The San Francisco call., 1904-03-09
BURGLAR WHO SHOT A REPORTER
Is SENT UP TO SUPERIOR COURT
Police Judge Mogan Holds Charles H. Wright in
$4,000 Bail on Charges Of Burglary and Attempt
to Murder---Robert Weeden Is Also Detained

Charles H. Wright, who shot John
D. O'Brien, a Call reporter, last Friday
morning, has been held in $4,000 bonds
to answer in the Superior Court the
charges of burglary and attempting to
murder. His companion in crime, Rob-
ert Weeden, was placed under bonds of
$4,000 on the single accusation of bur-
glary.
The two young desperadoes sat in
Police Judge Mogan's court yesterday
and nonchalantly listened to a recoun-
tai of their fel0nious work. Weeden
was without coat or vest, those articles
having been taken from him to serve
as evidence that they had been stolen.
Wright calmly looked at the witnesses
as they testified and occasionally shift
ed his glance to the spectators that
crowded the space outside the rail.
When the story of the burglary and
shadcwing of the defendants had been
told, Mr.. O'Brien related his thrilling
struggle with Wright for possession
Of the revolver with whio the latter
tried to shoot Policeman Keohane, and
how he was shot through the leg by
DETECTING the muzzle of the weapon
aimed at his body. He fully identified
Wright as the man who wounded him.
officers Keohane and O'Connor gave
corroborative testimony, and the keeper
of the clearinghouse on Kearny street
in which the defendants roomed also
furnished damaging evidence against
them. No defense was attempted, and
the cases were promptly sent to the
higher court.
While the hearing was in progress
the pistol taken from Wright lay, with
several detached cartridges, upon the
stenogra piers table, where either of
the defendants could have obtained
possession of them by simply stretch
ing out his hand. In course of iden-
tification the weapon was picked up
and returned to the table several times,
and each time it was sharply followed
by Wright's keen glance. Judge Mo
gan was first to perceive the tempta-
ton that confronted the fellow whose
desperate character had been proved.
A sharp look at Wrights face appar-
emily decided the Judges mind. for he
quietly took the weapon from the hand
of the prosecuting attorney and laid it
upon the desk in front of him, saying,
Il believe it would be safer to keep it
up here"
Every one in court understood the
significance Of the action and the
words Wright and Weeden exchanged
questioning glance. and then both
smiled in a sicl1Iy way.
Belle Chapelle, alias Derby" was
opening wine" in an O'Farrell-street
resort the other evening, when she
missed some of her money, and then
she disturbed the peace so energetically
that the proprietress of the place had
her arrested. She was fined SO yester-
day by Judge Cabaniss.
Since this woman entered the under
world her descent has been rapid. A
few years ago she suddenly flashed
into notoriety through being identified
as the friend of a French Vice Con-
sui at this port who committed sui
eide, and since then she has frequently
| posed in the police courts. But from
the primrose path Of luxurious folly
she has passed to the thorny roadway
of squalid degradation.
Her finish is near" remarked a prac-
tical policeman, as Belle faced the court
and vainly tried to resurrect some of
! the old defiant spirit that once made
/ her an object of interest.
John Brown, able seaman, occupied q
room in a Vallejo street boarding house
with another son of Neptune last Sun
| day night, and when John rose from
/ his couch Monday morning and dressed
himself he substituted the other mans
| coat for his own and went out Wher
the other man awoke and discovered
his loss he hastened out and reported
to the police that in an inside pocket o1
the missing garment was the sum of SIS
so officer Clifford went forth to find anc
succeeded in rounding UP John Brown
A B. No money was found in the coat
and John declared that he had not alb
! stracted any cash from it, but was or
his way back to return it to its owner
having just discovered that it was no
his own, when the officer met him. II
lieu of sufficient evidence to fasten the
crime of robbery upon John, thar