The San Francisco call., 1904-06-03

/ fed, "and l was standing at Sutter and
Ieavenworth streets when these two
messenger boys came running
"RUNNING!" exclaimed Judge Mo-
gan.
"NonsenseI" muttered Bailiff Hickey.
Don't forget you're on OATH" whis-
pered Clerk Grey, warningiy, to the
witness.
The attorneys table growled incredu-
/ lity. and the inmates of the pen"
perked up and took notice.
Yes, running" repeated the officer;
they were running, and running fast,
too, as they passed me-
Then everybody stared at the two
diminutive defendants, who fairly
shrank into their natty uniforms as if
they were ashamed of the tradition
smashing conduct alleged against them.
Bailiff Hickey Immediately opined that
they were amateur Mercuries.
The policeman went on to say that
after the boys had passed him he was
informed by citizen, name not given,
that they had just burglarized the fruit
store of Emil Savio, at SS5 Sutter street,
and that it was his duty to follow and
arrest them. He adopted the sugges-
tion, and when he took his prisoners
back to the fruit emporium he found
/ that the shutters had been broken.
I'VE didn't burgle nothin.' said
James Rodela, eldest of the defendants.
I'VE wuz jist a playin' tick-tack-
1 tock," was the defensive explanation
volunteered by the other accused, AL
bert Flick.
AS the owner of the damaged prop
/ erty was not present to tell whether
/ any of his wares had been purloined,
the case was continued till tomorrow,
with bail fixed at $3.50 apiece.
When the case of former Police Ser
geant Reuben A. Wolf, charged with
having brutally assaulted Edmond Cob
lentz, newspaper reporter, was called
in the court of Judge Cabaniss the at
torneys agreed that they were not
ready for the hearing. So the Judge ar
raigned and instructed the defendant
and set the trial for next Wednesday.
Mary Fleming told Judge Mogan that
she was taking a walk to ease a pain
in her back when a policeman arrested
her at $50 o'clock yesterday morning
on complaint of Joseph Smith Of 503
Natoma street, who alleged that she
had an annoying habit of haunting his
dwelling with larcenous intent.
Soon after one of Mrs. Fleming's ma
tutinal visits, Mr.. Smith said, he missed
an alarm clock which he had wound up
and set the previous night, and he
! cI,a hod folr
it, this suspicion being strengthened by
the fact that as she was passing a
neighbor's residence the inmates there
of were startled to hear prolonged
musical whir-r-r-r emanating from be-
meath her wrap, while her manner be-
trayed great perturbation of spirit.
Mrs. Fleming denied knowledge Of the
clock and disclaimed intention Of taking
property not her own when she dropped
in at cockcrow to see the Smiths. Her
visits, she asserted, were solely of a
sociable kind, so far as she was con-
cerned, although they were not accept
ed in similar spirit, but rather as in
trusions, by the Smiths. She will be
sentenced to-day for vagrancy.
Joseph McEvoy, who was held in $500
bail to answer the charge Of embez-
zling 5000 intrusted to him as collector
for Reinhold Richter Camp, Spanish
American War Veterans, was surren-
dered into custody by his bondsmen
and is now a prisoner. Thomas Crow
ley, one of the bondsmen, heard that
McEvoy was about to leave the city.
Mrs. Maud Inman of 119 Turk street
and Mrs Z. Ramft of 900 Market
street tried to have 1t OUT before
Judge Mogan, but were prevented by
the admonitory gavel of the ever
vigilant and peace-preserving Hickey.
Mrs. Ramft rented a suite of apart
ments toNMrs. Inman, who gave vapor
baths and advice to neurotics in quest
of treatment and able 10 pay for it.
When Landlord Walsh intimated that
he intended to increase Mrs. Ramft's
rental that lady besought Mrs. Inman
to exercise her well-known power of
suasion to induce him to forego his
intention. IF you talk him into let
ting my rent alone" Mrs. Ramft is al
legged by Mrs, Inman to have said, you
can have your rooms rent free for
three months" Mrs. Inman Immediate
to her request, and Mrs. Ramft fairly
fell upon her shoulder and deluged it
with tears of gratitude. A month
later, however, Mrs. Ramft demanded
her rent, as usual, and pooh-poohed
Mrs. Inman's reminder of promised
immunity. Mrs. Inman refused to pay,
and when she returned from a brief
outing she found her doors locked and
all her effects in the hands of Mrs
Ramft. So she began proceedings for
their recovery. and thus it happened
she and Mrs. Ramft, each backed by
an able and eloquent pleader. came
near having it out" yesterday in the
presence Of his Honor.
The women glared at each other in
anger and laughed at each other in
scorn, and each openly ACCUSED the
others legal adviser Of excessive zeal
His Honor fortunately found a way
out by suddenly discovering that no
return had been made by the officer
who served the search warrant upon
Mrs. Ramft, and when he told the par
ties to take their contention to a JUS
tice of the Peace there was suppressed