The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-21
Man and Woman Arrested After
Struggle and Evidence of
Crime Is Found
Police Believe Capture Marks
Breaking Up of Desperate
Gang of Thugs
Twenty Pocket Books and
Many RewOIvers Among
Goods Found In Den

VVTHAT may prove to be the
M breaking UP Of the desperate
w gang Of safe crackers and hold
UP men that have been teurorizinG the
citizens or san Francisco for the last
I'VE months was accomplished late Sat
urday night and early yesterday morn
ing. when Detectives Michael Burke
and James Gallagher arrested James C
Hall and = woman companion, who
gave the name Of Lille Hall and who
claims 10 be Halls wife.
All DAY yesterday both the man and
the woman We're sweated by the police
and Efforts made TO compel them 10
confess 10 some OF the many recent
crimes that have been committed in
different parts OF the city
Capture Is Dramatic
The capture Of Hall and the woman
was intensely dramatic. on the night
Of June u the establishment of Lo-
bree Brothers, 2271 Market street, was
entered, the safe blown open with
nitro -glvcerine and more than $1,000
worth Of valuable merchandise stolen
q
about $500 worth OF silk goods. De-
tectives Michael Burke and James CAL
Iagher We're detailed on the case and
they traced the thieves to a house at
sos Castro street
a witch was set upon the house, but
no one was seen to enter or leave the
premises. Saturday night al o'clock
Burke went TO the door aud rang the
bell several times. He received no re-
spoase and had just come down the
steps to the sidewalk when Hall and
the woman appeared. Burke followed
the pair inside the gate, and as Hall
was placing the key in the door,
B grabbed them both.
The woman managed TO berak away,
tearing her coat as she did so, and ran
out into Castro street and with the
agility Of a youth jumped on a rapidly
moving cable car and escaped over the
Castro street hill Hail was taken TO
the city Jail A bunch of keys was
found on aim, and when questioned he
admitted that one Of them was for the
house at SOC Castro street.
Woman Is Captured
Policeman David Bolton was given
the key TO the house and detailed TO go
inside and arrest any persons that
might attempt TO enter. About o'clock
yesterday morning the woman walked
UP Castro street and entered the house.
Bolton sprang from the parlor and
pinned the womans arms to her sides.
IT was several minutes before he sue
ceeded in overpowering the woman. who
made q desperate fight 10 get away.
She was sweated for several hours
and fnslIy admitted that she and Hall
were not alone in the house, but that
a bar tender in lower Kesrny street
resort was one Of the occupants and
that another man whose name she did
not know also lived there.
The piece OF silk torn from her coat
when she escaped from Detective Burke
and jumped on the car was Identified as
having come from Lobree Brothers
establishment and in an effort to dis
cover more Of the loot the house was
thoroughly searched.
AThe woman wore at the time OF her
capture a skirt and hosiery that she
admitted came from Lobree Brothers,
but she insisted that she had bought
them there.
Purses and Guns Found
More than 20 miscellaneous purses
and several revolvers were also found
IN the house. and these have made the
police suspicious that the house may
be the headquarters of the band OF
piclpockets and thieves that have ter
rorized the residents of the city. Sew
eral opium outfits were also found in
the house.
So sure are the police that they have
made an Important capture that they
assert they can trace at least u recent
crimes to the occupants OF the house.
The police expect TO be able TO con-
meet the prisoners not only with the
Lobree robbery. but to have the woman
Identified by at least three OF the men
who have recently been robbed BY foot
pads, who sent a young woman out
into the streets as q bait. Police are
on guard at the house waiting for any
Of the other rOomers who may put in
an appearances.