Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-28
SUSPECTS HELD
AS HIGHWAYMEN
THREE PRISONERS CHARGED
WITH ROBBING GROCER
Pfeifer Confesses to Taking Part in
Holding Up Johannsen and Claims
He Was Tool of Other
Two Men

The three suspected highwaymen.
Thomas ]. Garwood, Charles Gavin and
James J. Pfeifer, had their preliminary
examination in Police Justice Roses
court yesterday morning on charge
of robbing F. G. Johannsen, a grocer,
500 West Temple street, and during the
examination Pfeifer broke down and
confessed. After hearing the testi-
mony of the witnesses, Justice Rose
held the men to answer in the superior
court under bonds of $4,000 each.
The first person to testify was F. G..
Johannsen, who was shot by the rob-
bers. He stated two men entered his
for the night. Both carried revolvers
and wore masks.
"I attempted to reach for my re-
volver," said the witness. when both
men shot at me. One bullet struck me
in the mouth and the other entered my
arm. Pfeifer then covered me with
his gun, while Gavin tried to open the
cash drawer. He had difficulty in do
ing so, and made me open it. They
saw but a small amount of change and
told me they had seen me hide some
money behind an ice chest. They
forced me to get the money"
The next was Frank Rash, a clerk,
who corroborated his employers test1-
mony.
Suspected HoIdups Were Seen
John r. Callahan, proprietor of a
rooming house at 237 North Grand ave-
nue., testified he in company with Miss
May Sherman of the same address, was
o11 I, Gov
and Pfeifer standing behind a. tele-
grapn pole near the corner of Olive and
Temple streets. Both men, he said. ap-
peared nervous and acted SuSpiciOusly.
He saw Garwood seated on the curb q
short distance down the street.
Miss Sherman said she knew the men
were preparing to hold up some one,
and if she had seen an officer she
would have notified him. She declared
she had figured it all out, that Gavin
and Pfeifer were to do the robbing and
Garwood was to act as a lookout"
This caused slight burst of laughter
from Pfeifer, who was smiling during
the testimony of this witness.
Mrs. J. A. Denu of sol West Temple
street said she had noticed the men
lettering around the store the night Of
the robbery.
Mrs. Emma Chamberlain of 226 South
Bunker Hill avenue testified Garwood
roomed at her house and was with
someone almost every day.
Mrs. H. Craig of 511 West Second
street said she knew Gavin. He roomed
at her place and Garwood visited hira
there
Detective Charles A. Jones testified
concerning an alleged confession made
by Pfeifer and Gavin in the office of
Chief of Detectives Paul Flammar
January II, in which Garwood was
implicated as being a lookout when
the place was robbed. Garwood, he
said, would not make a statement, sim
ply dismiss ing all questions by re-
marking: Whats the use of talk
ing?"
Pfeifer confesses
Pfeifer, in a voice scarcely above n
whisper, told the justice he wanted to
make a statement. When he was told
he was not compelled to testify and
anything he might say would be used
against him. he replied in a low voice
he was aware of that fact, and, taking
the stand, was sworn.
''I am in this, that's all, but I was
made the tool of the others and was
the fall guy Garwood led me into
this thing. l had a good job and my
reputation was all right before I met
that man. [ was employed as a boiler
makers helper by the Lacy Manufac-
turing company and was working at
tank building. L met Garwood on
Main street one evening and he asked
me why I wanted to work.
"You can make easy money, like L
do, and there is but little risk he told
me. He kept on talking to me and told
me how easy it was until 1 fell in with
him. He introduced me to Gavin. At
the time he told me Gavin's name was
Britt. Both talked to me on the sub
n Tnl hGT-xY nd f5,r7r
them.
"Garwood planned the Johannsen
holdup. He remarked it was almost
Christmas and he was broke"
Pfeifer then told he received as his
share about $15 He told in detail the
circumstances of the robbery. When
he left the stand he was barely able
to walk and staggered from the court
room.