Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-27
BOYS CONFESS
TO BRUTAL ACT


firm the version of Campbell who
SAYS that he was shot mt the place
where the body was found.
Was San Francisco Man
BY the most charitable interpre-
tation it was a ficndish and cold
boodcd murder in which both were
implicated equally. Neither boy
shows the slightest eontrition nor
manifestS any regret or other emo
ton except the crude animal in
stinct of self preservation, sccl;'
by preiury to fix the crime upo'
his companion.
Leslie l.. Nichols is from San
Francisco. A card found in his
clothes indicated that he is 81 SCI.
vice man and member of the
Golden Gate Post of the Americat
Legion OF san francisco. His
work was to trace ~ stolen 60
for the Northern Assurance Com
pany, a company which insures Iu-
tomobileS. The local American lie.
gion has taken charge of the cas-
and is to ship The remains to re
latives in San Francisco. Nichols
had been in FL Centre just prior 10
the murder as Indicated bY papers
found On him.
The boy Davis, claims that his
mother is dead aud that he does
not know where his father is, bal
that he has grandfather, Bud
Davis, residing at Section, Alabama.
He SAYS that he was horn at Win
chester, Tennessee and viii be Is
on March >, next.
Lawrence G. Campbell says thai
his father is John d. Campbell, r.
siding ut 227 West Rock ST., Mara
quette, Michigan. Campbell s.as
found dressed in the dead mani :
clothes from head to foot, including
clothes from head to foot, Including
from the navy and exchanged his
navy uniform for Nichols CLOTHES
9fter the murder.
Associate Here
G. Mueller, special agent of the
Northern Assurance Company, with
headquarters at Los Angeles, is in
the city and tells of Mr. Nichols as
ISOLATION with the company and his
trip to The desert Mr.. Nichols X.
sides in San Francisco but has been
in Los Angeles since last July lie
has 4 wife His business was nd
justing automobile losses for the
company. He came here to see
Wiley Weaver, LEGAL representative
with reference to a loss and was in
II Centre last week just prior to
the tragedy.
Mr.. Mueller saws that the murder
ed man was identified ard the de
tails of the tragedy pieeed together
through information furnished by
the Motor Vehicle Department OF
the state identifying the stolen caI
as the property Of Nichols. The Rlv
crsidc officers then gave the boys
a grilling Us to what had become Of
Nichols and obtained from the
smaller boy, Campbell, the story CT
the, murder. The boys rawned
Nichols watch in San Bernardino
Tie pawn broker identified Camp.
bell and Davis as the boys who had
pawne, the watch. Mr.. Mueller
says that Nichols was 4 fighter and
that it was unthinkabie that he
should not have put mp a fight for
his life if he had had chance
Nichols borrowed ap lver-Johnsol.
20 revolver of friend before leav-
ing for the desert saving that he
did not know what sort OF company
he might fall in with. Mueller be
| lieves that Nichols mnst have left
the gun in the ear when they stop
ped and that he was attacked when
unarmed,
Coroner's Inquest
Coroner Lyons impaneled the fol
lowing jury this afternoon for the
inquest: r. 3. Fuller, r. ". Judy
J. r. Nnffer, c. +. Sones, A. Soho
field, c. c. Corwin. !. ID. Adams
W. r. Conway, f. f. Dyer, j. l..
rravers, II ". Brewer Jr., ana 7.
c. Gill. At the hour OF going to
press tn inquest was in progress,
being conducted by District Attor-
ney Utley, the boys themselves we're
10 he Witu,ssGz