Imperial Valley press., 1912-03-21
CRIME TOOK PLACE
ON TERRITORY WITHIN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY


waertz, alleged murderer of Mrs. Har-
riet Guyot and Miss Julia Francois at
a mining claim in the Chuckawalla
mountains, was made at Imperial
Junction, and the party outfitted at
Brawley, it appears that the crime
was actually committed on Riverside
county territory, so that the prisoner
must stand trial in that county in
stead of Ell Centro. The location of
the crime is said to be about thirty
miles northeast of Iris, station on
the main line of the Southern Pacific,
four miles east of Flowing Well.
The following details of the case are
given by the Riverside Press:
Details of a murder singularly afro
cious, murder in which the motive is
apparently lacking and in which the
victims were two defenseless women,
reached Riverside today coincident
with the arrival here of a special Off
Ger from Imperial Junction, having in
custody Belgian miner, 81 years OF
age. He gives his name as Frank
BaurwaertZ; the crime for which he
will be called to answer is the murder
of Mrs. Harriet Guyot and Miss Julia
Francois, who accompanied him to this
county from Portland, Ore, and who
had trusted the miner with their lives
and a small fortune. The murder was
committer in the Chuckawalla noun
tains, thirty miles from Iris, small
desert station on the Southern Pacific
railroad.
BaurwaertZ was brought to River
side this morning by Special South
ern Pacific Officer Andy Pruitt, who
is located at Imperial Junction, but
whose home is in Cotton. Accompan-
ying the officer and his prisoner was
M. d. G. Putnam, whose diligence
made the arrest of the Belgian possi-
Bile.
On the arrival at the jail District
Attorney Evans and Coroner Dickson
were summoned and statements taken
by the court reporter from both Put
man and the man he accuses of the
crime
Putman's story follows:
81 have been mining man for years
and my home is in Prescott. Ariz. |
have been for some time mining in
the Chuckawalla mountains and my
camp was about two miles from the
camp established by the prisoner and
the two women. This is about thirty
miles from the Southern Pacific sta
ton of Iris. | went up on Saturday
to the Belgian's camp for some salt.
| stopped first at the dry washer and
called, but there was no response. [
went on fifty yards further and saw
the man sprlnkling sand on the ground.
He seemed much perturbed. asked
him how his wife and sister were and
he reDlied: They are all right; they
are at the dry washer | saw that
the washer had been broken up.
started for the camp when the man
pulled an automatic gun and told me
TO go back on the trail | did not
go back to my own camp. but circled
back to a peak from which ! could
get good eview OF The camp. ! re.
manned there from 80 to-5. was
suspicious because saw nothing Of
the women and because of the Bel
gian'S actions.
EARLY Sunday morning ! went to
the Beal camp and tried to get some
body to go back with me and investi-
gate the camp. but failed. | got Il
gun and came back. | met two men
on the trail who said the two women
We're not at the wells, as Henry had
said they were. As | approached the
camp l called to Guyot, as the Belgian
called himself there. but got no an
swer. men l got pick and shovel
and dug where | saw him at work.
Under ten inches Of earth | uncov-
cred both bodies wrapped in blank
cts.
Il took up the murderer's trail for
the railroad, travelling all day with
out food or water. left camp at
l1:15 and arrived in Iris at s. | found
that Guyot had gone on toward Yuma
and wired the officer at Imperial juno
ton and the arrest followed.
Tells of Capture
"On his way past my camp Guyot
had left the following note: My wife
left my camp the day you were over
at / o'clock; was too sick to go with
them Wanted to stake the claim YOU
left Was over to the wells yesterday
and seen about wagon. following your
wake, If not back in five or six days,
have gone to Los Angeles.
officer Pruitt told of getting the
description Of the supposed murderer
at Imperial Junction. While he was
chasing two men in the dark his son