The San Francisco call., 1905-08-05
SCHNEIDER ADDS
HIS CONFESSION
Tells Same Story of the Cook
Murder in Frlityale as
His Pal Pembroke Did
BOTH BLAME BLAkER
Declare He Was Instigator
and That He Dealt Fatal
Blows With the Bludgeons

OAKLAND. Aug. following the con
fession of Percy Pembroke yesterday,
John Schneider, broke down to-day and
told the detail S OF the murder and rob-
berry of Thomas W Cook. the young
Fruitvale grocer. Sheriff Barnet is con-
Vipced that George Dlaker. 10 whom of
the youthful trio il fell to deal the blow
which dropped the victim, will also make
d confession.
While Sheriff Barnet was willing to give
odI the Pembroke confession IN detail he
refuses 10 speak Of the Schneider con-
fessiCn.
SchneiGer's story agrees in air essential
Geta Is with thai OF Pembroke, and lie de-
cares, as does Pembroke. tat Blaker
dealt the blows that caused the death OF
Cock The stories Of Schneider and Penn
broke are the same as to the general
pia-cIlnS OF the ho. dup. Schneider, in ad-
rttlon. says that the trio watched Cook
al during that Saturday night until he
left the store. Then they followed him
unUI tEsy get. 20 the dark place in the
road near trUitNele avenue. Schneider
claims mat he ard Pembroke were little
behind BlaEer when ,-ie latter struck the
blow that teled Cook 10 the ground. He
agrees that Pembroke ran, and says that
while he stood by he die not rob Cook
Scnnalder declares that he did not get any
of the money.
Pembroke and Schneider have shielded
themselves as much as possible in the
confessions.
SAYS HE GOT NO MONEY
AS to the money taken from Cook, both
Schneider and pembroke are very posi-
tive that neither obtained any Schneider
in his story to-day. denied that he got
any OF the coin at the time though he
admits that Baker paid his expenses On
the Sunday following the hold-up when
they went to the Chutes and around San
Francisco.
Baker is the only one who has said
nothing. His father has employed A L.
Prick 10 look after his case. and, acting
upon The advice of his attorney, the boy
refuses 10 talk
The murder of Cook and the arrest of
this gang OF young criminals has ended
the reign Of terror in Fruitvale The
youthful desperaJoes had planned series
Of holG-ups Had the Cook robbery been
accomplished without detection, long
list of East Oakland and Fruitvaie citi-
zens would have been stood up, for they
were marked for future operations by the
gang.
MILLER MARKED BY GANG.
The man who was marked for the next
hold-up was James Miller, the East Oak
iand pottery man. who lives on Twenty
fifth avenue. Miller is man who is
known around East Oakland as always
carrying = considerable amount of money
with him. He Is also the possessor of a
large number of very fine diamonds which
ne wears nearly all OF the time. With
a set Of three very fine shirt studs and
several rings, Mr.. Miller has at least $500
worth Of stones that could easily be made
salable by simply knocking them out of
the settings. The Jim Crow gang knew
this, and it had marked Miller for its
next victim.
The fact that the gang had picked other
victims would indicate that Cook must
have either mace a fight that caused
them to beat him into insensibility, or
that. IN their excitement, they struck
harder than they thought.
The funeral of Thomas w. Cook took
place to-day from his home on Fruit
vale avenue. The services were very
simple and were conducted by the Rev.
Robert Whitaker Of the Twentythird
Avenue Church. The services were very
quiet and were attended only by the fam
fly Friends were asked not TO send
flowers.
The inquest will be held tomorrow
morning at the Alameda branch morgue
and will be conducted by Coroner Mehr-
mann in person. 1t IS expected that all
four Of the gang now under arrest will
be taken there by Sheriff Barnet, and L
is possible that one or all OF them may
be put upon the stand before the Coron-
er's jury.