Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-18
FORD SHOT IN SELF-DEFENSE,
The Killer of Dan Sands Ac-
quilted by a Jury.
Il. G. Guirado's Sensational Suit
Against the Schieffiins.
Belle Oden Tells the Story OF the Sands
Kiiling-Court Notes.-The Fed
eral Tribunals-New
Suits Filed.

developed great weakness in the testi
mony and the trial resulted late yester
day afternoon in the acquittal OF the de-
fendant.
The trial was resumed yesterday
morning and the principal actors in the
tragedy, interesting from the plea OF self.
defense entered by Ford, gave their
various versions Of the shooting.
The prosecution closed with the in
PRODUCTION of Police Detective Auble.
who arrested the defendant after Daniel
Sands was shot. Ford talked to the Of
6cer and said to him very much what
was said to other witnesses, that he
shot Sands, was sorry for it, and would
not have done it, il he had not been
obliged to do 30 to save his own life.
Mr.. Grant asked for the jury to be
sent out and when it was done asked
the court to compel the prosecution to
put on the eye witnesses to the shoot.
ing. He said that there was one person,
Belle Oden. who saw the whole occur
renee, and he thought the prosecution
should not be allowed to close without
introducing her.
After some little argument over the
matter, in which Mr.. MoComas eaid
that the woman had originally been
jointly charged with the defendant, and
was not his witness, the court overruled
the motion of counsel and the taking of
testimony was resumed.
George Carpenter was called for the
defense and said that on September 3Oth
be had a conversation with Sands in
which the latter asked the witness if he
had seen Belle Dden. Shortly after
wards they saw Ford in front of the lat.
ter's house on New High street. Sande
cursed him and told him that if he did
not quit having anything to do with his
woman the next time they met it would
be ae men. He told Ford he had. heard
that he had been with Belle Oden and
would not have anything more OF that
kind.
The witness remem hered that Sands,
when in his house Friday, said that il
he caught Ford with Belle Oden again
he would break her neck and kill him
He communicated this threat TO Ford
before the shooting. The threat was
made to Belle Oden in the presence of
the witness. Ford made no further re-
mark when the witness told him about
the threat than to say that he did not
want to have any trouble.
Belle Oden, the woman in the case,
who is plump, rather pleasant faced
colored woman, was called and testified
as follows:
My name is Isabella Oden. 1 live on
Exchange street. / knew Daniel Sands
and know the defendant. l knew
Sands nearly three Years and Ford
three or four months. I was living in
the same place on the night of October
Sd at Mr. Sands house. Ford was liv
ing on New High street. was there
that evening. l went there about 9
O'Clock with Carpenter and Whitson.
Mollie Jackson and colored man from
Santa Monica were there when ar
rived; Ford came shortly after.
Sands came between 10 and III
O'Clock. l was out in the back ward.
Mrs. Carpenter was right behind me.
1 don't remember where Ford was at
that time.
l did not hear Sands come to the
front door, as had already gone out.
had been out but verv little while
when Ford called me. Mr. Sands called
me two or three times. He wanted me
to come in. / told him I'd De in in
a minute. He said, "Come on out. 1
want you to go home with me-" said
I would be out in minute. Ford was
in the door when 1 came out. came
out of the toilet Mr. Ford was stand
ing behind Mr.. Sands. Sands stood and
looked at me. He had a stick in his
hand, and raised it as if to strike me.
Ford stepped up and put his hand on
Sands arm, and said: "Come, come,
Sands, che will go home. Don't let's
have any trouble"
Sands struck Ford, and one blow
brought on another. They clinched,
and tried to separate them. did not
see the pistol, but when the shot was
fred, Sands etood minute, reeled
around and fell, striking his head against
the fence. Before the shot was fred,
Dan (Sands) said something, but / don't
know whet it was. / think at first |
was standing between the men. | was
irving to keep them from fighting. l
did not see Douglass.
At the time the shot was fired l had
my back to the door. had hold of Mr..
Sands, so. OF course, was closer to him.
We were in group, and was right in
front of them, almoet between them.
When Sands fell, Ford went out of the
yard.
Mr.. Carpenter was the first one who
came out after the shooting. / don't
know whether Ford came out then or
not. l was excited, and can't remem.
ber everything. I heard Mr.. Ford cay
something about getting doctor. He
got a doctor and hack, and we took
Sands home. Mr.. Ford, myself and
Grant Douglass took him home When
we were helping him out of the hack he
eaid he could get out all right. When
we got him to bed he said he did not
think he was hurt badly. found a
pocket knife in one OF his pockets.
heard Ford cay he was very sorry any
thing OF the kind had occurred. He
said il he thought Sands was not pre-
pare d to injure him he would not have
shot. Sands had been drinking that
night.
On cross examination the witness said
she did not see Sands have weapon.
He had stick of some kind in his hand
She took out the knife from his bach
pocket; she did not know which one
The knife was closed when she took il
out. She put it Sands's trunk, where
she supposed it still remains.
Mr. McComa You cay you were
standing kind OF between them wher
the shot was firedf
The witness-Yes, cir.
Mr. McComs s-Thev were standing
little apart?
| Tho witnese-Yea air. had m,