The San Francisco call., 1909-05-27
OF CRIME
CONfRONTS ELLIOTT
Blood Stained Shirt and News
paper Found Near Scene OF
Girls Murder
Prisoner Admits Petty Rob-
berries, but Protests He Never
Saw Annie P0ltera

LOS ANGELES. May 26.-Strong evil
dence was found today to connect Is
wear old Ben Elliott with the gruesome
murder of year old Annie Poltera
Monday of last week and for whose
slayer hundreds of men have searched
INCREASINGLY since the discovery of the
crime Thursday
Confronted late today with this evi-
dence in the shape of newspapers
stained with blood found among arti-
cles which he had buried in the sand
on the beach at Redondo a bloody
shirt found hidden in some bushes near
the scene of the crime and pocket
book containing cards bearing his
name, discovered at camp not far
from the place where the girl met her
death, young Elliott still stoutly main
tanned that he is innocent of the muir
der.
ADMITS PETTY ROBBERIES
Elliott admitted freely enough that
he committed series of petty rob-
berries and burglaries at Glendale,
town close to the scene of the murder,
and that he stole a tent and camping
outfit from nearby place. Also he
said that he stole revolver from
store which he entered Monday night
and that after camping near the place
where the HiuIQtI was COIliilItlCQ liidI
night he departed Tuesday morning
for the coast.
He admitted having buried the arti-
cles in the sand at Redondo, but said
he did not remember that the news
papers covered with bloodstains were
among the things he buried there.
When the blood covered shirt and
the newspapers were placed in front
of him today he seemed to lose his
when asked if he was guilty of the
murder. replied firmly that he did not
know anything about the murder and
never saw the girl in his life.
SUSPECT CARRIED REVOLVER
B. f. Elliott, merchant of La Moure,
n D.. father of the youth. is in this
city and was one of those who made a
search for him for several days and
until the boy was arrested by Con-
stable Stanchfield in a small boat which
he had stolen from some fishermen at
Redondo. The father has been per-
mitted to talk alone with the boy for
several hours.
The boy admits that he had no
knowledge that the officers were
after him on account of the petty
crimes, but the officers point out the
fact that he carried revolver on his
person at all times and did not bury it
In the SAND with ms other belongings.
When captured he was evidently
trying to make a landing through the
surf in order to secure the effects left
in his cache on the beach and take
them away with him in the boat. This
he was unable to do on account of an
attack of seasickness from which he
suffered when apprehended.
SHERIFF. DOUBTS BOYS GUILT
The suspect is tall, lank youth, un-
gainly in appearance and slow of
speech and wit. He has been in Cali
fornia for several months. but has done
little or no work. He seems to have
lived the life of a nomad along the
river bottoms at the north side of Grif-
fifth park. Several places where he
camped for a time have been found and
it was in one of these that small
pocketbook containing cards with his
name and his address in La Moure
printed on them were found
The shirt torn and covered with dirt
and blood stain was found hidden in
the tall brush not far from one of these
camps.
Sheriff Hammill said after the state
ment of the boy that he still believed
him innocent, but this statement is
viewed by many precautionary
measure, as feeling is running high
among the neighbors of the Poltera
family and those who have taken an
active part in the man hunt since the
finding of the mutilated body of the
girl