Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-05
HATTIE WOOLSTEEN.
Testimony Taken Yester-
day at the Trial.
HARLAN's WATCH AND RING
He and Hattie Went Riding to
Compton the Day Before
the Murder.

The Woolsteen case occupied the
attention Of Judge Cheney's court and
= good many people yesterday, as it il
likely to do for q number of days te
come. The first witness examined
was Anson Stephens. who testified
/ reside near Compton, near the Bar
boy place. l know Hattie Woolsteen
she having been at my house some
time in July last. She was stopping
at Mrs. Barbey's at the time. She
was at my house three different times
The last time Mrs. Barley was with
her. I recognize Miss Woolsteen al
the lady in court. Miss Hattie was at
my place on the 9Th of October, or at
least my children said it was her.
She came to my place in company
with a man of medium height, light
complexion and sandy moustache
He wore broad-brimmed, light col
ored hat. They drove up, hitched
and went to the orchard. The man af.
forwards came out where I was and
asked me some questions relative to my
place. was not near enough to Miss
Hattie to recognize her. The man ap-
peared to desire to purchase the place
/ did not know of the burning of the
barn until the morning of the 9TH. I
went to the place and discovered that
. charred body was among the ashes
and remains. The body was lying
breast downward. The left arm was
extended and buraed off. The right
arm was burned off between the ell
bow and wrist. The right side of the
head was aiso burned, but part Of the
lace was not destroyed, including iheo TIC
upper lip and moustache. l took a
part of letter from the vest pocket.
(Letter identified, } and Mr.. Malcome
took up pieces OF clothing which were
under the remains. There was cuff
button and broken dice block also
found. (All of the articles exhibited
to the witness and identified I never
saw the man who came to my place
with Miss Hattie bsfore that time or
afterward.
Cross-examination: Miss Hattie and
her companion went to the orchard
with my son. They had some talk
with him about buying the farm.
When they came back they came to
where | was, while Miss Woolsteen
united the horses and got into the
buggy. The man gave me card with
his name and address, and we agreed
that my son should meet him in Los
Angeles the next day, when he said
he would tell us whether he would
take the place. He wore dark clothes
and sombrero hat, something like a
cowboys hat. There was hole in
the right side of the head just above
and in front of the ear. The top of
the head was burned away. There
was about two inches of the skull in
tact above the hole, but it all crum-
bled away when the body was moved.
Redirect examination: sent my
son to Los Angeles to NEE. the party
who called with Miss Woolsteen, but
after calling at his Office on Main
street he did not find him. The name
he gave US was G. N. Earlan. He told
MS he had real estate Office, but we
found it to be a dentists.
JOHN STEPHENS,
Being called and sworn, testified: I
reside at Garvanzo. l lived at Santa
Ana in October last, and am familiar
with the Barley farm. was on the
premises on the 7th OF October, 1887.
/ found the barn had been burned and
in the ruins I discovered a body
burned to a crisp. was at my faith
er's place on the 9th of October. l
saw gentleman who afterwards told
me his name was Harlan and lady
who now recognize was Miss Wool
steen, driving about near our place.
/ understood they wanted to buy a
place, SO saddled my horse and rode
about two miles when 1 overlook
them. l told them l had place to
sell, or one belonging to my
father. They said they would come
back. l rode to the house and put
up my horse, and when l came out of
the barn they were driving up to the
house. We then went down through
the orchard. Harlan introduced Miss
Woolsteen to me as Miss Hattie, a
friend. They conferred with one an
other and myself about the place.
Harlan teld me he wished to pur-
chase the place for Miss Hattie. l
told them there was mortgage on
the place and they could let it stand.
Miss Hattie said money was no OBJ
ject. She would pay all the money
down if she should take it, as she
would not have a mortgage hanging
over her. AS we went through the
orchard Harlan piucked an apple, and
taking a bite out of it, gave it to
Hattie, saying, "That is sweet,
Hattie" She took it, and after
tasting threw it away, saying, "It's
sour" He gave her grapes also.
When we got back to the house Miss
Woolsteen went to the buggy and
Harlan and to the barn, where we
had some conversation with nv
father. He asked me there if
would give him the usual commission
/ told him I would. He then wrote
his name and address on card and
asked me to meet him at his office
the next day. (Card identifed)
Cross-examination know the barn
was burned between the 9th and 7th.
It was in ashes on the morning of the
9TH. On the 9th I saw Harlan and
Miss Woosteen drive into the Barbey
place. Harlan told me his friend
Hattie wished to buy the. place for her
folks who were coming from the East.
He said she wanted an improved
place that her people might move
right in. They appeared well pleased
with the place and said the price was
reasonable. Miss Hattie appeared to
prefer ten acres, but Harlan told me
he thought he could get her to take
the whole thirty-five acres. He said
the commission on ten acres would
rof amount RI rpuch