The morning call., 1892-02-16
CURTIS TESTIFIES.
he SWears That He Was Knocked
Down and Robbed,
And That Officer Grant Was Killed BY the
Robber-Why Curtis Ran Away-Nar-
ration Of Startling Incidents.

18th Of September last was resumed OeloIe
Judge Trout and jury yesterday morning.
The attendance Of spectators was larger
than upon any former occasion, many seats
being occupied by ladies. Mrs. Curtis was
IN her usual seat, next TO the defendant
Roland Reed, accompanied by three ladies'
OF his theatrical company, sat with MI aud
Mrs. Curtis all the morning. These ladies
we're Miss James, daughter Of Louis James,
Miss Rush and Miss Mary Myers.
OPENING OF THE Defense.
The interest in yesterdays proceedin Is
was heightened 10y the fact that the hearing
Of testimony for the defense was to begin,
and the lawyers for Curtis preclpltated
strong situation by introducing the de-
PENDANT as the first witness.
Before doing So however, there was
strong summary Of what proof was to be
adduced in his behalf submitted TO the jury
by j. \. Z. Wilson. This gentleman de-
Iiyered an effective address. It's delivery
did not occupy more than fifteen minutes
and when he had finished it was plainly to
be seen that the twelve men in the box
were greatly impressed by the story be had
summarized
A
To begin with. Wilson told them that
from the outset Of the case, owing to the
advice of counsel, there had never been
made an authoritative statemento the facts
which would set at rest any doubts Of the
defendR nts innocence. He dWeH partlcu-
larry upon the fact that when the de-
PENDANT was caught running away
the pair Of nippers we're found on his
right wrist a hasty conclusion, he said,
had been reached by the police that these
nippers were absolute evidence Of his guilt
The consideration Of the jury would De IN
vited 10 the fact that the lOlice, having
reached q theory, had nodded all their facts
to lit this theory. Trey had attempted,
through the press, to build up mass OF
prejudice against the defendant
NOT A POLICE CONSPIRACY.
Counsel would not try TO indSce the jury
10 believe that the heaJs II tile Police De-
partment bad entered into any conspiracy
or had endeav0red TO do anything more than
their duty. hut they bad accepted the re-
ports OF sub0rdInates who had not only
fabricated evidence but had actually sup
pressed facts which tended to show The
innocence Of tie defendant. They would
produce witnesses 90 show that the nippers
were 90 Mr. Curtis right hand, and, his
right hand being m8uacIed, twas absolutely
impossible for him 20 IRE the pistol
A LEFI-HANDED THEORY
For this reason the police had attempted
TO erect q theory that he was left-handed,
and 10 mold the facts accordingly, when, as
a matter of fact, Curtis was Tight-handed,
and had never owned a pistol, and never
saw the weapon produced I'D evidence.
Counsel would produce witness p court
who saw three men. and who told the off,
GERS at the time Of the homicide what he
had seen This witness, Mr.. wilson SAID,
was then told by the police that bis testi-
mOuy was all nonsense. THIS testimony
they had deliberately suppressed, as they
had also suppressed important words ut
tered by Curtis soon after bis arrest, 10 the
effect that be 5aI been knocked down and
robbed.
DETECTIVE BODIES DOINGs.
Counsel would also show that Detective
BOde ike a miserable spy, WenttO Curtis in
the City Prison the morning after The hOmi-
eide. and, putting his arm around Curtis,
spoke 20 HIM IN German, saying ne, BOde,
was friend of hTeling and an intimate
friend Of Curtis and asked him three things;
Where did D. ct the pistol, where did he
get tie WHISKY and SHY did he shoot Grant?
II would b- proved by the evidence Of Mr..
h0wa.sEy that when Bpde was disclosed to
Curt, in his true light he used filthy and
brutal language TO the prisoner. 1t would
be proved also that Mullins aud IC0mey,
witnesses for the prosecution, had told a
very different story to him and offered TO
sell heir testimony 10 The defense for gold
coin.
THE DEFENDANTS CAREER.
Mr. WILSON tod the story OF the life Of
the defendant he said his true name is
Maurice B. StTelLger. He was born in De-
t!0it tlITCy-nlne years ago His family are
PTesbytersns. Al an early age he was bap-
Zed 10 tie Episcopal Church. At II years
Of age be adopted the stage as a profession.
as Is the custom he took a stage name and
was known thereafter professionally as VI.
B. Curtis.
Mr.. Wilson asked the Jury therefore not to
attach any stigma to the circumstance Of
the defendant appearing with an alias IN
the case By tile testimony Of many we'll
known citizens 1t would be shown 10 them
that The defendant had from his earliest
youth maintained an irTepTOachable char
acter.
Counsel next narrated all the Incidents
connected with tie move ments Of the de-
PENDANT on jhe night Of the tragedy. These
incidents are for the most part already IA
mlar 10 the public. They relate to the
taxing by Curtis Of his wife to the Grand
Opera II use 20 see the Bernhard perform
ance and Of his departure at 10 O'clock
from the opera house TO 20 to the Tivol
TheateF ana 20 his leaving the 1ivOli about
II 80 o'clock for the purpose OF escorting
his wife 10 their home 10 Berkeley.
THE MURDERER A ROBBER.
At this loint MI Wilson began the re-
cital Of the strange and startling version of
the killing of Ofticer Grant, upon which
their reliance is placed for the scQuIttal Of
Curtis The story. as told by MI Wilson
70 the Jury, was that upon the defendant
that night reaching the corner Of Mission
and Fifth streets he was acc0sted by man
who, touching him upon the shoulder, asked
for light for his cigarette. The actor
obliged him. IhereupOn the stranger said:
Mr. Curtis, you do not remember MT @
81 do not" answered Mr.. Curtis.
II used to sci the stage for you at the
tbeater in Atlanta, Ga, when you played
there" continued the stranger.
The man was then told by Curtis that he
was going back TO the Grand Opera House
20 meet his wife, bit as il was so late he
would take a car to the boat
CURTIS KNOCKED DOWN.
They walked from Fifth to Sixth street,
and as the man peTsistently kept with him
Curtis made uphis mind to shake him. and
to 60 down to Howard street aud there take
the car. he had proceeded only about half
a block on Sixth street when he-heard foot
steps behind. In another moment he was
struck a heavy blow Oh the back of the
head which felled him. man Jumped up-
on him and was beating him when q police
officer came On the scene, who lifted up
Curtis and seized his assalant by the arm.
The police officer wanted to know what the
trouble was. Curtis said, This man assaulted
me-" The other man then said, HE as
saulted ME first" The officer told them
they must both 90 along with him. He put
the nippers on Curtis and took the other
man Dy the arm. as@Sz
WHY CURTIS WAS NIPPED.
At this point Mr.. Wilson dgressed enough
TO suggest that Grant being a very much
larger man than Curtis there was no ne
cessity TO put the nippers on his wrist unless
be had second prisoner.
Curtis asked the officer, continued Mr..
Wilson, to let him go. He told him his
name, said he had to meet his wife at the
ferry and that he would appear next morn
ing to complain against the other man. At
this time Curtis did not know that he had
been robbed Of about $40, which he had on
his person that evening.
The next thing that Curtis recollected that
night he was startled by a pistol shot fol-
lowed BY two others. After the first report
be felt himself pushed against a wall.
Thin fug ba Grfv - D. h.