Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-07
SLAYERS OF
LYONS BEGIN
LEGAL FIGHT
HIGHWAYMEN ARE FORMALLY
HELD
ROBE KISSES BABE AS HE FACES
COURT
az They Would Only Let Me Tell
How Good He Was," Sobs
Wife Of Youthful
Prisoner

Impelled by that insane form of curios-
ity which forces human beings to throng
around spots where murders have been
committed and stare for hours at the
blood spots which remain, thousands Of
men. women, and even tiny boys and
girls, crowded First street in front of the
police station yesterday in the hope they
would be able to secure glimpse of the
men charged with the Staying of Patrol
man Lyons.
From early morning until nearly )
o'clock the curious thousands remained,
and, despite the fact that police officers
constantly drove them from the positions
they had taken, they returned at the first
opportunity. The street was so crowded
that it was impossible for pedestrians to
walk from Broadway to Hill.
'sThey ought to bring them out pretty
soon" said one young woman as she
reered up the stairway leading to the
court, as If believing the alleged mur-
oerers would be brought down and
.areded before the gathered crowd
Each time the patrol wagon left the
station hundreds crowded around, evil
IDENTIFY believing the prisoners were being
smuggled to the county Jail in it. Several
times it appeared as IL 1t would be neces-
sary for the patrolmen to beat the mob
off with clubs.
Few Admitted
At the foot of the stairway leading to
the court room bluecoat was stationed.
with instructions to admit no one who did
not have business upstairs. Despite this
fact, many succeeded in passing, but they
were stopped by Patrolman Glenn, who
was stationed at the court room door, and
only witnesses, officers and newspaper
iren were admitted.
At IL O'Clock the little court room of
Police Justice Chambers was cleared for
the examination of Daniel F. Meskil.
alias Harry Mitchell. and Rolla Robe, the
men accused of the murder of Patrolman
Lyons last Saturday night
A few minutes later the men were led
into the prisoners docket by detectives,
and faced the first skirmish in their battle
for life and freedom.
'.The people against Daniel F. Meskil
and Rolla Robe,' read Justice Chambers
from the complaint, and both men stood
up.
Are you ready for your preliminary
examination at this timer" he asked.
81 am" replied Meskl In his deep, gruff
voice. while Robe bowed his head.
Justice Chambers then explained the na-
ture of the examinations; that it was not
q trial. but simply a preliminary hearing,
and both men dropped back in their seats.
Surrounding them were officers of the de-
partment on every hand, brother patrol
men of the slain policeman, alert to pre-
vent any attempt at escape on the part
of the desperate men.
MeskiI Indifferent
Meskil, who is said to have fired the
fatal shot. appeared to take but little in,
terest in the proceedings which mean so
much to him. Heavily built, every move
ment of his body showing great muscular
Il mi h1it with IOvU hrOvV dopn
sunk, piggish appearing eyes with rim
of white showing beneath the pupils, the
man impressed a spectator as being a
brute without drop of human blood in
his veins.
He appears to be one of that class of
criminals greatest feared by police; a
man whose highest ambition is to kill
an officer.
Rolla Robe is of a different kind. His
low brow, sunken cheeks wasted form.
receding chin and lack-luster eyes, mark
him as degenerate.
Soon after the case was called slender,
dark eyed woman, carrying a tiny baby.
entered the court room. They were the
wife and child of Rolla Robe. The dark,
Spanish eyes of the little woman cleaned
with pleasure as she saw her husband,
and she held the child high that the
father might gaze at 1t. For the only
time during the day Robes features
lighted up, and he smiled with pleasure
as he saw his little one. With an inn
pulsive movement he started forward
as il to go to his wife, but the hand of
Detective Roberts on his shoulder brought
sternly back to the young man the fact
that he was prisoner. He sank back
in his seat, but all during the session his
eyes followed the movements of his wife
and baby as If his thoughts were on them
alone.
Captain Bradish on Stand
Capt. Bradish, in command of the Uni
versity station, was the first witness
called. He testified to the Identification
of Lyons body.
DIR. George Campbell then told of the
autopsy and described the wound which
had caused the death of the patrolman.
DIR. Joseph Tanner assistant police sur
geon. told of the operation he had per-
formed on Lyons at the receiving hospital
the night of the shooting, and described
the course of the bullet On motion of
the prosecution the bullet was then Of
fered in evidence.
Elmer Meinerd who was forced to
search Lyons by the robbers shortly be-
fore the patrolman was killed, described
the part he had played in the tragedy
Meinerd lives at 1435 Newton street and
was ON his way home when he was
stopped by the robbers. He testified he
had been forced to search Lyons, but that
he had not told the robbers that the
patrolman was holding his revolver in his
right hand in the air. The witness said
he was facing Lyons and consequently
had his back turned when the shot which
cost the patrolman his life was fired.
He said when he heard the report of the
shot he turned and saw the holdup men
in full fight up the street.
Meinerd said one of the men wore
black cap and a white cloth mask with
two holes in 1t for the eyes He said he
thought the man who wore the mask was
Meslkil, but could not fully identify him.
Robe, whom he identified, did not wea-
any covering over his face, he said.
Identifies Robe
Albert Grosser, proprietor of the Mag
nolia grocery, 14O4 Central avenue, iden-
titled Robe as the man who abstracted the
money from his cash drawer Saturday
night while a big man. presumably
Meskil, kept him covered with revolver.
Soon after the men left his store,
crosser testified, he heard a revolver
shot and rushing to the street saw Lyons
falling to the pavement, while two men
were running from his body.