The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-28
SENTENCED To DEATH
WITHIN NINETY DAYS
Ralph Fariss, Alias John Bos-
tick, Tried and Convicted
in Short Order.
CONFESSES HIS CRIME
Reveals True Name When
Told His Parents Are
Coming to See Him.
CONFESSES HIS CRIME

LOS ANGELES, Dee. s3.-Ralph
Fariss, alias John Bostick, on his own
confession, was today sentenced 10 be
hanged within ninety days for the mur
der of Horace e. Montague, passen-
ger agent, slain December l when
Fariss held up Southern Pacific pas
senger train at FL Monte, Cal.
Fariss was arraigned in justice
court, held to the superior court, ar
raigned there before Judge Gavin
Craig, tried and sentenced in two hours
and eighteen minutes. He waived all
rights and made no defense.
Throughout the proceedings he clung
TO the name of John Bostick, which be-
longs TO Bakersfield, Cal, man who
once worked where Fsriss was en-
ployed. He was sentenced under this
name, but within an hour, when Sheriff
Hammel of Los Angeles county told
him that his parents were coming from
Bakersfield to see him he broke down.
Reveals His Name.
''Don't let them come he said. "I
am Ralph Fariss, and | have made
trouble for them ell my life. i cannot
see them now.'
Fariss also told the sheriff he had
married a girl at Marion, Iowa,
An attempt by the chief of detec-
tivcs at the district attorneys office
to surprise Fariss into admitting his
identity after he had denied it in court,
failed.
Nothing doing on that" he said,
but when Sheriff Hammel visited him
bearing information furnished by the
Bakersfield correspondent of the AS
socIated Press that the boys mother
had identified him by newspaper pic
ture and had collapsed, he confessed his
identity.
Recognized in Crowd.
San Francisco four days ago by A. r.
Colen, who, with his bride, was VIC
tim OF the train robbery. He was iden.
tilted promptly by the numbers on a
watch he carried, which belonged to the
flagman Of the train, and when Sheriff
Hammcl started south with him, he
made a full confession, admitting also
IN attempted train robbery in Rich
mond, Cal, across the bay from San
iected to the introduction of this part
OF his confession as evidence today.
1T has nothing TO do with the
case he said, rising, and the court
sustained him
Fariss' s first story, that he was starv-
ing and shot Montague through fright,
created some sympathy. Later, rail.
road detectives assorted that the boy
was employed by the Southern Pacific
railroad at the time; that Montague
knew him by sight and that Fariss, in
killing him, must have known he was
numbering the only man who could
identify him in this way.
Father Much Respected.
Il was also asserted that he returned
TO work the next day, and finally
sheriff Hammel confronted him with
tho name Of a girl for whom, it was
said, Fariss wanted TO buy an elaborate
Christmas present, and who fled upon
his arrest.
The elder Fariss has been an en-.
ployeo of the Southern Pacific railroad
for twenty-five years and is much re-
spected.
Fariss is to be hanged at San Quentin
penitentiary. The sheriff probably
will take him away secretly. or else
make part of the trip by water so as
To keep out Of San Francisco and avoid
crowds.