The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-17
FLADUNG ON TRIAL.
Judge Shafter and George A.
Knight Bandy Words.
Evidence Of the Prisoners Extreme Cruelty
to Els Wife-D.d She Shoot
Herself!

The twelfth juror in the Fladung case was
secured yesterday morning and the case pro-
ceeded Immediately TO trial. Following are
the names of the jurors: G. c. Butler, }.
Sophey, j. H. Norris, Michael Flood, Robert
White, w. S. Cox. Matthew Carroll, F. L.
Bruce, L. NJ. Root, James PorteuS, E. b.
Rice and Percy Veasey.
Edward Fladung is TN trial before jury
and Judge Shafter charged with the murder
of his wife on May 10Th list at their lodg-
ings on Eddy street. They had been mar
ried less than one year and quarreled con-
ii1ually. Much of the testimony in the hear
ings of the case before the Coroner and the
Police Magistrate went to show that Fladung
was very Incorporate and abused his wife
cruelty. 1t also appeared that she had lived
many years before meeting Fladung as the
wife OF 4 gambler.
The theory has been advanced that
Fladung was very jealous of her, and in
mad fit on the occasion in question first
killed her and then attempted to kill HIM
self.
His defense is that she first ATTEMPTED
to kill him and succeeded in killing herself.
But the prosecution is attempting to set
aside such defense by showing that the
DQlIts-WOuUu t.lal liel uedlI WAS Oil
her left temple. while she was by habit
rigLt-handed, and in ali probability could
not handle pistol in her left hand.
MRS. JACOBS TESTIMONY.
Mrs Jacobs testified to having been with
Mrs. Fladung just before the shooting and
heard the deceased say, Here comes that
crazy Dutchman, my husband, again
Shortly afterward she heard Il shot and then
a body fall to the floor.
George A. Knight, Fladung's counsel, at
tackled the credibility of the witness by bring
ing out the fact that she had at one time
been an inmate of the House CT Correction.
The prosecution objected on the ground
that such fact had not been properly shown,
and the Judge coincdet.
Mr.. Knight said it was all in the record,
but the Judge insisted that it was not before
him.
Mr.. Knight undertook TO explain the facts,
but the Judge shut him oil With the caution
that he must hot testify in the case.
I'm an officer of this court, may it please
your Honor" insisted Knight, little
pIqued, "and am not likely to state what
is not a fact"
THAT may all be true, replied the Judge
"but you're not witness"
Turning his attention meditatively TO the
bundle of transcribed testimony before him,
Mr.. Knight answered not word. He looked
at it and reflected; looked at 1t again and
reflected, till the Judge asked impatiently:
HIT w yuu plGpOot W SuuN uoM, eIl
AROUSED FROM HIS REVERE.
Mr. Knight was aroused from his revere
for an instant only, and his only recogni-
tion of the Judge was vigorous bite OF the
end of his mustache.
Il ask you, sir" again interrupted the
Judge, what do you propose to do now?"
And l answer you. SIR" came Knights
instant and hot retort, that | do not pro-
pose to tell YOU. sir, nor anybody else, sir!
ii ask an improper question, sir, then 1t Is
time for you to object, sir, and not before,
sirw
''I'll direct the course of this trial. sir, -
said the Judge, still maintaining his dignity.
well, sir, / suppose you will sir" re-
piled Mr.. Knight haughtily, 'but I'm ask
ing these questions, sir"
Judge Shafter has as keen a sense of
humor as any Judge on the bench, and ap-
precl&tes 1T hugely where 1t does not menace
the courts dignity.
The satire of Mr.. knights retorts, so far
from being cOntemptuons or disrespectful,
was extremely amusing, although the
speaker seemed mad enough TO bite mon
keywrench in two, and the Judge took IN
the situation in an instant. To prolong the
scene would be to lose ground, SO he
stopped short, aud the questioning of the
witness proceeded without interruption.
DAMAGING AGAINST FLADUNG.
Mrs. Emily Martin, sister of the deceased,
told very damaging tale against Fladung,
accusing him Of being continually drunk
and diSgraaefully cruel to his wife. Time
and again, even while his wife was sick in
bed, she had seen him strike her IN the face
and beat her. On one occasion he presented
pistol to her head and SAID he would kill
her il she did not do as he wished regarding
some affair that they were qGarreing about.
On another occasion he went 10 the home of
the witness in search of his wife, and to
make her return home seized her by the
head, choked her fiercely and also knocked
her down and beat her wickedly.
Mrs. Martin, when asked ab0ut her sis
ter's life previous to her marriage with
Fadung, said she fully supposed she was
married TO the man she was living with.
May had shown her their marriage certiti-
cate, and she fully supposed it was genuine.
She had heard that Eer sister had been
mixed up in shooting scrape while living
with this man down in Arizona, but knew
nothing about the facts otherwise.
Several residents in the neighborhood
where the shooting took p!ace were exam
ined, but could add very little of material
interest. They had heard disputes and
petty quarrels between the two, but sup
posed it was nothing out OF the ordinary run
of married life.
The trial will ha nnntinn oil TODAY