Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-31
THE LOWELL MURpERERs.
The jury Impaneled and the Examina-
ton of Witnesses Begun.

The Jury Impaneled and the Examina-
ton of Witnesses Begun.
The RECORD UNIONS special representa-
tive at Placerville sent the following tele-
gram last evening:
The taking of testimony in the case of
Myers, Olsen and Drager, for the murder
of John Lowell on the oath of March, COM
menced at o'clock this afternoon. The
jury was completed at the morning session.
by the acceptance of George Askew and
Thomas Worth. George H. Ingham has
been entered of record, as attorney. to as
sist in the prosecution of the case. District
Attorney Bennett made the opening state
ment to the jury, reciting the full particu-
lars of the murder. In doing so, he re-
ferred to John Stein as a man who kept a
| groggery, where idle and dissolute persons
coDgregated, and where the three defend
ants were stopping when they decided upon
going to Lowell's ranch, and stealing his
horses. He spoke pretty severely of STEMS
actions, and as soon as recess was taken,
Stein, who is here as a witness for the pros
ecutlon, telegraphed to his attorney. c. T.
Jones, to come up and be present at the ex-
animation,
| AND PROTECT HIS INTERESTS,
He having been held to answer in Sacra-
mento county to the charge of receiving
stolen property, knowing the same TO have
| been stolen. During the examination OF
! DR.. B. Hummell as to his qualifications to
! sit as \ juror he created considerable
amusement by the positive character of his
opinion that the defendants were guilty
His information in regard to the homicide
! had come from Sheriff Drew, of Sacra-
mento county. He said he had only
! known Drew for about six months, but he
was q fine noble looking and honest man
and it would take very powerful and
very strong sworn testimony to con-
| troyert his statement of the case
! The doctor was excused. Nine witnesses
were examined on the part of the prosecu-
ton during the four hours of the afternoon
session-Sheriff j. NJ. Anderson. Nicholas
Wubbena, ]. G.. Murray, c. NJ. Wubbena
Levi Darlington, Howard Searight, Coroner
I +. a Spencer, George Darlington and L. w
i Farrell. The latter was on the stand when
the Court adjourned. He is the Sacramento
police officer who went TO Tehachapi, and
| brought back John Myers. When asked to
| detail his conversation on the road with
| the prisoner the counsel for the defendants
/ objected TO the testimony, on the ground
! that 1t had not been sufficiently proven thai
the body found was that of John Lowell.
The testimony of the different witnesses
| on that point had not been very positive
though they thought it was the body OF
Lowell. Lowell is supposed to have been
MURDERED ON THE 24rH
OF March, while the body was not found
until the ID of June. 1t was greatly de-
composed. and the flesh was all off the
face and skull. In the morning William
| Lowell, son of the deceased, viii be put
upon the stand and testify that it was lhe
body Of his father. He went to Sacra-
mento on business this morning, but re-
turned this evening. Judges Irwin,
! Blanchard and Carpenter Of counsel for
| the defense, are making an exceedingly
] vigorous fight in behalf of the prisoners
and are holding the District Attorney down
10 the strictest rules of evidence They are
| making every step as difficult as possible
for the prosecution, but Mr. Bennet has the
! utmost confidence in his ability to show
the guilt of the defendants beyond any
doubt. The great contest III the case will
| be over the admission as testimony of the
the various statements made by the prison
ers after their arrest, in which they accused
each other of the crime. They will prob.
ably be admitted in some form.