Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-13
THE CASTAC CASE.
More Testimony About Cooks
Reputation.
Several Witnesses Who Said 1t
Was Very Bad.
Two Chormicle Boys Relate Some
New Facts.
The Trouble They Witnessed Prior to the
Shooting-Other Points During
the Trial.

The Castac case was resumed yester-
day morning in department l OF the
superior court, the defense contining it
self almost entirely during the morning
session to the introduction of testimony
relative to the reputation of Cook dur
ing his lifetime, for peace and quiet in
the community in which he lived.
D. w. Field stated that he knew Cook
some eight years ago and had employed
him. At that time he considered that
Cooks reputation was good, but knew
nothing of his previous or subsequent
record.
G. B. Richardson, an attorney, knew
Cook about seven years ago when he
resided at Newhall. He used to carry
firearms, and had very bad character.
The witness was not acquainted with
his subsequent record.
Harvey A. Branscombe knew Cook
few years ago and employed him upon
ranch of which he was foreman. He al
ways carried weapons and had very
bad reputation.
William B. Rose had seen Cook al
most daily during the last three years of
his life, and many times noticed that he
carried pistols. His reputation was bad.
Henry Lateur, resident of the Castac
of eight years standing, knew Cook
very intimately during his lifetime. His
reputation was bad. During a CONVEX
sation with Cook some time ago the wit
ness told Cook that he was friend of
the Chronicles, when Cook said that it
made no difference, as Chormicle would
have to leave the section.
q. Baron, Frenchman who had re-
sided in the Castac since 1876, knew
Cook well for the past twelve years, dur
ing the whole of which time his reputa-
tion had been bad.
John Gallon, another resident OF the
Castac canon, said that Cook always
went armed and that he was a quarrel
some man. His reputation was bad.
Brockwell was recalled and stated that
in company with Thomas Marple and
the elder Gardener he went to the spot
where Miss Martinez said she saw
man standing; that they found the foot
prints OF man leading to the cabin 500
yards away; but that no person standing
there could see the cabin, owing to
thick growth of brush.
Mrs. ID. l.. Martinez, mother of the
young lady who testified to seeing the
shooting, testified that she was with her
daughter at the time. She saw Dime
and Walton drive up in the lumber
wagon and Cook in the buggy. Heard
the shots and saw the smoke. Saw a
man standing in front of the house. The
smoke came from that direction. After
wards he went up the cafion. The wit
ness also stated that she saw man
standing in the brush.
Mrs. Martinez was rigidly cross-eX-
amined by the prosecution, but she
maintained her composure admirably,
and adhered strictly to the statements
she had made on direct examination
until court adjourned for the noon
recess.
At the afternoon session Thomas Riley
was recalled by the defense and ques-
toned as to some of his testimony given
at the coroner's inquest and at the pre-
liminary examination. His testimony
upon those occasions in regard to the
distance from the cabin to the spot
where he claimed to have stood differed
materially from that given at the present
trial.
The defense then called upon w. W..
Jenkins to produce his docket and the
papers in case which had been tried in
his court at Newhall in February last,
the defendants being w. G.. Chormicle,
George Chormicle and John Kelton, all
of whom were charged with having COM
mitted the crime of malicious mischief
Justice jenkins announced that the
complaint in this case was missing, and
he was entirely at loss to explain how
it happened to be lost. He had last
seen it lying on a table in his Office at
Newhall, when a lawyer named Robin
son was in the room.
George Chormicle, the 16-year-old son
OF the defendant, testified that on the
first Sunday in February he, his mother
and hired man named John Kelton
were arrested and taken before Justice
w. w. jenkins at Newhall. They did
not known what they were arrested fol
until the constable told them that il
was for putting up fence on section 25,
which J Dime and w. H. George had
pulled down. His brother Frank made
a copy of the complaint in Jenkins
office at the time. The witness then
identified the document offered for his
inspection as in the handwriting of his
brother. The fence in question was put
up during his absence on visit to Santa
Paula, and had been up over year to
ms certain knowledge Alter Olme and
George tore it down, in January last, he
and Kelton fixed it up again.
The young witness was then questioned
about the circumstances surrounding the
shooting, and testified in effect as fol
lows: About five days before the shoot
ing he and his mother found that Walton
had hauled quantity of lumber ovel
section %, for the purpose of erecting q
house and taking possession of the land
Accordingly they drove out in their own
wagon, and loading up the lumber, drove
to the fence and threw it over onto
Jenkins's land. Walton and Dime
hauled it back again, however,
and that evening Walton met the
mother and son on the road
and asked them if they had hauled his
lumber off section %. They replied
that they had, and asked him not to
haul it back again, as the land belonged
to them rightfully. Walton turned and
went off; but next morning Mrs. Choir
micle and her son, (the witness),
drove down to the lumber pile to remove
it. Walton, Dime and George were
there, and as the witness stopped down