The morning call., 1891-11-06
THE LANDER WRECK.
Testimony at The Preliminary Examination
Of the Roberts Brothers.

AUBURN, Nov. 5.-The examination of
the Roberts brothers on the charge of train
wrecking was resumed this morning al
o'clock before Justice Gwynn.
Conductor Murray ofithe wrecked train;
Conductor II. W. Coding of the freight
crew that was attached to the wrecked train
William Mcbride and David Palmeter, of
the freight crew; I. Golden, section fore
man; 10 Goulden of the Summit Hotel,
who was passenger on the wrecked train ::
w. S. Coyan, night-clerk at Blue Canyon
Hotel, and Mrs. Eliza Brees testified.
The witnesses all testified the same as to
the condition of the track after the wreck.
COyan testified as to finding the bar twenty
six feet from the center of the wagon-road,
near the wreck. The bar had been thrown
there recently, and had pierced the ground
about eight inches.
Mrs. Brees testified as TO a conversation
she had with both jeff and Al Roberts on
October 10th, four days after the wreck.
A Roberts had told her that he had $3.50 in
the bank at Auburn with which he proposed
to elope the second time with Miss lnger-
soil.
Attorney Jones stated that he would prove
a motive from this statement that led to the
wreck.
In talking with jeff, she asked him how
many bars they use,l. and he said two. He
of the claws of the bar broke off. JEFF said
he could put his hand on the men who did
the business. Al Roberts, who overheard
the conversation, cried out liar several
times. Mrs. Brees asked him whom he
| meant to call a liar, and he answered, re-
ferrng to JEFF. 81 refer to that thing there"
Mrs. Brees gave her testimony from men,
oranda, to which the defense objected.
The court adjourned till o'clock.
The examination WAS resumed this after
noon.
Mrs Eliza Brees was subjected to rigid
croSs-examination in the endeayor to COM
promise her character Nothing was clio
tied to weaken her testimony. She denied
that she had any enmity against either one
OF the Roberts boys, and said she had no
interest in the matter.
j. R. Brees testified that Al Roberts had
asked him to assist him in second elope-
ment with Miss Ingersoll. During the con-
versatlOn he had stated that he had $3.50 In
Auburn. He was in the habit Of meeting
Miss Ingersoll at the witness house.
Nothing further was ELECTED to establish
a motive for the wrecking.
Thomas Lake, one Of the section men,
stated that after they had returned from
the scene of the wreck he met AL Roberts,
the ground. He told him he knew of none.
He says that Al Roberts was nearly crying
with excitement at the time.
Brakeman D!ckey says when he was iu
the sleeper Santa Cruz he heard some one
ask AL Roberts what brought him there so
| early.
Phil Douglass, Master Car-repairer, A. W.
Hoy of Sacramento, Thomas A. Jones, As
| sistant Division Superintendent, and VIII
| Smith, Assistant United States Marshal and
| special railroad detective, were sworn, and
Road Overseer Thomas Ahern was re-
| called.
| All the testimony agrees as to the condi-
tiun Of the track after the wreck and also
as to the physical imposslblity of 1t result
| ing simply from accident. No doubt re-
mains that the wreck was the work of in
| cendl aries. Excepting Mrs. Brees' and
| Lakes testimony but little has yet been
| given to actually criminate tho Roberts
| boys.
The day closed with the opening testi-
mony of Detective Smith. His continued
| testimony will be watched with great inter-
| est tomorrow. The court adjourned at Is
| in the afternoon until tomorrow morning
| at 9 O'clock.