Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-04-29
THE TRIAL OF LASTENiA ABARTA.


The Court Room Throngsd with Curious Spec.
tatorS-The Jury Impaneled--The Prisoner
in Court--Her Appear rsrcs--Progrels OF the
Trial-The Line Of Defencs--Story Of the
Defendant.
At 10 o'clock yesterday morning
Judge Sepulveda's csurt room was
crowded by an eager throng drawn
thither by the knowledge that at
that hour the trial Of Lastenia
Abarta, who, on the 18th of March
last, shot and killed Francisco +.
Forster, was to be commenced. A
venire of sixty Jurors had been
summoned, all Of whom were pres
ent, and In q few minutes after the
formal opening of the Court the
impanelipg of the jury which was
to decide her fate commenced. Con.
trary to expectation the panel sum.
moned proved ample, and by half
past twelve O'Clock the following
Jury was sworn: Marion Miller,
William White, Andrew Steph-
ems, J.H. Martin. Willis Newton, NJ.
Serrott. Tipton Bandy, Thomas A.
Carey, d. G. Wilson, J. H. Banks,
r. Kidson, Frank Bishop. The
Jury was then cautioned by Judge
Sepulveda that during the course
of the trial they were to hold no
communication with outside par
ties ON the subject of the trial and
after the Indictment and plea of the
defendant had been read to them
they were placed in the care of the
Sheriff, when the Court took re.
cess until q O'clock P. NJ.
During the empaneling OF the
Jury the defendant, Miss Abarta,
neatly dressed in black and wear
ing a composed modest demeanor,
| occupied seat near her cOunsel, q.
| Wiley Wells and J. f. Godfrey,
E.quires. Her mother and sister,
also dressed iu black, occupied seats
near her.
The counsel for the prosecution
are District Attorney Brown,
Stephen M. White and Theodore
Lynill, Esquires.
At the appoin ed hour Judge Sc.
pulveIa took his seat on the bench
ami shortly afterwards the defend.
ant, accompanied by her counsel
and her mother and sister, entered
the court room. The names of the
Jurors were then called, as also the
uames of the witnesses for the pros
ecutIon. After this formality the
trial commenced.
3. F. Reed, for the prosecution,
testified that he WAS close to Fors.
ter when he was shot. Between
three and four O'Clock p. NJ. he saw
Forster standing at the White
House corner, on Commercial
street. The defendant and another
Tlady were talking with him. The
defendant held q revolver and
seemed quite cool. The defendant
spoke in Spanish to Forster, who
did not reply. Witness was five
or six feet distant. The lady fired
! atlu CfSlcI
dead. She fred but once, holding
the pistol In an awkward manner.
The pistol was then taken from
her. A long cross-examinatiOub by
Col, Wells ELECTED nothing fur
ther from witness.
W, G. Reavis, a hackman, testi.
fed that on the 18Th of March, at
twenty minutes to four in the after.
noon, he was sent for from Mrs.
Abarta's and drove the two young
ladies to the Cosmopolitan, where
they asked for Mr.. Forster. He
was not there, aud tney went to
CovarrubIas's stable whore he was.
Forster got In and told me to drive
to church; when We got there he
told me TO drive to ANITA Cruz;
there be told me to drive to
Ducommun street. when We
got to the corner opposite the White
House | heard a rap on the Windows
Forster and the ladies got out OF
the carriage and went across the
street. After defendant had said
something ia Spanish the witness
saw her shoot Forster, who fell
dead almost instantly. The de.
fendant did not seem TO be excited,
either ut the time of f ing the shot
or after firing 1t. The witness was
cross examined by Col. Wells but
no other material facts were
brought out.
Mary Forck was the next witness
to take the stand. She testified
that she saw the defendant shoot
Nj. Forster, wins foil dead Instantly.
Witness stood on the corner oppo.
site where the shooting took place.
No REORGANIZATION was had in
this instance.
Louis Rougny called for the pros.
ecution. Testified to hearing u pis-
tol shot and to seeing one of the Is-
dies with pistol in her hand; he
could not say which Of the two
fired the shot. Rougny was not
, Gross examined.
Louis Goodfriepd was called next.
; He knew both defendants and Fors.
ter by sight he saw the hack drive
up, and Its occupants dismounti
he was not looking when the shot
,, was fired, but on hearing 1t he turn
ed his head and saw Forster fall; he
assisted In raising Forster's body;he
told the defendant to go and give
herself up to the Sheriff; she ap'
peared to be perfectly coof and un.
excited as she moved away, some
, one, witness did not knew who,
q said, "You'll never ruin anothel
womau." Goodfriend was not CROSS
examined.
Dr.. H. Nadeau, the Coroner, was
] the next witness. He testified to
3 being summoned by a policeman
! to view the body off. p. P.Forster; he
met the. body being carried along
] the street, epd ordered 1t taken Il
the morgue; he snmm3ned jury
8 and made an examination of the