Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-12
LAWS ACTIVITY
lessons CRIME
MANY HORRIBLE EXAMPLES
IN JAIL
Statistics Show This County Foremost
In the state for Violent Deaths and
for Punishment Of Those
Who Cause Them

According to recent statistics fur
nlshed the state authorities from the
various counties, Los Angeles is fore
most in the ranks of ufortunates who
meet violent deaths at the hands of
others or who take the law of life
In their own hands and commit suicide.
The morgues have furnished the
greatest list of such statistics, but the
county and city jails of Los Angeles
have a story to tell which would. If
printed, form one of the most terrible
pages in the history of crime
Foremost among the prisoners is
Eugene Stackpole, miner, ex-convict
and bully, who has whipped several of
his comrades of the county jail only
to receive the most terrible beating of
his experience at the hands of a pygmy
Jamaica negro, who refused to accept
an insult which Stackpole insisted on
forcing upon him.
But Stackpole has plenty of company
in the bullying line and the jail Of
ficers spend most of their time watch
ing the desperate prisoners now under
their charge.
Convicted of Murder
The crime for which Stackpole was
convicted of murder in the first degree
and recommendation of mercy with
the life sentence penalty attached,
handed down by the jury. thereby saw
ing his neck, was so atrocious as to
keep people of Los Angeles awake at
night thinking of the horror of it.
Stackpole was convicted of the murder
of Joel Scheck, his friend, whom he
is said to have killed in order to have
full possession of Aurelia Scheck, his
victims wife. According to the testi-
mony in the case, Mrs. Scheck opened
the door so that Stackpole might enter
the home at night and shoot her hus-
band. AS a result of that trial Stack
pole PAGES a narrow iron barred cage
at the county jail, waiting until the
supreme court reviews the action of
the jury and either grants him a new
trial for his life or remands him to the
custody of the sheriff to be incarcer-
ated in states prison at San Quentin
for the rest of his life.
Stackpole has already spent about
eight years of his life in the peniten-
tiary and the thought of life habita-
ton there does not please him.
Within fifty feet of Stackpole and
just beyond the iron barred doors which
separates the women's ward from the
mems apartments at the county Jail,
Mrs. Aurelia Scheck, accused Jointly
with Stackpole with the murder of her
husband, waits trial in the superior
court on a charge of perjury against
her by the county grand jury.
Held for Perjury
When the woman confessed and told
| in court the horrible details of the
| tragedy she did so under immunity
from punishment, but following the
conviction of Stackpole. Mrs, Schecl
was held on q perjury charge for false
evidence given under oath at the coro
ner's inquest. 1t is not thought tha1
the state will be very successful ir
prosecuting her on that charge and ir
all probability she will go free.
Bull" White. who for the past four
years has been an inmate of the county
Jail, is another of the desperate men
of the institution White, a young la
borer, was convicted and sentenced to
life imprisonment on charge of hav-
ing murdered an old woman. The as
sault was alleged to have occurred near
the First street bridge and the woman
met her death because she resisted
Whites alleged attempt to secure her
pocketbook
White is in the same section with
Stackpole that part of the Jail known
as tank E, which has held most of the
bad criminals of the past four or five
years.
Boys Made Their Escape
Some months ago two boys made their
escape from this tank, but since then
the roof has been reinforced with boiler
plate sheeting so that it is now consid-
cred proof against any attacks.
Anton Besold, alleged murder and
multi-bigamist, is the third member of
the triumvirate. Needless to say Be-
sold receives scant courtesy from the
other prisoners and pays but little at
tention to his companions.
Morris Buck, under sentence of exc
cution for the murder of Mrs. Garfield,
two boys under sentences of twenty and
fifteen years for highway robbery. and
several others who have been sent north
for safe keeping, are other specimens
of the wedding out system which boosts
up the local crime rate, but which is
rapidly striking terror to the hearts of
"yegs" and criminals who have until
recent years considered Los Angeles an
easy place wherein to ply their trade.