The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20

why, this is my guitar; 1t was stole
from me some three months ago"
That cannot possibly be-" said Johl
Bee impatiently; my uncle sent It Z
me new from the east"
Nevertheless 1t is my guitar" sai'
the Mexican. Wait, I will play a few
notes."
He touched the strings lightly one
or twice, then announced emphatically
'Yes, it is mine"
You lie." said young Bee hotly
It"
He never finished the sentence, 70,
Hernandez shot him dead Almost sim
, ultaneously the dark faced Gonzales
appeared at the window and the dool
of the room was burst In by Henry
Bee. The old man raised his revolver
and would have killed the desperate
had not Gonzalez shot and wounded hin
from the front window. By the tims
the confused guests, who filed the
room moment later. understood wha1
had happened, the two MeXicans hac
gained good start. The next day
Gonzalez, whose horse had been lameC
In some way. was dragged out OF the
chaparral bush where he had hidden
but for some time the arch criminal
Hernandez escaped.
1t was not until October, 1852, fully
two years afterward, that Hernandez
was finally captured. He was SEN
fenced to be executed on Friday, Oc-
tober "a, and until that date was placed
in the county jail at San Jose in charge
of the jailer,s Martin ]. Roohan. Roo
han was 63 years old. almost a giant
IN heights feet inches-possessed
the strength of an OK, together with a
nerve and courage equaled only by
some of the men behind the bars OF his
own prison.
On the lower floor of the Jail there
were three large cells. opening into a
corridor about six feet wide and thirty
rect long The middle cell, into which
only condemned prisoners were put.
was lined with boiler iron, had stronger
and heavier bars on the outside, and In
all respects was constructed as securely
as possible. Into this cell. which was
empty, Roohan put the murderer Her
nandez. In the other two cells there
were number of prisoners confined
Tor hgnter offenses, six or eight in
each.
During the first days OF his incarcera-
ton hernandez manifested the utmost
indifference as to his fate. He smoked
lnnumerable cigarettes putting rings Of
smoke through the iron bars OF his
cell for the amusement of the other
prisoners, who, although they could not
see him, could see the smoke as 1t
noated out. He cracked Jokes with his
Jailer when the latter brought him his
food at meal times, and at all hours
the stone corridor re-echoed with Mexi-
can love songs, sung in Felipes full,
sweet tenor.
Suddenly, however. four days before
MS execution, he changed completely
He called for padre and had himself
confessed, although, on account of his
crimes, absolution was withheld until
the last day, when it was to be given to
MIN Just before his soul left his body
Roohan, whenever he approached the
cell, found Hernandez on his knees, and
1t was with the greatest difficulty that
ne could be induced to interrupt his de-
votfons long enough to eat. His cross
was always before him. and he prayed
with persistency which would have
done credit 10 a saint.
BY these means the willy Mexican
managed to throw Roohan somewhat
on his guard. Thursday morning, the
day before the execution, the sheriff
said to Roohan as he was leaving:
Better have some one to stay with
you today. Martin. Hernandez might
try something"
oh, it's all right" said the jaiIer.
hghtly- I've seen a good many of them
TINS way before. Felipe thinks of
nothing but his soul now-and it GER
tainly needs some attention, for there
are at least four murders and God
knows how many other crimes on it,"
All right, said the sheriff, "just az