bottle of whisky
for 81 so and rendered $40 Confederate
bill In payment. II the grocer accepted
the worthless bill and gave Mr.. Kelley
the bottle Of whisky and $18 80 In
change Mr.. Kelley walked out and was
seen no more by that particular victim.
But If, on the other hand. the store
keeper happened to have cut his eye
teeth in ante-bellum days and recog-
nized "Confed" bill when 1t came his
way. Mr.. Kelley deploringly explained
that he had taken the valueless bit of
paper in payment for labor performed,
and that it was all the money, or
semblance Of money, he had in his pos
session. So the dealer congratulated
himself upon his perspicacity and the
salvation of his bottle of whisky and
SIS so in good hard Federal coin.
But it appeared that the majority of
Western Addition grocerymen upon
whom Mr.. Kelley tried his get-rich-
quick scheme were not versed in the
Identification of spurious currency, for
he drove a roaring trade ere the sharp
fellow at Sutter and Laguna streets
brought his crooked career to an abrupt
halt. Indeed, a canvass of the liquor
purvsyors of the district would result
in the discovery of a surprisingly large
number of bills of $40 denomination
which were issued by the unrecognized
government of which Jefferson Davis
was President. The holders of these
souvenirs are not likely to boast of
possessing them, however, for every
one of them is a testimonial to it's own
er's lack of ordinary mercantile sophis-
tication.
Mr.. Kelley did not tell the court
where he obtained his supply of Con
feds" He will be. sentenced to-day.
While an assault case in which the
parties were Italians was in progress
before Judge Cabaniss the interpreter
left the courtroom before his services
were entirely dispensed with, and in
his absence one of the attorneys in
formed the bench that if an interpreter
were needed his side would furnish
one.
Thank you" was the Judges dryly-
uttered response; but the truth is
we're long on interpreters and short on
lawyers in this case"
Not one of the legal gentlemen
laughed out loud at the judicial sally.
A fine of $50, with the alternative of
thirty days in prison, was the punish
ment prescribed by Police Judge Mo-
gan for George Jackson, the colored
cavalryman who slashed David r.
Brown, a coast artilleryman, with a
razor during a melee on November q,
while the parties were aboard a Union
street car and bound for the Presidio.
Witnesses of the event testified that
the scrimmage was general among a
lot of private soldiers of varying ma
tionalities and uniforms. Several of
the defendants colored comrades-in-
arms tried to make it appear that he
was more sinned against than SHINING
when he drew the favorite weapon of
his race and attempted to defend him
self by carving Brown. On the other
hand, some white soldiers swore that
the -negro's attack was unwarranted,
If not unprovoked.
When the courts decision and pen
atty were announced a number of the
colored troopers made up a pool of
their available cash to pay Jackson's
fine. but the total subscriptions came
within quite few dollars of the requi-
site sum, and then, bidding "Gawge"
to be of good cheer until they returned
and freed him, the dusky crowd went
forth to "hustle.7
Mrs. Josephine Winship, seamstress,
residing at 229 Harriet street, was ar
rested early yesterday morning on
complaint of Eugene Duffey of 800 |
Minna street, who charged her with |
having stolen two $50 gold pieces from
his apartment while she was making |
a casual CALL When Policeman La