The San Francisco call., 1906-05-17
NARRATE HOW
TILDEN DIED
Witnesses Tell Of Shots Fired
at Red Cross Auto
mobile.
Examination of Defendants
Commenced Before P0-
lice Judge.

Interest in the fatal shooting Of Major
Heoer c. Tilden the morning of April "a
last was revived Tuesday by the pre-
liminary examination before Police Judge
Shortall of George w. Simmons, Malcolm
7. Vance and e. S. Boynton, charged
with murder. Among the witnesses who
ley, Hugo Altschel, DIR. Albert Berger and
Russell G. Seaman. Assistant District
Attorney Ward represented. the people
and Attorneys Henderson and Saffold the
Father Crowley having testified that
he saw the dead body of Major Tilden
shortly after the shooting. Hugo Altschel,
he was in the automobile with the de-
ceased and Russell G. Seaman when tho
shot was fired. They had come from the
had Red Cross insignia onspicuously dis
played. 1t was about 1890 o'clock a. m
when they arrived at Twenty second and
Guerrero streets and were crossing that
fired in quick succession. The auto was
sharply stopped. and Major Tilden, who
was seated In front of the witness and
Seaman, jumped out, staggered to tho
sidewalk and dropped dead.
A few moments later a physician ar
rived and made an examination OF the
remains, finding bullet wound near the
heart. The witness heard no order to
halt before the shots were fired. When
police officers arrived they arrested the
three defendants, and he heard an ar
SUmenI between the latter as 10 WHICH
of them owned certain gun. He also
heard either Boynton or Vance, he could
not positively say which of them, say
that he had fired into the air.
heard the shots and found the deceased
lying upon the sidewalk Examination
of the body disclosed a gunshot wound
under the collarbone, where the bullet
frd where ne missile had entered the
body.
Russell @. Seaman. student residing
at 502 Guerrero street. swore he was for
Signal Corps. and during the fire he vol
unteered to special duty. At the time
Of the shooting he was returning from
Palo Alto with Major Tilden.. and at the
three on either side of the street. were
standing when the auto approached. Just
as a matter Of courtesy, and not because
the vehicle was hailed; the witness called
from any Of the men. When the ma
chine was about ten feet past the cross
ing or the streets the man farthest away
Ilred into the air. and then about ten
continuing to shoot after the others had
ceased. Drawing his revolver, the wit
ness fired five shots at that man. aiming
at the flash, and then he (witness) was
struck In the back by a bullet which did
not penetrate his body, its force having
been spent by It's passage through the
rear OF the auto The Red Cross signs
on the auto. which had four lamps burn
Ing at the time, could have been seen by
any one.
On .cross-examination Mr. Seaman con-
fessed to having stated that he was sorry
he had not shot the man he fired at.
Andrew Burke. keeper of the Four
teen-Mile House, testified that Tilden
was at his place the day of the shooting
the auto.
Norman Peart testified he was a chauf-
feur feur employed by the Mobile Garage
Company on Golden Gate avenue; that
the auto was In good condition when
taken from the garage, but when brought
back he thought 1t was out of order:
that he saw the Re- Cross sign on it
and the bullet holes in the machine.
Livingston jerks, attorney at law, tes-
tilted that he received a Red Cross ban
ner that was taken off the auto and that
he .s.,, afterward gave 1t to Police Officer
John B. McCue. who aided in the arrest
Of the defendants, swore that Simmons
admitted having shot at the auto and
that Vane and Boynton made similar ad-
mission.
The hearing was then continued till
tomorrow morning