The San Francisco call. [volume], June 13, 1896, Page 4, Image 4

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

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
4
JOSEF BLITHER'S
OREGON CAREER
Washington County Records
Prove That He Was
a Bigamist.
KNOWN AS ROBERT FIGI
One of His Wives Secured a
Divorce A'ter Learning of
His Duplicity.
StRVED TIME IN PRISON.
Convicted in Wisconsin of Wedding
More Frequently Than the
Law Allows.
PORTLAND, Or., June 12.— A press dis
patch published several days ago stated
that Josef Blanther, the alleged Austrian
nobleman, who early last month murdered
Mrs. P. Langfeldt in San Francisco and is
now a fugitive from justice, at times went
by the name of Robert Figi. This an
nouncement has enabled local officials to
shed some light upon the early career of
the murderer, and the records of the
Washington County Circuit Court pro
claim him a bigamist as well as a butcher
of women.
Hon. Thomas Tongue on the 30th of
June, 1894, began divorce proceedings at
Hillsboro, in the Circuit Court for Wash
ington County, for Mrs. Bertha Figi
against Robert Figi. Mrs. Figi's maiden
name had been Schoen. She wedded Figi
in Oregon City on the 18th of April of that
year and her complaint was based upon
the fact that the defendant had three or
four wives living, from none of whom be
had been divorced. Mrs. Figi set up in
her complaint that these facts became
known to her subsequent to her marriage.
Strangely enough, in view of these facts,
Figi appeared to defend the suit. He
acknowledged having been married in
Switzerland, but claimed he was divorced
from his European wife. Figi made the
absurd statement, foolishly expecting the
court to accept it as veracious, that his
father appeared in a Swiss court as the
plaintiff in the defendant's divorce case
and obtained a decree.
During the further hearing of the Wash
ington County case it was shown that Figi
had served a term in the Wisconsin peni
tentiary for bigamy. This evidence was
supplied in the form of a deposition by an
uncle of Figi residing in Monroe, Wis.
Mr*. Figi obtained the relief she sought,
but Figi escaped criminal prosecution in
Washington County and then disappeared.
Attorney C. E. Kindt, who discovered
these facts, says that the published de
scription of Blanther tallies identically
with that supplied by the Wisconsin au
thorities, even to his military bearing and
eyeglasses. Figi was an educated man,
and was familiar with several languages;
so also in Blanther. The murderer of Mrs.
Langfeldt is known to have been in the
United States for ten years at least,
which is ample time for him to have ac
complished all the rascalities with which
be is charged. It is certain that Figi and
Blanther are one and the same man.
Theodore H. Liebe of the Oregon Ger
man Bakery says that, up to a year ago,
he had Robert Figi in his employ as clerk
for a period of six months. This man had
a decided military air and was highly edu
cated, and never spoke of his past life.
Liebe regarded him as an exceedingly im
moral and dangerous man. The descrip
tion Liebe gives of his ex-clerk tallies
with that of Blanther.
BLANTHER'S EUROPEAN RECORD.
Whtn a Very Young Man He Received the
Decoration of the Iron
Crown.
LONDON, Eng., June 13.— A Vienna
digpatch to a news agency says:
The newspapers have just obtained the
story of Joseph Blanther, formerly a lieu
tenant in tbe Austrian army, who is sus
pected of having murdered Mrs. Philopene
Langfeldt of San Francisco last month.
Details regarding his military career
show that at the age of 19 he served in the
Austrian army of occupation in Bosnia
and Herzegovina in 1878, and with his
company defended the position of a bat
tery of artillery against a superior force of
insurgents. Of the company and battery,
Blanther and one sergeant escaped injury,
all the others were killed or wounded. For
this he received the, order of the Iron
Crown.
This was the first instance in which ao
young an officer was decorated with this
order.
Later, at a review of the Vienna Garri
son, Blanther was presented to King
Humbert of Italy, and received from the
latter the order of the Italian Crown.
Blanther was compelled to leave the
STATE SENATOR H. C. GESFORD.
army in 1886 owing to his heavy debts,
and went to the United States. His
mother has not heard fr.>m him since.
COLUMBIA RIVER COMBINE.
Salmon Canners Will Consolidate Their
Interests as a Result of the
Strike.
PORTLAND, Or., June 12.— A gigantic
salmon combine, to take in every interest
on the Columbia River into one corpora
tion and backed by unlimited capital, will
very probably be the unlooked for result
of the present strike of 3000 fishermen who
want more for fish than the packers are
willing to pay. The prospects are that the
Columbia River Packers' Association,
which was formed in Portland last spring,
is to be followed by a stronger concern — a
single corporation which shall be so firmly
intrenched as to command a vast influence
in the salmon industry and which will dic
tate and not be dictated to. It will be
modeled after the Alaska Packing Com
pany and it will absorb ail the big and lit
tle fishing interests, consolidating them
into one enormous plant.
One of the wealthiest canners on the
Columbia declares that the strike has
hastened this end. The cannery men are
being driven into consolidation for the
protection of their interests, not only from
the fishermen but from the mischievous
State Legislature, and by next autumn it
is be ieved the combine will be orsanized
and the consolidation effected. The com
bine's lobby will be a factor in the State
Leg slature this winter and will endeavor
to influence the law-makers to legislate in
the interests of the fishiiiL' industry.
FISHERMEN ARE OBDURATE.
Refute to Confer With an Arbitration
Committee.
ASTORIA, Wash., June 12.— This was
expected to have been the deciding day of
the fishermen's strike, but again action
was deferred. The Fishermen's Union
still demands 5 cents a pound for the
season's catch.
The Chamber of Commerce committee
submitted a proposition from the cannery
men to pay 4}4 cents. This was rejected,
as was a previous offer of the Scandinavian
cannery to pay 5 cents. The latter rejec
tion was at the request of the fishermen in
the employ of this cannery, as they did
not desire to work unless all went in on
the same basis.
When the Chamber of Commerce com
mittee requested that it be allowed to ap
pear and discuss the situation admission
was refused by an almo-t unanimous vote.
Subsequently the committee from the
Chamber of Commerce issued the follow
ing call for a meeting:
To the Public— As a committee appointed by
the Chamber of Commerce we have been labor
ing the last two days to bring about a settle
ment of the existing difficulties between the
fishermen and packers. We received from the
packers a proposition to pay 4^ cents a pound.
The union declined to allow us to appear at
its meeting to present the proposition. We
find there are many men who wish to fish at
this price, and we therefore hereby ask the
businessmen of this cltv to assemble in mats
meeting on Saturday, June 13, at 10 o'clock
a. m. at the Courthouse to discuss the situa
tion.
To-day no trouble has been reported
from any part of the Columbia River.
SONOMA GAYLY GARBED
Bright Colors Donned by the
Town of Bear-Flag
Fame.
New Feature Added to the Pro
gramme for tbe Celebra
tion of To-Day.
SONOMA, Cal., June 12.— Not even
when a circus comes to town does Sonoma
get as cay as she has in this, the week
I preceeding the Bear-flag celebration. It
was believed yesterday that the town was
fully decorated, but the work of twenty
four hours has wrought a great change.
The three arches have been completed,
and altogether the old city presents a gala
appearance.
An addition to to-morrow's programme
has been made. J. F. Finkham, marshal
of the Territorial Pioneer Society, will
read the original proclamation declar
ing California independent. This will fol
low soon after the introductory remarks
of President of the Day H. C. Gesford;
j grand president of the Native Sons of the
Golden West.
Several pioneers are already on the
scene. Among these are Major E. A.
Sherman, who will be grand marshal of
the parade, and Benjamin Dewell, one of {
the three men now living who took part !
in the Bear Flag revolution. He arrived i
here last night from Upper Lake, Lake I
County, having had to stage twenty-eight
miles of the journej-.
The old gentleman has a keen memory,
and speaks entertainingly about the event
of 1846, declaring that Bis party was made j
up not of marauders and cntthroats, i
|as the historian, Bancroft, has said, j
but of peaceable citizens, whose lives j
had been threatened by the Mexican au
tboritles, and who surrounded General j
Vallejo, then retired from active service, |
and took possession of tbe pueblo, Know- i
ing that it contained arms and amrauni
tion.
Dewell is now 75 years of age. He was
one of the three men who made the orig- !
iiial Bear Flag. His wife and her father j
and mother were also in Sonoma at the
time. His father-in-law. William B.
Elliott, discovered the Geysers in this j
county, was the first white man in i
that wild and deep mountain gorge.
The committee had expected to have !
William Potter of Potter Valley attend the
celebration as one of the survivors of the |
flaz-raising. Inquiry for him, however, j
revealed the fact that he had died in Mid
land, Tex., on the 18th day of last April. I
As far as could be learned Mr. Potter's j
body was interred at the place of his
death.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1896.
SANTA CRUZ BIDS
WELCOME ALL
Bars None From Pleasures
of the Venetian Water
Carnival.
READY FOR THE REVEL
The Booming of Two Warships'
Guns Will Proclaim the
Fete Begun.
LIGHT ON THE SAN LORENZ3.
Countless Electric Sparks Illumine
the Court of the Naiad
Queen.
SANTA CRUZ, Cal., June 12. — To
pleasure-seekers of every clime, race or
creed, Santa Cruz bids welcome to her
water fete. The lame, the blind, the un
fortunate who seeing, hear not, will here
find pleasure they had not known before;
for though the ear be palsied there will be
feasts to delight the vision; and for the
sightless sweet strains of matchless music
will make amends for the cruel touch tiiat
robbed them of the li ht of day. Great
will be Santa Cruz's carnival on the sleepy
San Lorenzo. AI! is not quite ready for
the Queen's herald to announce the open
i ing of his sovereign's court, but two more
long days will suffice for the final touches
upon arch and barge.
The arena and the Queen's throne were
lighted again to-night, and the illumina
j tion will be continued, in order that no
j part of the machinery be out of order on
| the opening night of the carnival. The
I scene attracts a large number of spectators
I to the banks of the San Lorenzo.
The work of decoration goes forward
rapidly. By Tuesday the town will be a
DR. RUSSELL H. COOL OF ALAMEDA.
[From a photograph by Dames & Darsaz, Oakland.]
mass of carnival colors. Great enthusi
siasm is manifested. Visitors from other
towns are coming in large numbers daily.
These include of course many who intend
to spend the summer here.
Every detail of arrangement is made so
that the big show might be launched on
Monday instead of Wednesday, the day
announced. The fact is that Monday will
really be the opening day of the carnival,
although Monday is not considered in the
programme. On that day the Monadnock
and Philadelphia will arrive, and Admiral
Beardslee will be met aboard the Philadel
phia by Mayor Clark, chairman of the
reception committee, and a number of
prominent citizens. A delegation of citi
zens will visit the warships after the re
ception committee shall have paid its
visit.
The newspaper representatives will on
Tuesday be received at headquarters,
where they will be met by William Ray
mond, formerly city editor of the Surf,
who is secretary of the press committee.
The newspaper men, reporters and artists
are to be given the freedom of the carni
val, and will no*, be restricted in the cour
tesies extended. The association has ex
pressed its gratitude to the press of San
Francisco and the interior for the courte
sies extended to Santa Cruz and the carni
val.
The carnival will open in earnest on
Wednesday, and much is in anticipation
as concerning the special feature for that
day — the battle of Bunker Hill. Chairman
Lamb's arrangements are complete for
that, as well as for the mimic battle be
tween the Monitor and Merrimac, the lat
ter gunboat being now ready for occupancy
by the representatives of the Confederate
forces.
CAUSE OF VICTORIA'S DISASTER.
The Consolidated Railway Company Held
Responsible for the Loss of Many
Lives.
VICTORIA, B. C, June 12.— After care
ful investigation into the circumstances of
tbe recent Point Ellice bridge disaster, the
Coroner's jury to-day returned a verd.ct
holding the Consolidated Railway Com
pany directiy responsible for the loss of
fifiy-tive lives.
Ihe City Council was arraigned as
guilty of contributory negligence, and the |
officials of the corporation were absolved
oi personal responsibility.
It was found that the bridge was safe for
ordinary traffic and the uccident would not
have occurred but for improper over
crowding of the car, which went through
tbe structure; but the bridge was tound
not to have been constructed according to
original specifications.
Mr*. Goldson tHroreed
LOS ANGELES, <al., June 12.— Judge
Smith has granted to Mr:.. M. B. Goldson
a divorce from her husband, W. H. Gold
son, on the ground of non-sunport. The
couple are well-known in Oakland, where
Mr. Goldson some time ago brought suit
against his wife for divorce. She filed her
suit in Los Angeles, obtained service and
won a decree.
FRESNO STREET AFFRAY.
A San Francisco Solicitor Terribly Beaten
Because of an Alleged Insult to
a Woman.
FRESNO, Cal., June 12.— J. G. Ramer,
who travels for the Bancroft Company of
San Francisco, was beaten in a terrible
manner with a sluneshot in the bands of
Charles Norris of this city this afternoon.
The beating took place on the corner of J
and Mriposa streets, and caused great ex
citement.
Deputy Sheriff Timmins attempted to
arrest Norris and was assaulted by Wil
liam Ball, an actor, who was stranded in
Fresno a few weeks ago when the Rose
Stillman theatrical company disbanded.
Timmins had jerked the slungshot from
Norris' hand when he found himself at
tacked from the rear. He wheeled and
struck Bell with the slungshot and
knocked him down.
A policeman came to his assistance and
Norris and Bell were taken to jail, and
Ramer, covered with blood, was taken
away for surgical treatment.
The reason given for the assault is that
Ramer had insulted a sister of Norris.
She told her brother of the insult, and he
loaded a piece of hosepipe and hunted for
Ramer, whom he probably disfigured for
life.
Fatal Accident at Lodi.
LODI, Cal., June 12.— Lewis Durbin, an
aged resident of Lodi, was killed this after
noon while loading lumber on to a wagon.
As he was placing the timbers on the
wagon the horses became frightened and
started to run away. Durbin attempted
to grasp the lines but fell beneath the
wheel-, which passed over his head, crush
ing the skuii.
BID SANTA CRUZ ADIEU
State Dentists Conclude Their
Labors in the City by the
Sea.
President Cool Presides at a Fare
well Banquet Tendered the
Visitors.
SANTA CRUZ, Cal., June 12.-The
twenty-sixth annual convention of the
California State Dental Association ad
journed to meet at San Jose in June or
July, 1898, the exact date to be fixed here
after. There will be no convention of the
State Dental Association in 1897, as the
first annual meeting of the Pacific Coast
Dental Congress will be held next sum
mer.
This morning's session was devoted to
clinics tnat were very interesting and in
structive, from a professional view. The
papers read to-day were passed without
discussion. Dr. P. H. Metcalf of Sacra
mento read a report on "Dental Educa
tion." Dr. L. Van Orden. gave a thirty
minutes' talk on "A Non-Partisan Con
sideration of Amalgam Alloys and Gold as
Filling Materials." He also read a paper
on "Milk of Magnesia." Dr. A. H. Sugget
of Marysville sent a paper on "Treatment
of Pulpless Teeth," which was read by Dr.
Emma T. Reed of San Diego.
The inauguration of the new officers was
attended by the jolly ceremony customary
with the association. Each officer-elect
was conducted around the hall, while the
members sang "'He's a jolly good fellow,"
and was then presented for introduction.
On assuming the chair Dr. Cool, the new
president, said:
"It is with feelings of mingled gratitude
and pride that I speak to-day in acknowl
edging the great honor you have conferred
upon me in electing me president of this
association. This installation comes to
me to-day as a birthday present and it is
the best one I have ever received. The
convention about to close is one of which,
I think, we may all be justly proud— both
on account of its uersonneland of the re
sults accomplished. It is, indeed, a meas
ure <f the value of this meetin / when such
members of the old guard as Drs. Sicnel,
Lundborg, Hacket, Gilmore and others,
who have jjroivn gray in the service, have
deemed it worth their jvbile to surrender
professional cares at home for a time and
to lend tlie convention the dignity and
benefit which their presence implies.
"We are to ba congratulated upon the
fact that our deliberations have been pre
sided over by a man of such grace and
dignity and sterling ability as has been
shown by Dr. Hays. He has been truly
an ideal president and it me no small
uneasiness when I think that I >hall have
the task of trying to live ud to the high
standard maintained by him. |
"In regard to my administration I have
but little to say and no promises to make.
Promises that never bear the fruition of
penormance are out idle things; there
fore I will endeavor to impress you by
what I shall do in the future, rather than
by what I promise to-day. I thank you a 1
from the bottom of my heart for this great
honor. My constant endeavor will be to
prove worthy of it."
Dr. Hays, in retiring from the chair,
asked that the members accept his sincere
thanks for the honor conferred one year
ago. The mantle of authority had not
borne heaviiy on his shoulders because of
the hearty co-operation of the members,
whicti transformed it into a mantle of
pleasure.
The visiting dentists and friends were
to-night entertained by the local dentists
a a banquet presided over by President
Cool.
CRAIG HANGED IN
FOLSOM PRISON
Displays No Fear as He
Mounts the Gallows
Stairway.
TRIUMPH OF THE LAW.
Seli-Inflicted Wounds Would Soon
Have Cheated ths
Hangman.
SAD PUNCTUEED HIS HEART.
An Infatuated Fern tie Clams the
Body — The Murderer's
Crime.
SACkAMENTO, Cal., June 12— John
Craig, who so nearly cheated the gallows
yesterday by stabbing himself with a
weapon made of a piece of wire, was
hanged at Folsom to-day. He met death
with the greatest coolness and fortitu ie.
He displayed not the slightest symptoms
of fear when, in company with his guards,
he stepped from his ceil door at 10 o'clock,
and he took the three or four steps neces
sary to react the floor of the gallows with
out any assistance. Excepting for a pale
ness, which could well be attributed to the
severity of his self-inflicted wound, be was
apparently unconcerned over tbe realiza
tion that his time had come to die.
As the doomed man stepped upon the
trap he cast a rapid elance over the up
turned faces of those who had gathered to
view a fellow-mortal launched into eter
nity, until it rested upon the person of his
brother-in-law, Joseph Hunter, who had
come to see the last of the murderer of his
father, mother and sister. On seeing
Hunter Craig gave a sudden start, and
then, fixing his eyes upon him, he slowly
and clearly said, in a voice tinged with the
deepest sarcasm:
"Oil, Joe, I love you."
A second later his body shot through
the trap, and the old biblical law, "He
who sheds man's blood, by man shall his
blooa be shed," was fulfilled.
After shooting through the trap, the
body barely quivered, and eleven minutes
later the physicians pronounced Craig
dead. After the body was cut down an
autopsy disclosed the fact that the mur
derer's heart had been slightly punctured
in three places by his wire weapon yester
day, but not to a sufficient depth to insure
instant death, although physicians ex
pressed the opinion that he could not have
lived longer than two days.
Craig's body was afterward conveyed to
the train and brought to an undertaking
establishment in this city. It will be in
terred here to-morrow. It is said that a
female admirer of the dead man, who be
came infatuated with him after his arrest
and who visited him a few days before his
execution, afterward begging for the body,
is paying the funeral expenses. On her
application for admittance to visit the
doomed man the gentleman who accom
panied her was plainly informed by War
den Aull that she would be granted a fif
teen minutes' interview with Craig, if she
in reality had any business to transact,
but tnat no sickly sentimentality would
be allowed. It is Hinted that by her con
nivance Craig obtained the weapon with
which he so nearly ended his life, but lit
tle faith is placed in this rumor.
The crime for which Craig suffered the
extreme penalty of the law was a sangui
nary butchery. Its atrociousness was in
tensified by the fact that those whom he
slew had been bound to him by the ties of
marriage.
On the evening of July 25, 1894, Craig,
who had been but a few months separated
from his wife, the latter having procured
a divorce because of his dissipated habits,
drove to the Hunter ranch near Tropico,
where Mrs. Craig was living in quietude
with her three young children and her
brother, George Hunter. He arrived at 7
o'clock and Mrs. Craig told her brother not
to allow him to enter the house.
The front door was locked and Craig
went to the back door just as Hunter
came out. Without warning Craig raised
his revolver and fired, the ball hitting
Hunter In the right cheek, wounding him
seriously.
Mrs. Craig was close behind her brother
and the now enraged man turned the re
volver on her. The bullet struck her in
the left eye causing instant death. Craig
jumped over the bodies of his victims and
rushed into the house in search of his
children, whom he evidently intended to
kill. The servant girl, however, had man
aged to get them a safe distance from the
house and his search was unsuccessful.
Craig then fled from the house and
jumping into his carriage drove to the
home of his wife's father and mother, Mr.
and Mrs. William Hunter, who resided on
Bnena Vista street in the suburbs of Los
Angeles. When Craig drove up the de
fenseless old couple were sitting on the
porch enjoying the evening air. Craig ap
proached and drew his revolver. His
father-in-law jumped from his chair and
rushed toward the frenzied man, but be
fore he reached him a bullet from Craig's
revolver struck him in the right side and
he fell dead. Mrs. Hunter attempted to
jump over the bannister when a shot
struck her in the left side and she expired
in a second.
After his frightful butchery he attempted
to kill himself, but only inflicted a slight
scalp wound.
The murderer's only defense was that
his victims were working against him and
a gauzy story that William and George
Hunter were conspiring to kill him. He
was tried on but one charge, that of mur
dering his wife, on which he was convicted
and sentenced to death.
WHO STRUCK MR. JOHNSON?
He Charges Tramps With the Deed, but a
Detective Accuses Mrs.
Johnson.
SACRAMENTO, Cal., June 12.— Word
was received at the police station early
this morning that Charles Johnson, the
night bridge-tender in charge of the rail
road bridge across the Sacramento River,
had been attacked by two tramps, who
clubbeJ him to insensibility and left him
for dead, after robbing him of 15 cents. It
was claimed that on recovering his senses
Johnson crawled home, informed his wife
and fell in a faint.
The wounded man was conveyed to the
railroad hospital and his wounds, consist
in» of sixteen small cuts and abrasions of
the scalp, were dress d. When Johnson
recovered his senses, he stated that arly
in the even ng he observed two tramps
following two women across the bridge
and ordered them to leave. When lie
spoke to them the men ran away. They
returned at 3 o'clock in the morning and
knocked on the door of the electric-motor
house. Johnson opened the door, and the
men instantly assaulted him.
Johnson said that just before his senses
SOMETIMES you have a dizzy feeling, your
_,_„, w brain whirls, you hold yourself up to the
nearest pillar or post. It may also happen that
DIZZINESS you have gases in the stomach, your heart will
" nutter and bent rapidly, a sinking feeling comes
ni77lM n CC upon you, your hands and feet are too hot or too
Dl^Zl[Mfc.&t> c £ d your back aches, there is a sense of
weakness across the spine. You may have felt
DIZZINESS man or all of these symptoms and sensations.
You will ask yourself, What am I to do ? The
DIZZINESS answer is, Use the wonder-working remedio-
D.zz.NEss treatment, HUDYAN.
D.ZZINESS HUDYAN.
DIZZINESS This remarkable discovery was made by the
Hudsonian doctors, whom so many people know,
DIZZINESS and who are highly recommended. These doc-
tors are the only doctors to whom you can apply
DIZZINESS for the great
DIZZINESS HUDYAN.
You can get Hudyan only from the doctors
DIZZINESS of the Hudson Medical Institute. Hudyan cures
• \ Varicocele, Hydrocele and those delicate organic
DIZZINESS troubles. Hudyan is a sure and positive cure.
It is administered by reliable practitioners. It is
DIZZINESS a harmless but solvent remedio-treatment. If you
want to know about the cures write or call for
: CIRCULARS. :.
BLOOD TAINTS SHOW
Pimples
Copper-colored spots —
Sore mouth
Sore throat
Falling hair
— Enlarged lumps
Glandular lumps
Partial loss of eyebrow
Sore eyes
If you are in the first, second or tertiary state you can be
cured. Cures guaranteed. Call or write for
: GUARANTEE :
: FOR :
: BLOOD CURES. :
Hudson Medical Institute,
STOCKTON, MARKET AND ELLIS STS.
left him he heard the smaller of the two
men suggest that he be thrown off tbe
bridge into tbe river, but tbe larger man
objected. He gave a good description of
the men, which tallied with that of two
persons who had been observed in the
vicinity, and Railroad Detective Ahem
found that Newton Tripp. a dairyman,
had seen two men running off the bridge
about the time Johnson claims to have
ordered them away from the women.
An ex-police detective, who has been
working on the case, gives a different ver
sion of tbe affair. He claims to have dis
covered that Johnson and his wife have
had several quarrels and that a divorce was
talked of. He claims that Johnson had
been drinkiug heavily during the evening
and that at about 2 o'clock the wife went
to see that her husband was on duty, and
probably found him asleep. On awaken
ing a rough-and-tumble tight ensued, dur
ing which Johnson's head was cut against
the lever of the electric motor. After
Johnson was overcome he was helped
home by his wife, and after agreeing upon
their story she sent word to the police.
SOME DAMAGE BY FROST.
Condition of Crop* in Various Section*
of the State.
SACRAMENTO, Cal., June 12.— At the
meeting of the State Horticultural Society
this afternoon G. W. Hinckley of Winters
reported that in his district, the earliest
apricot section of the State, the crops west
of the town were heavy, while to the north
and east they had been entirely destroyed
by frosts. Langford of Lodi reported full
crops of all fruits except grapes in his lo
cality, the grapevines having been injured
by frosts. He spoke at length on the sub
ject of spraying with salt, sulphur and lime
for curl leaf, and gave his experience in the
mixing of the decoction.
Robert Williamson reported that crops
adjacent to Sacramento were only fair,
and stated that, contrary to the usual
order of things, in the lowest spots where
the frost generally strikes, and where wet
weather usually affects the fruit most,
there are now the heaviest crops. He said
that there appeared to be fewer worms in
the apples this year than ever before, the
extended cold spell having killed the
spring brood of codlin moths.
SENSATION AT SAN JOSE
Mrs. Anna Duggan Accuses Her
Son of Having Stolen Her
Property.
Brings Suit to Recover Real Estate
Valued at Tw nty Thousand
Dollars-
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.— Anna Dug
gan began a sensational suit in the Su
perior Court to-day charging her son, G.
H. Dablaing yon Giessenberjj, with fraud
and asking the court to order returned to
her real property valued at $20,000.
The complaint alleges that the plaintiff
is old and illiterate; that she is now and
nas for over ten years been incompetent to
transact business. Prior to 1885 she ap
pointed the defendant her sole agent and
confidential adviser.
She claimed that by artful schemes and
false representations Yon Geissenoerg in
duced her to deed to him h«r proper y.
Two deeds were given, dated respectively
April 3, 1895, and October 19, 1885. Stie
consideration was $15, whicn sum, it is ;
aliened, has never been paid.
The property consists ot 106 acres on the
Aimaden road, about seven miles south of
town, and several lots in the northeastern
part of this city.
Board «f Trails Election.
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.-The new
directors of the Board of Trade have
elected the following officers for the ensu
ing term: President, Colonel T. R.
I Weaver; first vice-president, C. M.
Hatcher; second vice-president, A. C.
Darby; treasurer, C. J. Bteeple; secretary,
J. P. Fay. Arrangements are in progress
for the annual harvest feast, Which was
such a brilliant success last year.
Forester* Will Celebrate.
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.— The local
lodge of the Ancient Order of Foresters
will fittingly celebrate Bunker Hill day,
June 17, with a picnic and appropriate
exercises. Excursions from San Francisco,
Oakland and Alameda are expected. W.
A. Bowden has been chosen orator of tbe
day and M. Perry grand marshal.
Sigh School Oraduates.
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.— The annual
graduation of the Hi :h School Senate took
place this evening at Germania Hall. Tbe
graduates are James Tormey, Milton Ish,
Henry Chandler, Harold Gray, Albert
Waltenspiel, Lloyd Harter, Haven Ed
wards, Charles Metteer.
Populists Organize.
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.— The People's
Party Central Club has began planning for
the fall campaign by effectinga permanent
j organization, with sixty members. Elgin
j C. Hurlbert is president, E. B. Mercadier
j secretary and J. L. Riddle treasurer.
Fate of a Chinese Murderer.
SAN JOSE, Cal., June 12.— Judge Lori
gan to-day passeu a life-imprisonment
sentence upon Wong Mow Gee for the
murder of Yuck Nam at Laurelwood farm
on the evening of March 10. He will be
taken to San Quentin to-morrow.
MISS FROM CARS ON.
United States Weather Observer Zau-ton
Absent From. Hi* Pott.
CARSON, Nev., June 12.— For the first
time in years no weather report was issued
from Carson fast evening, and when the
usual hour passed by this morning with
the same result bureau officials wired to
C. W. Friend, in charge of the service in
Nevada, for instructions.
Weather Observer G. E. Lawton left for
Reno yesterday morning, announcing tnat
he would return in time to take evening
Observations. Superintendent Friend to
day learned that instead of returning to
Carson yesterday afternoon Lawton
boarded a train for the West at Reno.
Friend will attend to Lawton's duties
uutil a substitute arrives. Lawton's fail
ure to return cannot be accounted for.
row to-pat.
BICYCLES.
STANDARD
OF THE WORLD.
$100 ALIKE TO ALL.
IP YOU CAN'T BUY A
COLUMBIA
THEN BUY A...
HARTFORD.
$65.00. $50.00. $45.00.
Bargains in Second-hand Bicycles of
other makes.
CALL AND SEE THEM.
POPE IUUFACTUUI6 COMPANY, I
344 POST STREET.
COLUMBIA CYCLERY,
1974 PACE. NEAR STANYAN. I