The San Francisco call., 1910-04-15
Police Positive of Running to
Earth Man Who Disfigured
Ruth Wilson
REDFERN SEEN ON A
HAIGHT STREET CAR
PawnshOp Episode Is UncOv-
cred, Further Connecting
Fugitive With Crime
CONDITION OF GIRL
STEADILY IMPROVES

IUMEROUS circumstances were
~ brought to light yesterday
which tended TO convince the
police that Van Camp Redferu, ac-
cused of the fendish attack on Ruth
Frances Wilson, the beautiful high
school student, was still in San Fran
cisco and that the net was gradually
being drawn tighter about his hiding
place. So confident were the authovi-
ties of being able to take the young
man into custody that it was predicted
his arrest would follow within "a
hours
While the pretty victim OF the acid
singer continued improving Yesterday
many clews to the real identity of the
perpetrator CT the outrage and his
whereabout were uncovered through
the untirins ei.orts Of the police in
San Francisco aud the transbay cities.
Besides the positive identification of a
young man seen on a Streetcar by two
different people as the much wanted
Pedfern, tie authorities brought 10
light pawnshop transaction in which
the mysterious young man figured
prominently just prior to the FIRST time
Ruth Wilson was attacked with acid.
SEEN ON STREETCAR
A young man answering the descrip-
tion or Redfern in every particular
was seen on a Haight street car
shortly after 8 o'clock Wednesday
night So startling was the resem-
blance of the passenger to the fugi-
tive lovemad youth that the con-
ductor's attention was called to the
fact. Becoming conscious of the fact
that he was being watched, the boy
jumped from the car at Sansome
street and disappeared
This startling incident was given
added Importance when a man giving
his name as R. Peterson called at the
Wilson residence last night and in
formed Joseph A Wilson, father of
the girl, that he had seen Redfern on
a Haight street car yesterday morn
ing To representative OF The Call
Peterson later declared that he could
not be mistaken. even having noticed
that the young man on the car wore
an expensive long gray overcoat,
which Redfern was known to have
had, and which figured prominently
IN the pawnshop transaction brought
to light by the detectives. He stated
! that the young man rode as far as the
intersection of Fillmore and Hafght
streets, and transferred there to a
northbound car. on which he rode To
peared in side street
Further Identification
In addition to these incidents an
uncle of the girI's father last night
saw a young man answering the de-
scription of Redfern at the intersec
tion of Fillmore and Fulton streets
These identifcations of more or less
value taken in conjunction with the
pawning of an overcoat at Third
street loan office prior TO the crime
by man answering Redfern's de-
scription were most important in the
days developments.
/ On April a young man whom the
police are convinced was Redfsrn
called at the loan Office OF J. AtteH,
12S Third street, and pawned a large
gray ovsrcoat for 81. giving his name
as r. c. Padgett. On April the man
returned and pawned suit case and
two suits OF clothes. at the same time
redeeming the overcOat. On April S
he again called at the Office. stated that
he had received some money from home
and redeemed his clothes. While
waiting for the transaction to be con-
cluded he drew from his pocket a pic
ture OF young woman and stated that
/ he was going to marry her. Both
Atten and his partner declare post
lively that the portarit was an exact
duplicate of the photograph OF Miss
Wilson published in The Cau on
Wednesday morning.
Pawnshop Clue Found
/ While displaying the portrait the
/ young man told AtteIl OF having met
the original in a romantic manner on a
train. while she was returning TO San
Francisco from the country with her
parents.
The pawnshop clew was uncovered
BY Detective Sergeant James Regan
and Detective H W. Crowley. who de-
| clare that they were IN Attefrs place