The herald., 1893-12-16
WAS IT MURDER BY CREMATION
Examination of Aguilar, the AL
legged Wife Murderer.
Some of the Testimony Looks Very
Damaging.
Details of How Mrs. Aguilar Was
Burned-Evidence to Show That
Aguilar Committed tho
Cruel Deed.

Inc preliminary examination oil
Abram Aguilar, on charge Of murder
ing his wife by burning her, was COM
menced in Justice Seaman's court yes
terday morning and was continued until
today.
The evidence adduced yesterday, taken
as whole. is greatly against the de-
fendant, and during the afternoon the
caee grew less hopeful for him.
The court room was thronged with
people, standing room being at q
premium.
The examination was commenced at
10 O'Clock, when about 80 witnesses
were sworn.
The defendants attorney, II. I. Gage,
announced that he would assume the
course adopted in regular trials, and
place all witnesses upon the stand.
Deputy District Attorney Davis is con-
ducting the prosecution.
Miss Silvas, sister of Mrs. Aguilar,
testified that her sister had had dreams
in which she would call ont Aguilar' e
name. She said no person was about
the house on the day the girl was
burned.
She testified further substantially aa
follows: l reside on Pearl street. |
know the defendant. Have known him
two years. | saw nay sister on the 9th
OF this month. | know how she came
to her death. She burned up. saw
her when she was bnrning. She was
running away from the water closet,
toward the street. She screamed:
My husband burned me that un-
grateful wretch p
Her language was not very loud. She
was but few feet from the closet at
the time. about 25 feet. She was going
toward Kuhrts street. Her clothing wae
burning from behind. | saw no person
in the backyard when l went out the
back door. The only person l saw
about there was the man who put the
fire out (Mr, Geptry.)
Before the fire was extinguiehed,
while in the street, my sister cried
out: There he goes, catch up to him,
quick !"
My sister was going on 16 years, and
died at 5 O'Clock in the morning. She
was married on the 4th of September oil
the present year. They lived together
nine days. The day she left the ranch ]
heard him say to her that he would kill
her.
Mr.. Gage asked: "Have you not fre-
quently heard her speak up in her sleep
and cry out. ''Abram is after me?"
"Yes. sir, answered the sister.
Continuing. the witness said that she
fret heard her sister cry out, "A5ram ia
after me-" about five days before the
burning. At these times she was very
much excited and would shake all over.
She was continually crying out, "Abram
is after me-"
Joseph Gentry was then sworn. He
said: live on Elmira street. | am a
carpenter. On the 9th of this onth /
lived on Kuhrts. street, opposite,the Q
house of the deceaseds = l. fret saw her
about 10 o'clock. About Il o. clock /
heard her scream. / looked out; she
was on fire. | grabbed two bedquilts.
/ caught her in the street, threw her
down and put out the fire. When
first saw her, her clothes were on fire at
the bottom. in the back. When I got
to her the flames were blazing over b er
head. She said something in Spanish
which could not understand. She said
something that understood as ''cruel, :"
or something similar.
Upon crosa-examination Mr.. Gentry
stared that when he first saw the girl
she was about 30 feet from the cloet.
He had good view of the surroundings
aud saw NO one but the burning girl.
Atthe conclusion of the morning ses-
sion the court and attorney went over to
Mrs. Aguilar's house and inspected the
premises.
At the afternoon session DIR. Parsons.
assistant county physician, " no attended
Mrs. Aguilar the day she was burned,
testified that the burns alone caused
death. He gave her morphine to allev-
ate suffering, as it was only question OF
time until death would engue.
The defendants attorney attempted to
get the doctor to say that the effects of
morphine and chloroform were some
what the same when the patient ia re-
covering from their use, but he was an
swered that they were not.
DR.. Parsons stated that Mrs. Aguilar
was perfectly rational and that the Of
iects of the morphine did not affect her
statement.
William A. Willee of Anaheim testi-
fed to having known Aguilar since 1877.
His general reputation was good go far
as he knew.
]. K. Tuffree, the we'll known rancher,
who resides three miles from Fullerton,
said he had known Aguilar 81 years.