The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-24
FEST no FIND BODY.

was at my own home the night Of the muir
der was the first TO find old Bill's body the
l-AI Gay and was the first 10 notify the
coroner and Sheriff, but in doing AL this 7
put myself in a trap from which il was i'm
possible 10 escape. When / was arrested
lived about four miles from Sonora and gs,ned
q Lanch OF 90 acres. was married and mad
little son -Four months after l came here
ny VIE had another son. On the 10th of
LeGeIhber' 1891, was at home all day and all
night. On the next day l started for Sono~a
Jonn buchanan was with mel on horsebacls
40 ne waking. When we reached Old BfHs
49, q ioel'.ilouse ABOUT haif a mile from my
nome We entered. Soon after Mr. Wheeler and
ms son dnoVe up / asked him where Bill
was he uld not know, and as Bill did not
come in soon 1 stepped behind the bar and
4Str CT 1llt drinks FINALLY suggested TO hunt
D 2 ! went out the back door and I'D a path
that LED TO some plowed ground where 7
Knew BllI had been at work three DAYS nre-
slSus- l saw tracks and followed them They
Iea 70 a stone wall l climbed the wall and
was about TO call for Bill when I saw rs
Dooy below. This about $50 Yards from
~ ~ nouse- Jumped over to where il was
ne ne alIns were tied behind the body with bal
ing rope and a rag was around the head A
D .iiI was in his head and a knife was
SIN sucking clear through his throat
called for help and Wheeler came r.
S1SoLse McQuade, the Under Sheriff, happened
SSI later ana we asked him what to DO He
l did; 1 notified Coroner Van HoIIinser an5
4 als9 sherin Kancey. They came out and the
Dyoy was removed to the home
On December 81 lobe and / werA arrastad
= ,Hnays carried stx-shooter and it was NOT
t taSeA from me when 1 was taken into cns-
TOOK Il 10 jail with me Now inst
70 show You how circumstances viii 90.
ADout TWO weeks previous to this rntrdaS -
,aan pg the name Of Tip Alderman came to
my nOuse. lobe was there too and made
q proposition 10 us to go down with him 70
ola BlIFs place ana rob him. We ridieuleI
again. He went away. but did nor ret,,r,' IL IL
the meantime We thought We would baya
some some, nun with Tip and Informed him we
would DO II. So the time was set for tbree
I
ana In jail 1 thought of this Conversation
asked McQuade that night IL cou1d o. -
my fathers home to see him. He sc,,i 50 -
ana. left the jail. saddled my horse and
started out. 1 stopped en- route to tell Ack
s a.eu hoS 10 say anything about our CONVEX
saIon ana also to inform him that McOuade
had told me he was to be arrested TO
then went TO my fathers home and returned
20 jan tnat same night. Alderman was ar
rested the following morning He turned
States evidence and told that Toba ard
haa come TO him with the proposition to rob
old BIZ and that had seen him the night
OF my arrest and threatened him unless he
kept quiet. The detectives discovered the
either side of a track. as IL a BODY had heen
dragged One of these prints they claimed
tailed with my shoe. The tracks led into
WERE KEPT APART.
lobe was kept away from me. threatened
with being lynched and offered a light sentence
II he pleaded guilty He did. but would not
The trial began on February 20, 1882 Judge
Witt prosecuted the case. F A. Street and
Ira J. Reed Of calaveras defended me The
prosecution made strong point of footprint
evidence and then Alderman went upon the
stand and not only testified that we had nut
up the job. but told that threatened him II
he told about IL. Tobe's plea and other cir
cumstances all went against me- 1 had Ave
witnesses to testify THAT I was at home the
day and night previous to the discovery of the
body and it was shown that the only nistoI
ever owned was "A Colts cap and ball
while the bullet hole in Burgels head was
from 32-caliber pistol. The jury was not
out long and I was given life in San Quen-
tin The last money I had in the world was
$40 I gave this to my attorney to present
the matter to Governor Perkins Nothing
came Of the matter however NY wife was
involved in litigation and lost all our property
She had lots OF trouble. poor woman but came
TO see me often. finally told her not to wait
for me. that It seemed my doom was sealed
and that If good man came along to get
two children have grown up. One lives in
Sonora and one in San Francisco. Ny father
Is still alive. He has lived in Sonora since
Seven years after my conviction Charles
Tubs told several people that were inno-
ted that he committed the deed Later he told
the same story to Mrs. Spooner who at the
present time resides at Point Richmond. He
also told Mr. and Mrs Watson in Sonora
We have afhdavits from all these people now
and are trying to gain our liberty. II The
can can help US we shall appreciate it. We
need them. OF course, We are treated All
right here, but a mans liberty is dearer than
his life. l have wished many a time that /
were dead but the old saying here is that a
man in stripes is never too old to be pardoned
be he guilty or innocent.
BOOKER Is STARTLED.
You know Mr.. Booker became interested in
our case don't you. Well. it was all the
fault of a detective Because he railroaded
two innocent men TO prison for life he thought
be could keep up the good work. He it was
who worked I'D case. When James Book
er District Attorney the celebrated Wards
Ferry murder was committed. A large re-
ward was offered The detective went 10 see