The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-09-21

TN the ISLANDERS report last
IL week of the theft from w. A.
Wright, of East Sound, of $52 by
John Kelley, Jr., the she riff was quo
ted as saying that he did not arrest
Kelley after his guilt was established
by his own confession because the
prosecuting attorney, before leaving
for Bellingham, told him to let the
matter rest until his return. Mr..
Garrett states that at the time he
left here there was no proof against
Kelley although the officers believed
that he committed the crime. He
says further that he had previously
arranged to 60 to Bellingham on legal
business and that when he left here
he told the sheriff to telephone him if
any occasion should arise for his i'm
mediate return
He disclaims any responsibility for
Kelley's escape and says that Kelley
should have been arrested as soon as
he conducted the officers and Wright
to the place where he had hidden the
stolen money.
Sheriff Delaney, who is not seeking
to shirk any part of his responsibility
in the matter, makes the following
statement:
| 1.-THE statement made by the prosecuting
attorney that lit was some hours after the
departure of Mr.. Garrett for Bellingbam
that Kelley confessed and turned over the
products of his crime to Sheriff Delaney,
who needed no instruction as to his duty"
is not true, to express it mildly. He
knew all about the matter before he left
here except that the money had actually
been recovered. After secured Kelloy's
confession and he promised to guide me
to the place where he had hidden the
near the Erickson place. hurried to the
wharf and told Garrett, knowing that he
was about to leave town. ! didn't need
to be told to get the money and any other
evidence that could. Garrett then said
that upon his return he would file an in
formation and have the case taken right
into the superior court. Wright had told
Kelley that all he cared was tO get his
money back and that if he would give it
up he would not prosecute him, and he
did not consent to swear to complaint
until evening, when I went to him and
ask ed him to do so, and then he made so
much talk about town about what he had
done that Kelley learned of it from his
friends before the warrant for his arrest
was delivered to me. I made mistake
in following Garrett's advice as long as I
did and am sorry for it. Another time
| I will know better. AS to the place where
the robbery was com united, only have
Kelley's own statement that it was on the
street. 1 Jon't think Wright knows
| where he was"
The sheriff is a good detective and
deserves considerable credit for Sc
curing Kelley's confession and the re-
turn of the stolen money. He may
have erred in not making an immedi-
ate arrest, but it should be borne in
mind that no complaint was filed un-
til evening and that it was then done
at the sheriff's express request, be-
cause he feared that Kelley would
leave town before Mr.. CARROTS re-
return.
Kelley spent Friday at various
points in the valley and on the west
coast of the island. He went to Kan
aka bay and Boyce's beach and stole
suit of underwear from Reuben
Wills and some ham from Jim Begins
camp. Saturday he took leaky
boat and started across the channel
but was obliged to put back. He
then took Robt. Fleming's boat and
started out again, calling out to some
men whom he met to tell Bob that
he would leave the boat at the pow
der works on Vancouver island. He
went to Oak bay instead, however,
and the boat was found there Monday
| by Henry Bailer and brought back to
Kanaka bay.
]. A. Mccormick took photo
graph of the school house and the
pupils and teachers Monday from the
roof Of the court house.