The San Francisco call., 1910-10-23
Defective Departs for Portland,
Where Suspected Peddler
Is Reported to Have
Arrived
LETTERS FROM BRYSON
FOUND IN GROVE STREET
Direct Evidence Unearthed to
Show Fugitive's Connection
With the Dynamite
Explosion
CHASE MAY BE EXTENDED
ACROSS THE CONTINENT

A FLUTTER Of excitement evil
~ denced itself yesterday at police
headquarters when it was learned
that Detective William ]. Burns. who
has been engaged to run down the
men responsible for the destruction
of the Los Angeles Times building, had
gone unobserved from this city to
Portland and was close on the trail
Of David Caplan, the peddler. who is
now believed TO be one of the sus-
pected trio which purchased the ex-
plosive at the Giant powder works, and
which was cached in a Nineteenth
avenue, South. cottage.
Conceals Movements
Burns successfully concealed his
movements from this vicinity. though it
was known that he was not in the
city Friday. Anticipating aR~aTFest
during the day, the detectives on the
case remained close to headquarters
ready to use the "John Doe warrants
in the hands of Chief Seymour. 1t
was expected that in the event Of an
arrest by Burns he would wire in
structions to the local department, and
that with Caplan in custody the whole
story of the conspiracy might be
wrung from the suspect
Bryce Wrote to Caplan
Perhaps the most directly incrim-
mating evidence brought to light
against Caplan, and undoubtedly as
sociating him with Bryce. was un-
covered yesterday by Detective Id
Gibson, who found, in a search of the
premises at 1865 Grove street, which
were occupied by the Caplans and
Lawsons, a number of letters from
Bryce to Caplan. The nature of the
letters was not divulged by the po-
lice authorities, but the find is de-
clared to be invaluable in building the
case around the absent man.
Peddler's Wife Watched
So strong is the evidence indicating
that Caplan is implicated in the plot
that Detectives NJ. " Burke and Ed
Wren have been especially assigned
to close watch over Mrs. Caplan and
the Mortar place at 33 Bryant ter
race. 1t is now believed that Anton
Johannsen of Corte MADEIRA, on whose
building "Smithy" worked. and who
knows Caplan. has given the police
the most valuable material yet to fall
into their hands, and with the capture
of Caplan in the north Burns expects
to expose the entire conspiracy which
ended in the wreck Of the Los Angeles
| newspaper Office and the death Of 21
employees of the publication
There appears to be some reason TO
believe that Mrs. Caplan was not in
the confidence of her husband with re-
spect to his relations with Bryce and
"Smithy~ though when seen yesterday
at her home Mrs e B. Mortar Of 80
Bryant terrace admitted that what data
she and her husband had given to the
police and detectives was of a highly
| important nature. Mrs. Mortar is
cousin of Caplan. and there was close
intimacy between Mortan and the man
who is now so anxiously sought by
the authorities. During the time that
the Mortar family was at Ben Lomond
in August Caplan occupied their apart
ments and, it is believed. held num-
ber of conferences there He never
made any attempt to conceal his move
ments from the neighbors. paving the
family bills daily at the grocery and
| other places where his wife would do
her shopping. His hours of arrival
and departure were irregular and un-
certain, he having no employment at
the time. However. though he was not
working, he always presented himself
at the stores in the neighb0rhood and
settled any bill Mrs. Caplan had con-
tracted during the day. This unusual
custom attracted comment, but no spe-
cial significance was credited to it.
All the merchants in the neighborhood
of the Mortar apartment clearly de-
scribe Caplan, number insisting that
be appears more like Frenehman or