The San Francisco call., 1904-11-12

accused men, who had been acting in
/ concert. This charge consists of an
accusation that former Sergeant Clark
and Patrolman Hamerton entered the
store of the BusWelI Paint Company at
SO4 Broadway, stole a can Of paint and
carried it off. This charge, it is as
serted, is Independent of many others
which have been gathered from sources
not directly connected with the Police
department. For months. it is said,
the men have been under surveillance
For months their comings and goings
nave been the object of private watch.
For months, it is asserted, at least two
OF them have been in collusion in raids
upon convenient grocery and wearing
apparel stocks on their beats.
STEALING WAS GENERAL.
ItNis declared that the investigating
officers have evidence that all of the
quartet had made frequent pilfering
expeditions into the grocery of Henry
Gushing, Thirteenth street, near CLAW
and had been seen carrying off fifty
pound sacks of flour. Not only did the
grocery suffer, but in the long
list Of articles is contained such wares
as women's wraps, dry goods, corsets
silk, ham, jewelry, dress goods, chill
drens garments, fountain pens and like
wares.
~ASANNCA III tic llSI OI stores are the
Eastern Quitting Company. Thir-
teenth and Clay streets; H. d. Cusb-
lngs, Smith Brothers stationery and
book store, Crescent Corset COMPANY
and cloak establishment at Tenth
and Clay streets.
Not little of the evidence which
Chief Hodgkins laid before the Police
commissioners to-day was contained
In two written confessions of guilt
one of which was made by Stahl and
the other by Andrews The verbal ad-
missions made by Clark and Hamerton
were repeated by Hodgkins, Captain
Peterson and Captain Wilson, before
whom all four men were questioned. on
election day.
The contents Of the written confess
sions as well as the details of the oral
statements are being closely guarded
pending such time as Prosecuting At
torney Leach shall decide upon the
worth of the evidence in prosecuting
the dismissed men.
That Andrews, Clark, Stahl and
Hamerton had at times operated either
in pairs or even all together during the
period covered by their confessions is
the belief OF police officials. That they
had some agreement as to the tempor-
ary disposal of the property taken is
also thought to be a fact. AS the
depths are sounded combinations are
reached in number. Among the dis
closures to-day was that supplied by
Charles Gilbert, janitor of the Physi-
clans building on Washington. near
Thirteenth street, where Clark and An
drews said they had carried on a. beer
bust with women. They asserted
yesterday that Hamerton had been in
the connivial party. This Hamerton
denies and Hodgkins says Hamerton
was not there. But Gilbert and a Mrs
Miles, who works for Gilbert. cor
roborate the statement that two police
men did carouse in the building with
one Jennie Cook, who had also worked
for Gilbert. Another former employe
in the building said he had seen a big.
fat policeman carry off a big package
of groceries that had been hidden be-
hind doorway in the entrance.
MEN IN HIDING.
The absence of Clark and Andrews
is explained by their friends on the
score of desire to go into hiding tenn
porarily, pending developments. Chief
Hodgkins thinks he is in a position TO
lay his hands on the men when he