The San Francisco call., 1910-02-11
BELIEVES WOMAN WAS
MURDERED LAST JUNE
Especial Dispotch TO The Call

SAN RAFAEL Feb. 10.-That the
girl who was murdered on Mt. Ia
malpais came from San Francisco and
met her death early in June of last
year is the belief now held by Sheriff
Taylor. From information which he
received from the police of San Fran
cisco yesterday and further develop
mfnts today, Sheriff Taylor is in pos
session of several important clews
which he hopes will establish the iden-
tity9 of the dead girl.
I'VE have a dozen different theories
that have come to us through the wide
publicity which has been given the
case said Taylor, but 1t is my belief
that the young woman was murdered
in June. 1909. The young women who
disappeared from San Francisco at that
time was Identical in dress, height,
hair, teeth and other details with the
girl murdered on the mountain. AS to
the jewelry, | am not prepared to state
positively whether it is the same. We
have considera BILE work to do before
the name of the girl who disappeared
in June can be made public. The Call
has been a great help to us in this
new clew secret for the next few
days
INVESTIGATE HER STATEMENT
Sheriff Taylor investigated the state
ment of Mrs. Pearl Wells of Turlock,
who stated in a recent letter to The
Call that she felt sure that she could
identify the jewelry and ornaments
worn by the dead girl.
Mrs. Wells" said Taylor, "states
that she met the young woman while
on the way to Portland last November.
In my mind, this precIudes all posi-
bility of the body found on the noun
tain being that of the girl she met. The
body lay where it was found a great
deal longer than three months. A case
somewhat similar to this illustrates
how long 1T would take a body to be-
come a skelton on Mt. Tamalpais. Ten
years ago an Indian found the body of
a man called French Pete in Carson
canyon on the mountain.
French Pete's body had lain exposed
to the elements eight months, and yet
it was in fair state of preservation
when found. The flesh was still on the
bones, and we We're able to carry the
body down the mountain in sheet
The skeleton of this girl is bare and
bleached. The skull is clean and the
ribs without covering. The tendons
at the joints are gone. She has been
dead many months.
LACKS MONEY FOR EXPENSES
For that reason" continued the
sheriff, Il think it would be futile to
send the jewelry for Identification to
Mrs. Wells at Turlock. The girl was
murdered long before November Even
if it was advisable to send a deputy
with the jewelry, I hardly believe the
county board of supervisors would al
low me funds for the expense. We are
under quite different system here
than the police department of San
Francisco, and our hands are tied when
it is necessary to spend money I
spent $3.50 out of my own pocket in the
Black murder case, and have never
been reimbursed. The supervisors even
refused to pay for the kilograms which
l sent to Seattle, This is as unjust to
the people of the county as it is to me-
1 have spent my own money on this
mountain murder case, and will go as
far as my resources permit upon such
clews as justify the exepnse."
The watch which the dead girl wore
was sent to Chief of Police f. K. Cloney
of Eureka today by Sheriff Taylor that
it may be examined by Frank Wansky,
the jeweler who believes that he re-
paired it for James Mckay October 16,
1902. The following letter was re-
ceived by Taylor from Chief Cloney
this afternoon:
A local jeweler has handed me records of
a, watch repaired By him which corresponds
closely with records that in the watch
found the woman on Tamafpais
His records show that the watch was
Seth Thomas filed hunting case stem
winder. The number of the movement Is
109, ,320 which corresponds, with the excep-
tion OF the 3. and this mistake could easily
be made, the numbers and > correspond
closely in watch markings. The case num-
Der is not complete, as the records were
from the record book but the numbers
remaining 81 .149, which correspond as
far they go. The repair number Is 1889
w. which corresponds. The watch was re-
paired by Frank Wansky October 49,, 1902
and he thinks he could identify his mark if
he saw the watch. He also has the name
of the party who left the watch to be re-
paired Hoping that this will be of some
assistance to you. | remain, yours respect
fully, r. E. CLoNEY, Chief OF Police.
The Calls correspondent at Eureka
learned that the name of the man who
had the watch repaired was James Nc
Kay.
WATCH is ONLY CLEW
inf Eoxr dnn.c he