The San Francisco call., 1908-11-09
JAMES THOMPSON
UNDER SUSPICION
Tea Man Is Believed to Have
Aided Brother Robert TO
Escape
Prison Directors Investigate Re-
port lie Gave ParOIed
Relative $500

James A. Thompson OF San Jose. for
merly department manager of the
Great American importing tea company
for the district Of san Francisco and
Alameda county. and still connected
with the corporation. is being invesu-
gated by tie state board of prison di-
ractors. who suspect that Thompson
aided his brother Robert Thompson, TO
violate the prison parole law of the
state. II is charged that James Thomp-
son advanced $500 to his brother in July
or August Of this year, and, with that
sum. Robert. who had recently been
paroIed from san Quentin prison. es-
capped the Jurisdiction of California and
made his way TO Sydney, New South
Wales. Robert was serving a Is year
sentence from san Francisco on a con-
Viction Of robbery
Under the laws of California, it is
q felony TO aid or abet a prisoner in
breaking his parole. Another man
= whose name has not yet been made
public is said TO be implicated with
James Thompson.
Robert Thompson is now in Australia.
lie arrived at Sydney on September G.
and. with unerring instinct, landed in
Jail three days later on a charge OF
drunkenness. The sydney police sus-
pected that he was wanted in this
state and communicated with Chief OF
Police Biggy. But while the cable
grams were being exchanged. ThOmp-
son was released from custody, al
though his identity had been estab-
nshed through thumb prints.
After releasing Thompson the Aus
ffnr fhnritfac GfcqnNarHa fhnf he
was wanted in the colony for the crime
Of burglary committed prior to his first
arrival in San Francisco. Now the
colonial police are hard on his trail
and should he be captured, he viii prob
ably have TO stand trial and possible
sentence there before he is returned
10 California to complete the sentence
here.
Thompson is a native Of Australia.
The crime for which he was bearing the
penalty when paroled was committed in
this city in 1901. Thompson at the ferry
. depot met a stranger 10 the city who
had $40. The pair had a drink and
then Thompson undertook to personally
conduct the stranger about the city. Al
the door Of a lodging house Thompson
struck the man over the head, knocked
him unconscious and robbed him of the
money. The sandlady Of the lodging
mousse saw the crime committed anC
gave the alarm. Thompson ran from
the scene. lodged around the corner
and was innocently having his shoes
shined on bootblack stand when iden-
tilted by the woman and his victim and
placed under arrest. He was sentenced
TO serve IS years in San Quentin for
robbery and was received at the prison
on January 26. 1902.
In July last he was granted a parole
AZ that time he made great pretensions
Of reformation. Shortly after that, how
ever, il is said, he received $500 from
his brother. James A Thompson, and
with the aid Of that and a friend man.
aged 10 leave the state. The state board
Of prison directors is closely investi-
eating the conduct Of James A. Thomp-
son and his alleged accomplice and viii
prosecute them if criminal intent L
break the law can be proved.
In the prison record Thompson is de.
scribed as 81 years old, height fee
5M inches. weight l64 pounds, blu,
eyes, dark brown hair.