Amador ledger., 1905-06-23

search Tor money would indicate that
the men did not know where the
money was, and may have summoned
Maker home for the purpose of gett-
ing him to tell them. Had he known
that his grandmother was killed there
would have been an outcry and a
struggle with the possibility of rous-
ing the neighborhood and revealing
the identity of the slayers. The cut
throats are supposed to have been
identified by Maker, and hence they
resolved to compel him to go with
them to the lonely spot by the river
bank and close his lips in death as
they had done with his grandparent.
The amount of plunder secured as a
result of this tragedy is thought to
have been small. Mrs Yoak said her
mother never had any quantity of
money in the house; she was saving
and economical to pay her way; and
this was about all she could do. She
thinks she did not have more than $40
at any time. 1t was customary not to
draw the money for the cattle sold at
once, iustructing the boy not to take
more than S5 OF $40 on account.
Whether this was to avoid tho chance
of robbery Is not known. There was
an idea with some that the old lady
had considerable money. Young Maker
it is said had S45 OF $50 of his own,
and unlike his grandmother, was in
cllned to be talkative. Perhaps it was
this money the murderers we're after,
and called him home to tell of it's
whereabouts. In May, 1900, Mrs
Williams executed a trust deed to her
daughter, Mrs A Yoak conveying all
her real property in Lancha Plana,
consisting of 100 acres near the viii
lage, and six lots within the townsite,
comprising the dwelling house and
land adjacent thereto. This deed was
placed in the hands of j W Surface
and sons, bankers of lone, and held
by them up TO the time of the death
OF Mrs Williams The trust deed
instructed Mrs Yoak to make deed OF
the property to Chester Maker when
he reached the age of q years. 1t was
the purpose of the trust that this con-
veyanne be made at the time stated,
no matter whether Mrs Williams be
living or dead. After the funeral of
the old lady last week, the deed was
surrendered to Mrs Yoak. 1t is now
in the hands of the officers. How the
death of the boy will affect the dis
position of the property is not clear.
The property is not of much value.
All told Mrs Williams is assessed for
real and personal property, for S545
1t may be worth twice that sum, but
that is the outside limit.
Sheriff Norman, assisted by eonsta-
BILE Kelly of lone and the constable
of Clements, have been untiring in
their efforts to unravel this mystery
Night and day they have worked, run
ming down every cIew that gave the
least promise of solution. On Tues
day, on information sent from the
authorities here. three men were ar
rested in and near San Andreas, and
lodged in the county Jail there. Wed
nesday morning sheriff Norman and
district attorney Vicini went over
to San Andreas to interview the sus-
poets, in the hope of getting some
tangible clew to work on. They we're
all half breeds, and one of them has
recently been released from state pris-
Cd. One of the men was brought to
jackson the same evening, and lodged
in Jail. His name is Dan Barry. Mel
ther he nor the other two arrested are
residents of Amador county. They
belong to Calaveras county, and live
some six miles from San Apdreas, on
the Calaveras river. What evidence
the officers have against the one in
Jail we do not know. Whether he is
suspected of being concerned in the
murders himself, or of having a
knowledge of facts connected with the
tragedies which might lead to the
identity of the guilty ones, we cannot
say. The officials are wisely not tell
ing all they know; at the same time
newspaper correspondents on the out
side are telling great deal more than
they know. The latter fact has ham
pered the officers in their efforts to
ferret out the case.
The murderers left not the slightest
trace behind them. They seem to have
done their bloody work in a method
lcal manner. Even the positions in
which the dead were found are be.
lieved by the officers to have been not
accidental. Mrs Williams throat was
cut, they believe, not as she lay upon
her back on the bed, but when her
face was turned downward. In this
way the knife weilder would avoid
getting his hands and clothing soaked
in the blood of his victim. After the
life fluid had been let out, the body
was turned over on its back, the hands
placed as they were found, and the
pillow over the face. The same pre-
cautions were taken in young Makers
murder. The fatal cut was made as
the body lay prostrate upon the
ground, face downward. The head was
lifted up to enable the knife to be
plunged into the throat. 1t is with
such calculating Williams. the officers
have to deal.
A few days ago W. Grail searching
in the vicinity of the spot where the
body of Maker was found, picked up
white handled pocket knife. On in
quiry we are told that little import
ance is attched to this discovery. The
blade is rusty, and seemingly the in
strument has not been used for long
time. 1t is not claimed the find cuts