Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-19
THE WooDLlED MURDER CASE.

As on the previous day the Courtroom was
denssly packed, and there were many more
on the eutside than on the day before. At
precisely Q o'clock the Court was called to
order.
Jesse Walters, saloon-keeper, was the
first witness called. He testified that he
went to see the body in the corral. While
there defendant f. NJ. Rahm came and said
1t was Maltby that he knew it was him
from patch on his clothes and the way be
laid, and that he was an awful good man.
The coat was buttoned up. His boots were
black and shiny. There was no mud on the
clothes.
2. Krellenburg testified ia relation to the
position of the body, saying there was no evil
dance of any struggle about IL his legs being
straight and stiff, one lying over the other.
DIR. George 81. jackson testified TO making
an examination of the body of Maitby the
day it was found, and thought it had been
there some eight days. and was in an adj
and face was black on the left side. He
held the post mortem examination, but
on account of decomposition he could
form no opinion as to the cause of death.
He removed the stomach of Maltby and kept
it two days, and then gave it to District At
torney Garroute to send to San Francisco.
He said bodies after death from strychnine
are rigid at first, but become loose eventually.
A man could Tot die from rychnine with
his arms doubled or crooked, unless he had
rolled into such position, and man dying
that way would rot be likely to have hat
pulled over his head as reported. He did not
think a poisoned man would have been in
that position, with his head en- his arm, as
the commissions would likely have disturbed
the straw at his feet and his hands, and he
would have struck bis hat off. The heart and
lungs did not show indications of poisoning.
Witness had read of cases of poisoning where
no evidence of poison was found in the
stomach, especially If taken in solution. He
found q solution of strychnine was in the
bottle. He found no fracture of the skull,
and the spinal cord not injured. Strychnine
produces congestion Of the brain, and the
victim dies generally in paroxysms, but
they may die in q period of relaxation.
The witness, On cross-examinstion, said the
condition eff the heart and lungs was not in
consistent with the stryehnine theory, and
that he could express no opinion as to the
cause Of death. BE saw nothing Inconsistent
with the theory of desth from conclusion of
the brain. The label under the bottle might
have come off the bottle, but there was still
oEe remaining. He preserved the intestines
and liver, and gave them to the Coroner.
P. Claiburn testified that he was in Wood
land in March, 1882. on Sunday, the 18th
saw deceased in Powers saloon; he left
defendant, Frank Rshm, there about 8
o'clock he spoke o few words to Maltby;
saw Rahm nearly every day had a CONVEX
sation with Rahn at the Courthouse q day
or two afterward about Msltby asked for
him; Rshm said in effect, "NeYer mind
Maltby-he is all right" The witness, on
REORGANIZATION. stated that he was fined
in Woodland during Rahn's administration
for the battery of Chinaman, and that he
worked cut the fine in the chain-gang, and
was well treated by Rahm. He said he was
never arrested for any other offense.
Jesse f. Strong, clerk in District Attor-
ney Craig's office, testified that on the even
ing Of March 26th he visited an oyster house
on Main street with Mr.. Craig. and that
when leaving there about 10 o'clock they saw
Maltby on the sidewalk, which was the last
time the witness saw Maltby alive. In the
of this witness by defend.
ants attorney, George A. Knight, he was
badly mixed up, and his evidence is not cou-
sidered to be of any use 30 the prosecution, if
not damaging.
The Court took a recess until o'clock.
In the afternoon, w. +. Moses testified :
Have been express agent here for twelve
years. Here is a package left with me for
safe keeping by the District Attorney. On
being requested to break the seal the witness
did So and stated it contains the pieces of
broken bottle. A day or two before Maltby
was found, witness asked defendant, Frank
Rahm, the whereabouts of the deceased. lie |
replied I" have told go many lies about il
hat do not know if will sver be forgiven" |
Witness knew that q box said to contain the |
stomach of Maltby was expressed to w. d. |
Johnson, chemist, at San Francisco.
Detectives jackson and Arlington were |
sworn as witnesses apd put under the rule |
witnesses from the Courtroom.
DR.. Thomas Ross was sworn and described |
he actions, symptoms, etc., of persons who |
lied from being poisoned by strychniLe, but |
le knew nothing concerning the facts Of this
,sse, and his testimony was almost entirely |
hypothetical.
g. FL. HoppI, druggist, identified the
broken bottle. Explained how it came to be
broken and put up in the package mentioned |
oy witness Moses.
W. d. Hunt testified that be asked Rabm |
where Maltby was, and Rahm replied he had
been struck with stick of stovewood, had a |
black eye aud was laid up.
Here it was admitted by the defendants
counsel that Frank Rahm had made different |
ALL COllliCbLUS sbctSIuClllb c6 " tuc WuSES-
atouts of Maltby to persons who came To his |
office to Inquire for the deceased.
George Dinsdale Testified that on March |
26, 1882, ne was at Powers saloon. John
Maitby was there. He came in about |
o'clock from there he went off with Powers. |
About midnight saw him again. About |
o'clock we went to Lou Belmont's house. |
He stayed there short time and left, saying |
be was going home. He was sober then. l |
never saw him aliYe after that. He had on a |
pair of blue glasses. Heard Frank Rahm |
fore his arrest, "They say killed old John |
Maltby"
Lou Belmont testified: On March 27th de- |
ceased visited my house with Dinsdale be- |
tween half-past l and 2 o'clock A. NJ, and |
asked me how he had been hurt. told him |
and he left. He did not drink while there |
be had slight bruise under one eye then |
he referred to it and said Don't 1 look |
nice to go to my business tomorrow ?"
James Smith testified: On March 18th last |
I was IN the Woodland jail. was awakened |
about two hours before l was let out on the
OF the 9th, and heard noise as if |
some one had come into the Sheriff's office. |
Got up and heard some persons walking in |
there. They went out and walked along On /
the south side of the jail. From the sound |
[ should judge there were two there. They |
were not there long. / thought one went out |
before the other about fifteen minutes. have !
no idea who they were.
Mrs. i. s. Jury corroborated the other |
witnesses as to the deceased being in the res
taurant about IL o'clock on the night of |
March 26, 1882, the night he disappeared, |
and continued: son the next Friday night |
Frank Rahm ordered oysters and cup of |
coffee. i asked him who it was for. He |
ssid for John Maltby, and told me to make |
it strong, as he always drinks it. | made the |
coffee and oysters ready, and my husband |
took it over to the Sheriff's Office"
John Jury testified: On March 26, 1882,
was keeping restaurant in Woodland. |
Maltby came with John Berry to my restau- |
rant that night. He had on glasses. On the |
next Friday night l brought some coffee and |
oysters to the Sheriff's office. l asked APP |
pleby whtre Rshm was. He said, HE is
about somewhere" l said, a. want to see |
him these oysters are for him. He is q |
friend of mine and want to see him, and / |
want to take my dishes back" He said, !
u Never mind your dishes; / will attend TO |
shs oysters. Come tomorrow and get your |
iishes.'' / then went away, and met Rahm |
rs left. Those oysters have never yet been |
paid for.
h L. Marders testified 1 resided in Mad |
son on March Is, 1882. lived opposite the |
Court house. On March 9th of that year l |
saw man, whom l took to he Frank Rahm, |
leaving the Courthouse very early in the |
morping-about daylight.