The San Francisco call. [volume], March 12, 1895, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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VOLUME LXXVII.-NO. 92.
PACIFIC COAST NEWS.
A Cowardly Murder Is
Committed in the
Cajon Pass.
RANCHER SHOT TO DEATH
James P. Medlin's Demise Due
to a Loss of Blood From
His Wounded Arm.
THE ASSASSIN IS AT LARGE.
His Father Is in the Pursuing Posse
and Says His Son Must Suffer
the Penalty.
San Bernardino, March 11.— Cajon Pass,
in the San Bernardino Mountains twenty
miles north of this city, was the scene of a
murder yesterday afternoon. James P.
Medlin suffered death, at the hands of
William L. Tabor. Medlinwas a bachelor,
aged 32, while Tabor is a married man
about half as old. There was a little social
gathering at Medlin's yesterday attended
by a dozen neighbors including Tabor and
his wife, the latter doing the honors as
hostess. Toward evening the party went
to another neighbor's for a friendly call
Senator George Perkins said yesterday
that in supporting the Lieu Land
Law he did the best in his power for
the people of California.
and were returning just before dark when
Tabor shot Medlin in the arm, severing an |
artery. ''Despite the service of ins friends j
Medlin died a few hours later from loss of 1
blood. '
Just before the shot was fired the men
were heard talking in loud tones, and it is
supposed that they had renewed a quarrel
of long standing concerning water rights
for their respective ranches. Tabor made
his escape to the mountains with a
Sheriff's posse in pursuit. Tabor is a line
Bhot and experienced huntsman, and has
a reputation for determination. Sheriff
Holcomb thinks he will not surrender
without a fight. Included in the pursuing
party is Tabor's father, himself a deputy
sheriff, who declared when he started out
that his son must stand the consequences
of his crime.
MURDERED AT MENDOCINO.
Joseph Haqquist Charged With
Having Stabbed Wil-
li am McLean.
The Jail Guarded to Prevent
the Accused Being
Lynched.
Mendocino, March 11. Yesterday morn
ing at 7 o'clock William McLean, a work
man in the Albion woods, was found mur
dered in front of Gus Semmler's saloon in
this city. His person bore the marks of
three knife cuts, a small one on his left
wrist, a deep gash a few inches from the
heart and another two inches behind the
left ear.
An inquest was held by a Coroner's jury,
which lasted from 10 a. m. until 4 p. m.
The decision handed in by the jury was
that William McLean met his death early
Sunday morning from the effects of a knife
wound two inches back of the ear; that
Joseph Haqquist was the murderer. Haq
quist was immediately arrested and landed
in jail.
Every precaution was taken last night
for fear of a party breaking into the jail
and hanging the suspected man. Every
thing points to the fact that Haqquist is
the murderer. He is of a quarrelsome dis
position when drunk, and Saturday even
ing while intoxicated had some trouble
with McLean, and swore that he would
kill him before morning.
On inspecting Haqquist's house a great
quantity of blood was found on the floor
and also on his clothes. By many it is
thought that be induced McLean to come
into his house, and after getting him in
committed the foul deed and then dragged
his body out in front of Semmler's saloon,
which is a short distance from his house.
Haqquist explains that the blood came on
the floor from a Blight wound which he re
ceived while in a fight Saturday evening.
But this is hardly consistent in proportion
to the amount of blood found, and docs
not account for the blood found on his
drawers, which were discovered in a wash
tub since. The wound is under the left
eye. Haqquist will have his hearing to
morrow.
JBUItXED HIS WIFE TO DEATH.
Crime of a Flacerville Colored Boot
black.
Sacramento, March 11.— Lone Starr, a
colored bootblack residing in the town of
PJacervillc, threw a lighted lamp at his
wife Saturday night. The lamp exploded
and set tire to the woman's clothing. She
was burned in a shocking manner and will
die. The flesh of her breast and arms ;
part rfl from the bones and is literally
bqpiing in shreds. It is stated that the |
The San Francisco Call.
man tells several stories of the affray. One
is that on returning home that night, his
I wife fired two shots at him from a pistol,
j and in self-defense he caught up the only
: missive at hand, the lighted lamp, and
i threw it at her to disconcert hex aim. He
1 claims to have acted without thought of
j the possibility of any fatal results. On the
other hand, the woman, who is still alive,
says that her husband came home intoxi-
c ated and began abusing her. She endeav
i ored to quiet him, and he drew a pistol
! from his pocket and fired two shots at her.
i As neither took effect, he threw the lamp.
I Immediately after committing the act the
j negro went to a livery stable and ordered a
| fast saddle-horse with the intention of
1 escaping. He said it was wanted by a local
| physician, but the hostler, knowing that
j the physician never rode horseback, re
fused him the animal, and a few minutes
later he was captured by the Sheriff and
lodged in jail. The couple have not been
married over a month.
SAX JOSE SHARPERS FLEE.
They Succeed in Fleecing Several Con
fiding Victims,
San Jose, March 11. Two sleek oper
ators, going under the name of Morgan
and Miller, were complained against here
to-day for sharp practices by a number of
victims. They were in San Jose only a
week. During that time they had big
signs painted on their office windows to the
effect that the firm was a real estate and
loan agency with a cash capital of $500,000.
A young man named T. F. Hutchinson
paid the swindlers $100 as security for
faithful services in collecting rents for the
firm. He was to begin work this morning,
but found the office door locked and his
employers gone. William Gessfeld, a
tailor, was swindled out of a $75 suit of
clothes, and a number of others were vic
timized in lesser amounts. The sharpers
Assemblyman J. M. Bassford has been
congratulated on having " procured
the enactment of a Fish and Game
Law in the interest of the people."
left San Jose last Saturday night for parts
unknown.
■ i
DISCOVERED IN SAM JOSE
William Brown and Miss Nor
ma Boggs Say They Did
Not Elope.
He Found Her on the Steamer
When Leaving Portland,
Oregon.
San Jose, March 11.— William Brown,
aged 19 years, and Miss Norma Boggs, aged
18, who were reported in dispatches from
San Francisco as having eloped together
from Albina, Or., are at the home of C. J.
Brown, the father of the boy, on Alum
Rock avenue in this city. The Brown
family resided here for about eight months,
having come from Albina. For a number
of weeks the boy has been visiting his rela
tives and friends in Oregon, and he went
on the steamer to go home he found the
girl aboard. She had threatened to leave
her home and go to California to visit her
old friends, the Brown family.
The girl had often before been willful
and gone on long trips to the home of her
grandmother and other relatives in Ore
gon. This is the explanation of the disap-
[Drawn from a photograph taken expressly for the "Call."]
peatance together on the steamer Colum- i
bia. They deny that they asked the cap- '
tain of the ship or any one else on board
to marry them. They did not see the cap- ]
tain to know him, having come in the
steerage. The story of the young people is j
corroborated by a party of three other pas- !
sengers, with whom they came from Ore- '
gon. i
At San Francisco the boy heard before j
landing of the story that had been tele
graphed from Portland of his elopement i
with the girl, and he decided not to allow
her to come on to San Jose with him. He '
put her in charge of the officers, and they '
promised to take hor home on the return I
trip. When the boy arrived in San Jose,
however, his father said he would go to ■
San Francisco to get the girl and bring her j
to San Jose. She will visit the family here !
a few weeks and then return to her home \
in Oregon.
Mr. Brown recently fell heir to a portion
of an estate valued at $5000, not $60,000, as
reported, and the story about Miss Boggs
having left for the East with an aged lover
is entirely without foundation. All the
parties to the affair arc said to be respect
able people.
SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 12, '1895.
LEAVES MARSHFIELD.
But Captain Broman's
Little Boat Had to
Return.
NOW LOOKING FOR A TOW
In His Gustaf Adolph II He Is
Determined to Cross the
Atlantic.
FIRST COMING DOWN HERE.
Description of the Smallest Craft
Ever Built for Such a Long
Voyage.
Marshfield, Or., Marsh 11. — Captain
Broman did not get to sea in his diminu
tive ship yesterday. He boarded his boat
and was towed down within two miles of
the bar, where he cut loose and tried his
boat under canvas. She was very cranky
and would hardly stand with the spar in
her, and while there was scarcely any
wind and the bay was as smooth as a mill
pond Captain Broman had to keep shifting
himself to keep her on an even keel. When
he had proceeded a short distance the boat
struck a whirlpool, caused by the rapid
PEOPLE YOU 3F3-3E3_A.X> about to-_day_
Assemblyman Powers of San Francisco,
who made a good fight in the Legis
lature yesterday for the People's
Competing Railroad.
ebb tide, and turned over on her side, but
the navigator crawled around on her, got
hold of the rigging and got her back on an
even keel.
- The life-saving crew was on hand to wit
ness the performance and went to Broman
to help him. He asked to be towed to sea,
but Captain Wilcox would not do that and
persuaded Broman to give him a line. The
life-saving crew could not stem the tide
with the boat in tow, so they pulled her
ashore where a strong ebb tide soon left
her high and dry on the sand.
Captain Broman tried, but could not get
any assistance to sea. He sailed his boat
back to Empire City to-day and came up
to Marshfield to get the Areata to tow him
! out, but Captain Cousins said he would be
convicted of manslaughter if he did so.
To-morrow Captain Broman will go on
board the Areata and the boat will be
taken in tow. When outside she will slow
up and let Broman try his boat for a time.
If she cannot live in the sea Captain Bro
man will be taken on board again and left
at Port Orford.
The captain says that if he experi
ences southeast weather that is too severe
he will change his course and sail
north to Portland, but thinks he can suc
cessfully beat down against any south
easter. He intends to keep reasonably
close in shore, so that in case anything
happens to his compass he can readily
make a port for repairs.
The Gustaf Adolph II is built out of a
white cedar log and has a 12 foot keel, 3
foot beam and 2 foot depth of hold, and is
13 feet 6 inches over all. The boat is pro
vided with four compartments and with
hatches forward and aft, which were dug
out of the solid hull. These will be util
ized for holding provisions and water. She
will have one mast when she sails from
here and will be sloop rigged.
Upon her arrival in San Francisco she
will be refitted with three masts as a full
rigged ship. The little vessel has a steel
centerboard which measures about two
feet deep by three long, and weighs 110
pounds. Broman says he can take provis
ions enough to last several months, though
a part of the water, when on an extended
trip, would have to be towed behind.
There are two compartments amidship
sixteen inches deep in which to place his
feet and legs and a sitting position will be
the only one he will be able to maintain
while at sea.
There are no bulwarks on the vessel or
anything else to protect the captain from
the full force of the wind and sea. The
compartments mentioned are lined with
rubber cloth or sheeting.
• Her steering apparatus is a very neatly
arranged contrivance situated just a little
forward of the compartments that are in
tended for his feet, and consists of a
lever and grip similar to that used on the
cable-cars which connects with the rudder
by a line.
Taking the craft all in all she is a queer
looking object for a person to go to sea in
and she causes a great deal of speculation
by persons who have seen her as to her
chances of reaching her destination safely.
The captain will be clad in oilskin clothes
and prepared for all kinds of weather. He
will also be lashed securely to his boat, so
that if she does capsize, which he expects
she frequently will, he cannot be lost be
fore she rights herself, which she will do
by aid of the centerboard and by letting
the mast and rigging loose, which can be
done instantly by an automatic arrange
ment.
Bromar will take provisions to last 40 days.
He expects- to make from four to six knots
per hour, and that amount will be suffi
cient to last until he reaches San Fran
cisco.
If satisfactory arrangements can be made
with the railroad company, on arrival in
San Francisco he will place machinery in
the vessel, put her on wheels and by the
aid of electricity or naphtha he will run
her to New York by rail. He will then
make immediate arrangements to cross the
Atlantic to Europe. Captain Broman is a
Russian by birth and is 45 or 50 years old.
The weight of the vessel when complete
will be about two tons.
UMATILLA IXDIAXS JUBILANT.
Getting Drunk and Preparing for a Big
I'OWU'OIC,
Pendleton, Or., March 11.— A peculiar
condition of affairs prevails on the Uma
tilla reservation. The United States In
dian agent finds himself with absolutely
no authority. So far as an outbreak is
Charles Frederick Worth, the most
famous % costumer of the time, died
in Paris yesterday at the age of 71
years. He was a native of England."
j concerned no one among the agency con- I
; tingent fears or belie .ijeit^i *thing -will '
take place, but it is natural that amidst |
the excitement attending the arrival of
United States troops that some remarks
of a ferocious nature should be attributed
to the Indians. They are elated over the
fact that they have been declared citizens
and can now buy liberal quantities of
whisky. Six more were brought before
the Recorder in Pendleton to-day for
drunkenness, and a report went out that
they all are preparing for a grand pow
wow and spree. Slight disturbances oc
cur but nothing serious has yet happened.
"Old Wolf," the dignified jailer at the
agency jail, walks through vacant cells
as he clangs his bunch of keys. Not a
solitary Indian is under his care and not
one is likely to be for many weeks. Like
wise, the Indian policemen ride about the
agency for hours and sit in their saddles
| looking at the soldiers.
COLUSA BROTHERS IN COURT
P. D. Hannum Charges B. B.
' Hannum With Threaten
ing His Life.
The Latter May Be Connected
With a Railroad Rob-
BERY.
Colusa, Cal., March 11.— There was an
exciting trial to-day in the Justice court.
The parties were B. B. and P. D. Hannum
of Sulphur Creek, in Colusa County, one
appearing as principal and the other as
prosecuting witness. P. D. Hannum, on
March 2, had his brother, B. 8., arrested
and lodged in jail at Colusa, and to-day
testified that his life was in danger, his
brother having threatened to kill him. He
asked his brother to cut some wood, where
upon B. B. refused, and using violent lan
guage went to the house, the witness
thought, to get a pistol. P. D. followed
closely and caught him as he was trying to
get something from under the bed cloth
ing, forcing him to leave the room.
Witness further testified that his brother
had been sneaking about the house at
night in his stocking feet or with his shoes
muffled. His brother also threatened to
beat him with a club that was exhibited.
It was twenty inches long, small at one
end and provided with a wrist string. This
was hanging at the head of the bed occu
pied by B. B. Hannum.
J. D. Dyke testified that B. B. Hannum
had threatened the life of his brother, and
that he had seen and heard him slipping
stealthily about at night and had told him
that if he did not quit prying about his
window he would take a shot at him.
District Attorney eyand is prosecuting
and Hon. Edwin Swinford is defending. -
Attorney Swinford asked this afternoon
for »a dismissal without introducing evi
dence in behalf of defendant. This was
refused. Judge Leining said he would
deny it until evidence in the behalf of de
fendant is produced. The witnesses con
tradicted each other in several statements.
What adds interest to the case is that it is
thought the charge is a trumped up charge
to hold defendant until more evidence can
be gotten to prove that B. B. Hannum is
connected with the railroad hold-up and
robbery below Sacramento last October.
Will Sell Horses at Santa Anita.
Los Angeles, March 11. — Frank W.
Corey, superintendent of the Stanford
stock farm, arrived from the north yester
day. Corey will conduct the sale of a
number of Palo Alto horses at Santa Anita,
"Lucky" Baldwin's country seat.
"JAMES G, FAIR JR."
Mystery Surrounds the
Whereabouts of
the Youth.
LIGHT ON THE SKELETON.
Relations of the Late Million
aire With Miss Stevens, the
Dressmaker.
PROVISIONS FOR THE BOY.
Several Statements That May Be
Brought Forward as Evidence
to Back up the Claim.
Redwood City. Cal., March 11. James
Showers, at present a resident of Santa
Clara County, knows more about the
whereabouts of the son of James G. Fair,
born out of wedlock, than any other per
son outside of the mother and James G.
Fair Jr. For the time being Showers is
hauling lumber from Mountain View sta
tion for a building for Frank Stone on the
hillside beyond the county road.
In the early days Showers was employed
by the smelting firm of Buhling & Mc-
Coolough, and during that time he be-
came • quite intimate with the deceased
millionaire and took "quite an interest in
his sub-rosa affairs. While acting as the
friend of Mr. Fair, he became acquainted
with Miss Stevens, who, by the way, was
known as Ellen and not as Annie. He was
also instrumental in the settlement before
John Mackay, and made the final arrange
ments.
Through this position he came in pos
session of the original document whereby
some $1500 was settled upon Miss Stevens
and her son by Fair. He was also cogni
zant of the fact that Mackay paid the girl
$20,000 on behalf of Fair to settle the case,
the papers signed by Fair and drawn up in
his handwriting being for a time in Show
ers' possession. He received several let
ters from the woman with whom Fair had
been intimate after sne had taken up her
residence in Chicago. All these letters re
ceived from Miss Stevens, as she was still
known, were destroyed in the fire which
brought such havoc to Virginia City. The
documents signed by Miss Stevens re
leasing Fair from all future claims, both
those presented by Gerhardt and Mackay,
were turned over to the custody of Ger
hardt and Derby. Those papers are still in
Virginia City and are liable to be produced
at the call of the attorneys backing the
case of "James G. Fair Jr."
It has been several years since Mr.
Showers received a letter from Miss
Stevens, the former mistress of the dead
millionaire. He says, however, that the
last letter which he received stated that
the deceased had called upon her during
a visit to the Eastern States ostensibly for
COMING OUT OF HIS SHEI.I..
his health; that he then told her that no
provision would be made in his will for
young Jimmie. The mother of the boy
took this to heart and decided to preserve
all the records of the case and if oppor
tunity presented would offer them in sub
stantiation of the boy's claim for a share
of the estate. The statement that she
has married and is living in Sacramento as
the wife of a prominent citizen Mr.
Showers emphatically denies.
Gerhardt was aware that Showers knew
the circumstances of the first settlement
which he made with the girl. According
to Gerhardt's statement he received
$1500 the day following the payment of the
$10 from the ex-United States Senator.
Showers says the $1500 was not paid by
Gerhardt but was paid by himself. While
he does not admit that there v, ...- ever any
ill-feeling between himself, Gerhardt and
Fair, he says he kept track of the illegiti
mate offspring in order to be prepared for
anything which might eventually come
up. .......
His plans have gone somewhat amiss,
for during the past two years he has lived
under the vain hope of being able to relo
cate the child and to produce it at a time
when its appearance meant money for
some one. He had even gone so far as to
state to intimate friends that the boy
would be forthcoming, but when ques
tioned regarding the location of the child
he said: "Before God, I do not know."
A REDBIXG GIRL'S HEATH.
Browned in Clear Creek by Falling From
a Flank.
Redding, March ll.j-Yesterday after
noon a party of half-grown children from
Igo went over to Clear Creek to visit the
place where a bridge is being constructed.
Supervisor Harvey was on the hill, a short
distance away, when a plank across the
stream gave way and Mr. Harvey's
daughter Jennie and his young son, who
were crossing thereon, fell into the deep
and rapid current. The boy swam ashore,
but the girl was drowned. A young man
who was present jumped in and tried to
save the young woman but without suc
cess, almost losing his own life. At last
accounts the body had not been recovered.
COXYICTEL* AT SAX BERXARDIXO.
Eniillo Garcia Will Hang for Murder-
ing Joseph Guilhninot.
San Bernardino, March 11.— Emilio Gar
cia was convicted to-day of murder in the
first degree, without recommendation, for
killing Joseph Guillminot near Colton on
October 30. Garcia will hang. His victim
was an aged rancher bachelor, who lived
alone in a cabin, and was supposed to have
much hoarded gold in his cabin. Juan
Ferra, who, was Garcia's accomplice, testi
fied that they went to the cabin about
dark and demanded the hidden gold. The
old man on his knees swore that he had
none. Garcia for ah answer stabbed him
in the throat. The old man begged piteous
ly for his life, and with the blood flowing
Oustaf Broman, at Marshfiold, Or., has
made a twelve-foot boat in which
he is about to sail down the coast
and across the Atlantic.
from the wound accompanied Garcia about
the house while the latter searched. In
his rage over his disappointment at finding
nothing, Garcia again stabbed his vic
tim in the breast and throat, and then
went through the house again, still further
finding nothing. He returned to his vic
tim, who cried out a heart-rending appeal
to be spared, and cut his throat from ear
to ear. Witness stood guard at the door
of the cabin while this butchery was go
ing on. __________________________
THE LOS ANGELES POISONING
Mrs. O'Hara accused of Having
Drowned Her Own Son
in the East.
Now Awaiting Trail on a Charge
- of Murdering John
Henderson.
Los Angeles, Cal., March 11.— The Cor
oner's jury sitting in inquest on the body
of Johnny Henderson this morning
brought in a verdict that deceased came to
his death by poisoning. Johnny Hender
son and a companion named Eddie Strange
went to the house of Mrs. Elizabeth
O'Hara to play, and ate poisoned cakes
given them by the old lady.
Mrs. O'Hara claimed that she did not
know there was poison in the cakes, but
appearances are against her. At the in-
quest Eddie Strange testified that he told
Mrs. O'Hara after eating the cakes that
they were bitter, and that the old lady re
plied: "Well, don't eat any more; they are
stale, and may be they are poisoned."
Mrs. Matfield, another witness, told a
startling tale. She said that three years
ago, while visiting at Mrs. O'Hara's house,
she heard the daughter of the latter, who
now resides at Oakland, accuse her mother
of having drowned her little son while
they were living in the East. Mrs. Mat
field did not pretend to vouch for the truth
of the story, but merely recited it as a sus
picious circumstance pointing toward the
evil character of Mrs. O'Hara. The old
lady is under bonds now awaiting exami
nation on a charge of murder, which will
be taken up to-morrow in the township
court.
Appointments by the Governor.
Sacramento, March 11. The Governor
to-day appointed Mrs. Adina Mitchell of
Los Angeles a trustee of the Whittier
School, vice Francis L. Haines, whose term
expired ; also Amun Sevorb, Pilot Commis
sioner for San Diego, vice S. W. Hackett;
also C. H. Davis, Port Warden at San
Diego, vice John Dillingham.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
SIXTY WERE IN LINE.
Assembly Vote on the
Valley Railroad Ter
minal Bill.
ONLY NINE VOTED NAY.
The Railroad Lobby Was on In
Strong Force Against the
Measure.
ALL THEIR TACTICS IN VAIN.
Devlne Assists Them by Moving for
Reconsideration— lt Will Surely
Pass the Senate.
Sacramento, March 11. All California
will rejoice in the action of the Assembly
to-day. One more step has been taken
toward making a certainty of the building
of the competing railroad. The bill au
thorizing the Harbor Commissioners to
lease a part of the mud flats off South San
Francisco to the San Joaquin Valley Com
pany for their depot and other terminal
facilities was passed by a vote of 60 to 9.
As was anticipated, a strenuous effort
was made to delay the passage of the bill
by the men who have been recognized as
John L. Davie, who, as the regular
Nominee of the People's Party, was
probably elected Mayor of the city
of Oakland yesterday.
the pliant tools of the Southern Pacific of
Kentucky. Into the ranks of the objectors
came one or two men whose defection was
not a source of surprise. There were a
few others whose action was evidently
prompted by a superfluity of caution. It
was said at first that the Southern Pacific
was not going to oppose the demands of
the new road. No sooner was it learned
what the valley road wanted than the
whole force of the railroad's lobby was
turned loose. For thirty-six hours the
susceptible Assemblymen have endured a
state of siege. It is remarkable, tncrefore,
that the vote for the bill should be so
large. „
Ex-Attorney-General Hart, Byron Wa
ters, Major Gillis and others have been
in close conference with many of the As
semblymen and the Senators. The corri
dors have been filled with whispering,
nodding groups. But the cause of the
people triumphed. This was not because
the legislators loved the Southern Pacific
less. It was rather because the members
would not have dared to return to their
constituents confessing that they had,
without a just excuse, opposed a measure
that promised them a relief so sorely
needed.
Even the most shameless advocates of
Southern Pacific interests had a pretense
of an excuse to present. Among the other
interested strangers who invaded the Capi
tol yesterday were Harbor Commissioner
F. S. Chadbourne, who owes his place to
railroad interests, and E. C. Holmes, the
\ chief engineer of the Harbor Commis
sioners.
Mr. Holmes was at one time in the em
ploy of the Southern Pacific. These men
yesterday were in long and earnest con
sultation with Reid of Trinity, who was
formerly violently anti-railroad. They
assisted that gentleman to draw up an
amendment to the Gleaves bill that kindly
gave the new railroad a piece of land it did
not want, and made other changes that
would have been serious blows to the new '
corporation. Of course these changes were
for the good of the people. They were ar
ranged by men who had grown old with a
Southern Pacific collar on their necks, and
that company would not instigate them to
do anything for its interests which would
hurt the people.
Byron Waters came up from San Fran
cisco last night. On the trip he enlight
ened several legislators by informing them
that the bill which the new company urged
was unconstitutional. This was because
the constitution forbids the Harbor Com
missioners to "grant or sell" the State
water-front property. He argued that
"grant" really meant "lease." This soon
became noised around, and when an
amendment pretending to be aimed at this
alleged flaw in the bill was presented by
McKelvey of Orange it occasioned no sur
prise and was promptly voted down.
The surprise of the afternoon was occa
sioned by Mark Devine (D.) of San Fran
cisco. Devine had voted with the friends
of the San Joaquin Valley road from the
beginning. His vote helped make up the
big total of 60 out of 69 favoring the rival
to the Southern Pacific. Devine had made
no speeches and expressed no particular
interest in the bill. He had voted regu
larly, but always for the bill. It was
passed by a hopelessly large majority. The
only result of an attempt at reconsidera
tion would be delay as it would be impos
sible to get the vote changed. Knowing
this, Devine gave notice of his intention to
move for a reconsideration to-morrow. The
bill, which had been ordered to the Senate,
was recalled, but it will be safe to say that
it will be before that body before 10 o'clock
to-morrow morning. As soon as the bill
was reached this afternoon Reid of Trinity
announced that he had an amendment
which he wished leave to offer. He ex
plained that he thought the promotors oi