The San Francisco call., 1909-11-29
A Tramps' Rendezvous

In a typical robbers s den, In the very
heart of Ross, Deputy Seriff George
Agnew discovered a series of impor-
tant cIews yesterday which may lead tC
the speedy capture of the man who
lurdered Robert c. Black a week age
Sunday night at Ross.
Agnew found the cabin hidden in the
trees and underbrush near the county
road that runs across the bridge to the
railway depot Few people knew OF its
existence. 1t is on the property of NJ
5. Rickard, who is travelling in Ger
many. a small path winds through the
bushes from the road to the hut. In
side the place has the appearance oi
recent habitation. Bundles of rags and
torn quilts serve for beds on the floor
Old clothes and shoes are slowed away
in odd corners. A cracked stove, ir
which the ashes are still fresh, stand:
in one end. Half a loaf Of bread, some
peeled potatoes and a can of coffee
were hidden under box.
RENDEZVOUS FOR TRAMPs
Agnew made inquiries at a house To-
Gated several hundred yards from th'
shanty. John Moline, a teamster, in
formed him that the place was rem
devious for tramps.
Sunday afternoon" said Moline, 81
was walking up the creek in the rear
of the cabin when I saw smoke coming
from the chimney / climbed the bank
and looked in the doorway. A man was
lying on a heap of rags on the floor
Some potatoes were frying on the stove
The man was tall and wore DARK
clothes. 1 did not see his face; it was
turned TO the wall said to him. 'wha
are you doing hereg He answered
None Of your business / did not dis
turb him. but when heard Of the muir
der next morning the thought came Il
me that he might be the man."
The shanty in a direct line is less
than 500 yards from the corner OF
Lagunitas road and Shady lane, where
Black was murdered. Agnew. realizing
this. pushed his Investigations further
He found at the opposite end of the
Rickard grounds the cottage of the
a double barreled shotgun beside his
bed and an Is inch bowie knife under
his pillow. He had an important tale tc
tell of the robbers retreat, and from il
and the testimony of Moline, AgneW
believes he has the most promising
clew to the Identity Of the murderer.
NOT COMMON TRAMP
They are not common tramps who
sometimes sleep in the cabin" saic
Cavell, they are worse. Sometimes
they come to my door at and 8 O'CLOCK
in the morning. They demand food
Since a week ago Sunday afternoon nc
one slept in the hut until last night
There were three men there last night
They were ugly looking characters.
went TO the door after dark, as / dC
every night. I told them they were
trespa assing and would have TO leave
They laughed. and one of them, an ole
man, told me to go back to bed / in
sisted, and the young fellow, who was
tail and thin, jumped up from his bunk
and advanced toward me in threaten
ing manner. You shut up, he said, 'anc
go to bed He reaced back toward his
hip pocket, and / left
Il tried TO find the town marshal, bu
he was not at home. Some time ag,
two men lived in the cabin for tw,
months. They said that they had jus
got out of Jail at San Rafael an,
showed me a letter from George Shear
er. O. real estate man, giving them per
mission TO occupy the hut Sheare
mas this property in his hands to lease
] asked him about the letter and h
said il was all right"
Agnew searched the cabin. H
found letter of recent date from
man in Alameda. Part of it reads
When you get ready TO 90 that jol
let me know"
BURNED RAGS IN STOVE
There were pieces of burnt rags il
the stove. as though clothing had beel
burned There We're no bloodstains OF
any Of the clothing in the cabin Sue
clothing could have been burned in tn
stove. There are so many hooks an,
possible hiding places in the shack tha
a most careful search will be necessar
TO disclose further evidence, if it ex
ists
Frank Farrell, father of May Far
rell, the murdered mans promised wifi.
was called into consultation. He trace
the fugitive to a place near the Cazzea
villa at San Anselmo. Emil Cazzeal
proprietor Of the place, said that tn
man suspected of the crime did no
leave his room after $3.50 o'clock Sun
day night.
man seen Oy Anrl
Nelson after the shots had been fire
could easily have reached the hut alon
the route traced by Farrell Fleein
down Shady lane he evidently came ou
in front of the Cheda creamery, wher
Walter GrandJean saw a man runnin
after l o'clock Monday morninf
Grandjean says the man disappeared q
footbridge near the railroad tracl
After Grand5ean had passed on his wa
10 the train the fugitive could hav
come from his hiding place and eithe
reached the cabin by walking down tn
track or the county road.
Farrell, Agnew and Deputy Sheri
George Ortman spent the day maxim
Investigations in the vicinity of tn
cabin. A creek runs 10 the rear. dee
ditch overgrown with bushes on on
side and a ruined barn on the othel
A man could cross the creek and reac
Shady lane over the railroad track an
through a vacant lot facing the Georg
A. Moore residence. near which a ma
was heard running the night Of tn