The San Francisco call., 1910-04-20
WERE OVERHEARD TALKING
OF CACHETNG OF ~SWAG''
Men, Betrayed by Police Agent,
Were Mud and Grease Be-
: grimed and Talked of
River Trip
CONCUR IN ALIBI, WHICH
DETECTIVES SAY Is WEAK

~ AKLAND, April 19.-Betrayed
L by an agent of the police who
seeks the reward offered for the
capture of the bandits who robbed the
China Japan mail train, James Frank
lin, a cook. and Fred Hanson. a
painter. each about 25 years of age.
were arrested in San Francisco to-
day by Detectives McSorIey and Green.
There were numerous circumstances to
indicate that the prisoners were the
desperadoes who stopped the night
train at Goodyear last Saturday night.
sifted registered mail sacks and turned
loose an engine to wreck the ap-
preaching westbOund train. No. s.
Suspects Fit Description
Hanson. the shorter of the two men.
fits the description of the shorter OF
the two bandits more closely than any
man yet arrested He is of the same
description in height and weight His
complexion is that OF the bandit and he
has the gold teeth that caused persons
to look twice at the short legged train
robber.
Franklin. the other prisoner. answers
the general description of the taller
bandit. He was told this today by the
officers. but he did not finch. He
merely denied that he was in that part
of the state when the robbery was
committed
When closely cross questioned the
two suspects concurred in an aIbi.
which Captain of Detectives Petersen
says was probably prepared by the
prisoners before their arrest. The mar
rative is not well connected and is
utterly at variance with facts.
Hanson and Franklin reached San
Francisco Sunday afternoon and until
today were in hiding When they
reached their hiding place they were
observed by their betrayer to be grimed
with mud and OIL as if from marsh
tramping and from handling ma
chinery.
Discussed Cacheing "Swag"
They talked in low tones within
hearing of their betrayer OF a hard
trip down the Sacramento river and the
of their arrival in San Francisco.
They were heard to discuss the
cacheing of "swag" Their betrayer as
certained that the suspects had un-
doubtedly hidden something OF value in
the vicinity of Martinez or of Benicia
Lastly the police informant stated
that Hanson and Franklin had planned
-
ernoon.
In the pockets of the suspects when
arrested was found sum Of paper
money.
Captain of Detectives Petersen. Sher-
in Veale of Contra Costa county. and
Patrick KindeIon, head of the South
ern Pacific secret service. consider This
point of the utmost value. Their rea-
soning is that if Hanson and Franklin
robbed a China-Japan train. they could
have reached San Francisco only over
the route they described In the pres
ence of their betrayer. In running the
detached engine of train No. 10 their
rough attire must have been soiled by
grease. A trip across the river cor
responds with the finding OF an aban-
doned rowboat on the Martinez side OF
the straits with a revolver and q pair
of field glasses. Not less Important
is the fact that the bandits rffied regis
tered mail sacks and would likely.
therefore. have paper money Instead
of coin.
Prepared to Leave City
That part Of the story. which the
police refuse to discuss. comedies with
the rest. The third person in the affair.
declared the man who betrayed the
suspects. knew that Franklin and Han
son would be at a certain corner in
San Francisco this forenoon, preparing
to leave that city.
The betrayer was acquainted with
Captain Petersen and went to him
rather than to the railroad sleuths to
give dp his information. He offered to
lead the detectives to the suspects
meeting place and in consequence Nc
Sorley and Green crossed the bay to-
day and returned with the prisonera
Word OF the capture was sent to Mar
tinez, with descriptions or the captured