The record-union., 1893-07-19
STARKEY'S STORY.
The Prosecutions Principal Witness
in the Jefferis Case.
Efforts to Get Letters and Picture In
Miss Ayers Possession-A
Mask and Pistol.

The trieal of George 3. Jef1eris, the
railroad engineer charged with bgamy,
was resumed in the Superior Court yes
terday morning before Judge Prewett of
Placer County.
The usual crowd was in attendance all
day, making the courtroom uncomforta-
bly, close and hot.
Mrs. S. T. Lucas, Jelferis' first mother
in-law, was the first witness called. She
testified that Thanksgiving Day OF last
year JefIeris called on her in Oakland,
and stated that he could not pay her at
that time for taking care of his two chill
dren because he wanted to buy new suit
Cf clothes She noticed that the clothes
he had on were of brown cloth with quite
noticeable stripes.
The object of this evidence was to cor
roborate the testimony of Rev. Ferguson,
to the effect that the man he married to
Miss Ayers wore a brown striped SUIT.
sTARKEY TEsTIFIEs.
The audience prepared itself for some
thing good when the next witness was
called. The witness was Alexander
Starkey. the principal witness for the
prosecution. Starkey is stout. good
looking sWitchman, light complexloned,
thin hair and light mustache. lie IS a
clever witness. as his answers are prompt,
and he guards against contradlctlng him
self.
The witness said he was well ac-
quainted with JelIeris, having known
him intimately for four years. He had
charge OF the night sWltch-englne IN the
local railroad yards.
"Have YOU ever been out to Brighton
with the defendant" asked District At
torney Ryan.
Starkey replied that he had.
"How many times?' asked Mr.. Ryan.
-Four times.'
do you remember the dates?"
at was after July, of last year"
Did you two ever have any CONVEX
sation about Miss Ayers?"
"Yes, sir"
"When?"
about September last"
Ever go out with any body else?"
y es; with Dan @ Herne, or 'SliYers,' as
we called him"
Continuing Star1ey said that Jefferis
told him that Miss Ayers had some letters
which she had stolen from the Lathrop
Postotfice and a picture, and he wanted
TO get them. Jetteris told witness that
she was coming into town that night,
Jefleris, O'uerne and witness went out in
q buggy to Brighton. HE wanted
OHerne and me to 90 into the house to
get the papers," continued witness.
"Jefferis tied the horse to a telegraph
pole al the Brighton station, while me
and O'lierne stayed in the buggy. Pretty
soon we saw him and Miss Ayers walk
ing OFF toward the old levee. When he
came back TO the buggy he was mad be-
cause Miss Ayers would not give him
the papers and the picture"
COULDN'T GET THE PAPERS.
Starkey said further that some time in
November he and Jetferis went out to
brighton Station again to make another
effort TO get the papers and picture. This
time JefterlS told the witness that there
was some money in the station belonging
to him and they would get that, too.
This last statement was objected to by
the defense and ruled out by the court
The witness said their second and third
trips to Brighton together were made at
night Just a month before the burning of
the station. lie could not remember the
exact dates. On the second visit Jetferis
came from the station to the buggy with
the news that Miss Ayers had refused to
give uD the picture and papers. The third
lime he went out he returned, reporting
that a young woman from Elk Grove was
in the station with Miss Ayers.
What else did he say ?" inquired Dis
trict Attorney Ryan.
He told me she said she wouldn't give
him the papers and picture unless ne took
her with them. She wanted them to run
- on together to Montana, and offered him
money to go away with her. She told
.lefleris also, so he told me, that she had
written TO his wife at Oakland, telling the
latter that Jefferis did not love her."
Jeileris told witness as they were COM
ing home that Miss Ayers had made him
some shirts, which she wanted him to
wear when they would run away to Mon
tana. Jetleris showed witness two of
these shirts.
PLAYED POLICEMAN.
In answer to further questions by Mr..
Ryan, Starkey said that on the night of
the fourth visit he met Jefferis near the
depot, and they went out to Brighton in a
buggy. They stopped at the usual place
and Jeileris went up to the station. He
came back and wanted witness to 90
with him and impersonate an officer,
tell Miss Ayers that she would have to
stop writing letters or be prosecuted. He
wanted witness to hear all that was going
on. Witness complied.
Did George Jeneris represent to her
that he was under arrest?'
~ es," said witness, but after some
hesitation Starkey said he couldn't re-
member what charge Jefteris mentioned.
did you see any pistol?"
~ es; Jetleris had one"
The defense objected to this last answer
and il was ruled out.
Jelieris had cup OF tea there with Miss
Ayers. In witness presence Miss Ayers
said, referring 10 Jetferis: ''rll be
switched il / can understand him." She
also said she would like to have talk
with Nell" who is Jef1eris' present
WIFE
Did Jeheris ever tell you anything
about being in san Francisco with Miss
Ayers ," asked the District Attorney.
Yes replied Starkey, ''he said he