The San Francisco call., 1908-07-15
Young Greek, John Claudianes,
Makes Confession" of
Dynamiting Mystery
Story Told by SeIf=Styled Per-
petratOr of Deed Doubted
in Its Entirety
Has Many Earmarks of Truth
but Is Not COrrObOrated by
Other Testimony

John Claudianes, a Greek, p years
old, who was arrested early last Satur-
day morning on suspicion of having
dynanited the home of ex-Supervisor
Jim" Gallagher in Oakland several
weeks ago, and of having been respon-
sible for the second explosion which
wrecked some of Gallagher's houses
at Adams Point, is being held by the
police while his story is being invest-
gated. He is the son of a man who
was for many years the proprietor OF
a small restaurant in Third street.
The evidence against the young
Greek consists solely Of an uncorrob-
GRATED confession made by the prisoner
TO District Attorney Langdon before
dawn last Saturday morning con-
fession which he has since repudiated.
lie was drunk at the time he made the
statement and when he went to the
scene of the dynamiting outrages with
the district attorney, but so positive
was he in his declarations at that time
and so rife with details was his con-
fession that District Attorney Langdon
is inclined to give it weight, at least
10 the extent Of believing that Claud-
lanes knows the identity Of the guilty
parties. even if he was not responsible
himself for the dastardly attempts on
Gallagher's life.
NAV pE. INSANE
Aside even from its many contradic-
tions and scantiness of detail, Claud-
lanes story is not one TO be accepted
for fact without the fullest corrobora-
tiOn for the very reason that the narra-
tors past history shows that he has
been a sufferer from hallucinations Of
the most peculiar character and there
has long been a doubt as to the stabil-
fly Of his mind
Prior to the IRE CIaudianes was
treated by DIT. r. Dudley TAFT, who
found him at that time laboring under
great mental excitement and subject
to alterations induced by eNcesses,
and similar symptoms have manifested
themselves on several subsequent oc-
casions.
I know CIaudianes well from hav-
ing been called TO treat him profes-
sionally." said DR.. TAFT last night.
When I treated him before the fire /
found that he was labOring under a
great excitement of mind, due TO his
excesses, and he was then visionary and
given TO the most vivid eXaggerations.
He has had other attacks Of similar
nature since the fire, and such story
as he now tells is in line with the
natural results that might be expected
IN his case. It has never been possible
to give any weight to what he said.
and he has shown himself to be dighty
and capable Of almost anything"
The prisoners record is a bad one
and includes several appearances in
the police court in petty larceny cases
and other misdemeanors Of a similar
nature. He has been known as vicious
drinker and as a man who would stoop
10 anything or adopt any means to sat
fsfv his appetite for liquor. He has
been elected from many barrooms time
and again in Third street, where he
has loafed q great deal, and is known
for untruthfulness.
REFUSED BY BULLETIN
Prior to the finding Of the letter last
week which led to his arrest Claudi-
anes approached Managing Editor Fre-
mont older Of the Bulletin and offered
TO make a statement concerning the
Gallagher dynamiting If a certain
amount Of money was forthcoming, but
Of an hour older became convinced that
the story was groundless and refused
10 pursue the matter further. Detec-
tive Thomas Murphy Of the local force
then questioned the man with a like
result.
About four weeks ago, and prior TO
his visit TO Older, Claudianes called on
Attorney Jacob Meyer in the Monad-
mock building and asserted that he
knew the name Of the man who had
perpetrated the Gallagher outrages.
Meyer represents several members Of
the Greek colony and has often en-
Gagged Claudianes as an interpreter
@Claudianes did not impress me-" said
Meyer, 'as being in earnest. He talked
at random and did not state anything
positive He talked about the reward
ofered for the capture Of the guilty
man and said that he would peed $3.50
expense money to go north to locate
the man who did the work. AS he did
not state anything definitely, I dis
missed the matter. thought he was a
little off on the Subject, and after he
Left the Office I dropped the matter
from my mind entirely"
With the facts OF Claudianes' confess
sion made public yesterday. the atten-
ton Of the authorities has been turned
10 an effort to locate his brother, Peter
CIaudianes, who is suspected of holding
the real KEY 70 the dynamiting mystery.
An incriminating letter which led TO
Johns apprehension furnishes the basis
for the suspicion that has been directed
toward his brother, and communication
was established yesterday with the po-
lice departments Of a number of west
ern cities in the hope Of securing Pc
ter's arrest. The latest development
in the case came yesterday afternoon,
when District Attorney Iangdon re-
ceived word that Peter Claudianes had
been in Reno. New, Monday and that
he then expected to leave at once for
an unknown destination. tt is believed
that he is now in Goldheld or one of
the ueu-ar mining oanne ~ N-a,,o5o