The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-07
McFarland's Admissions in San
Jose Jail Leads Sheriff to
Believe Him Guilty
Circumstances of Garcia's MUIR
der Hinge on Movements
of Prisoner
Worked for Rancher at Time OF
Crime and Says He Found
Slain Body
In Need of Money to Defend
Himself on Charge of Pass
ing Bad Check
Especial Dispatch 10 The Cali


DAN JOSE, Aug. 6.-That James
Mcfarland, that peculiarly con-
stituted individual who recently
posed as San Francisco police dc
tective at work on the solution Of a
murder mystery, and who was subse-
quently sentenced to 80 days in the
county Jail for vagrancy under the
pseudonym of James Kelly, willfully
Murdered Manuel Garcia, Portuguese
farmer of Livermore, in cold blood
last Monday, is the belief OF the local
authorities The belief is strengthened
by the mans own story, told after sew
eral hours of sweating" by Deputy
Sheriff Thomas Mulhall and Sheriff
R. R. Veale of Contra Costa county.
Makes Admissions
After an afternoon and evening Of
CALLING crossire questioning the man
all but confessed to the deed The
story, unveri6ed, would not be suff-
cient to convict, but the man has adj
mitted that he is the man suspected
and that he is the man described by
the neighbors as having been seen
about the Garcia place
Mcfarland this afternoon submitted
to being photographed and measured.
All morning the local officers ques-
toned him and succeeded in gaining
ground. He was stubborn and on the
defensive. The San Jose officers were
to approach him with any degree Of
confidence.
When Sheriff VeaIe of Contra Costa
county arrived this afternoon the tids
turned. veale had been all over the
ground. had examined all the possible
witnesses and was well acquainted
with the case. When confronted with
such facts as veaIne knew. Mcfarland
weakened and after several hours of
questioning he made partial confes
sion. All night he will be ~sweated
and the authorities expect to have
complete confession by daylight.
Sheriff veaIe. during an interval in
the proceedings tonight. gave out
statement to The Call representative.
No one was allowed to see the pris-
oner So far the following facts have
been gained:
Mcfarland is a native of New York
and is IS years old. He was married in
New York City 30 years ago. at the
age of is. and one child. boy who
since died. was an issue of the mar
riage. He is a divorcee and came to
California recently. While in New
York. he says. he had steady employ
ment as a painter in the shops of the
Falls River line of steamships. Since
coming to California he has worked at
his trade at small jobs.
Employed Near Scene
The man said he had been employed
on the Mcnamara farm near Brentwood.
Contra Costa county. for five months
and that he had gone to San Francisco
Wednesday July 2S. for ''time" AMI
that he had taken a telescope basket
containing eggs and chickens to man
by the name of Bolton. in Elsie street.
Mcfarland had $50 which he had coll
leeted as wages and became somewhat
intoxicated while on his way to the
city. He secured lodgings Wednesday
evening in San Francisco and earl,-
Thursday morning went to the Bolton
home to deliver his basket. He had
breakfast with the Boltos and then
went down town with Bolton. While
with Bolton. and after several stops at
saloons. he dropped into a furniture
store and selected a table.
This he paid for with worthless
check drawn on the First national bank
of San Francisco.
He was arrested and retained an at
torney by the name of Ford to defend
him. Ford secured his release on bail
and went with him 10 Brentwood. Sat
urday, where Mcfarland said he could
secure 5000 from friends with which
to conduct his defense. At Brentwood
he hired a horse and buggy from the
livery stable and. leaving Ford at the
hotel, drove to the Mcnamara Faneh.
He turned the horse loose in the pas
ture and slept in the Mcnamara barn
that night. sunday morning he walked
the Eve miles b. way Of Sycamoss