The San Francisco call., 1910-10-22
DETECTIVES NOW
HUNT FOR The
WHITEPEDDLER
Caplan Is Known to Have Vis=
tied Los Angeles With
His Friend "Smithy"
Waiter Albert Duus Also Fig
ures in Plot TO Blow Up
the Times

several persons who had met "Smithy"
at this place were known to the police.
and that they were to be taken into
headquarters and interviewed. Among
this group is o. A. Tveitmoe, secretary
OF the Asiatic exclusion league. whose
presence is desired rather to explain
statements made to Seymour by Johann
sen with respect to Caplan and
"Smithy" than anything else.
Movements Traced
At o'clock last night Detective M.
V. Burke was at the fat of the Lawson
family in Fell street, where Mrs. Cap
Ian is staying, and there spent much
time examining her with respect to
matters which have developed since
Johannsen visited the chief of police.
The movements Of Caplan have been
traced from Portland to Los Angeles
on the coast and to a number of
places in the interior His wife is woe
fully ignorant of his movements for the
last year, and while she appears to be
telling the truth, she has shed little II
any light on the whereabouts of her
husband.
At headquarters it was authori-
tatively declared that the detectives
had Information to the effect that
James 3. Bryce had communicated with
Mrs. Ingersoll as late as October g At
that time he inquired for accommoda-
tions at her fiat, and on being informed
that there was none endeavored to have
her meet him downtown and have din
ner with him. Much Importance is at
tached to this date, as it has served as
a basis from which to trace the mans
movements. The last "a hours has
served to bring a number OF additional
matters to the attention of the detect
ives and to cross the lines of investi-
cation in a network of local associa-
tions between Caplan, Johannsen and
''Smithy'' and Mortar, the latter spend
ing an hour and a half with Chief
Seymour yesterday forenoon.
One Statement False
Captains application for appointment
Bs a special policeman dated August
BXes his age at "a years and gives the
eddress of Mortar, S3 Bryant terrace,
es his own. At that time he had rented
the apartment Of Mortar while the
3atter was in Ben Lomond and took
Che liberty Of designating Mortar a
'cousin" in filling the application out.
He is a native of the city of Hora-
aishtz, state Of Nawardock, Russia and
1t the date had been in the United
States is years and San Francisco
seven years, which last statement Mrs
Caplan admitted yesterday was false
He petitioned TO have his territory con-
fined to Market and Howard streets
from Spear to Fremont, and gave as
reference a number of wholesale ma
chine manufacturers with places of
business in the district Among this
number were James 3. Blair % Mis-
sion street; Tully rubber stamp COM
pany, Is Main street; John Zugar, 3s9
Mission street, Hern Dabel. 299 Mis-
sion street: Nirto L. FaIlone, 29i Mis-
sion street; D. B. Gallagher. 100 How
ard street; Smith-Rice company. lis
Howard street; Simpson & Fisher, by
Z. G. Fisher. III Howard street. and
NJ. Getz & Co, 135 Main street. These
appear to be the names Of firms who
were soliciting for the services of a
watchman rather than persons who
knew the applicant
PeddIer in the Plot
In going into the history of the man
L develops that he and Smithy, the
suspect. have known each other for
more than two years and that Mortar
met Smithy with Caplsn in this city,
as did also Johannsen. Little by little
he plot has centered about the missing
peddler and Bryce and Smithy, and for
the first time in the hunt it is now ad-
mitted that Caplan is practically iden-
.ihed as the mysterious and unknown
Mexican" who has been always found
with the other two. A mass of infor-
nation is in the hands Of the police
indicating the close association, little
Of which is escaping into the public
prints. Every relaxation of the de-
fore greater effort, and each day has
tightened the lines about the men now
1eeing from the officers Of the law.
Chief Seymour has carefully guarded
every statement given out by himself
and nothing is allowed to escape him
n the present investigation since Burns,
Rogers and the others left for the
south. Detectives Burke, Gibson, Wren,
Mackay and Conlon are on the case in
30 far as all orders from Seymour are
executed by one Of the number. Burk
gave yesterday to a close investigation
Of Mrs. Caplan. who denied to Burke
that her husband owned land in the
state except two lots at Vieta Grande,
which were sold.
Defends Her Husband
AFrS ran1or said