The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-27
The Prosecutions Case Is
Closed.
BOTH LAWTONS RECALLED.
Mrs. Lawton Makes a Better Wit
ness for the Defense Than for
the Prosecution.

the killing of John j. Lawtou.
Lawton said that on the evening before
the shooting, his little girl was in the par
lo1 and he gave her 10 cents TO 60 out and
play.
why did you do that?" was asked.
Because l wanted to 60 into the cellar
and make my arrangements was always
so afraid of being found out"
Asked what Daley's room was used for
before he occupied it. Lawton said 1t was
used as dining-room.
did your wife object to giving up that
room to Daley?'
NO. indeed. She suggested it. and even
wanted to let Daley have the front roon'
But l objected to this, as l wanted TO use
the front room myself. so as L couId LOOK
out of the window occasionally. 90 we
gave him the dining-room:
This witness being finally aispenseu
with, the prosecution announced us caee
closed, and Mrs Lawton YVES recailed as
the first witness for the defense.
The first point on which MIS- Lawton
was questioned was on the subject OF her
relations with her husband. Asked why
Michael and she occupied separate rooms.
she replied that Mike objected to sleep
with the children" She further stated
trouble about expenses.
He was always finding fault" said the
witness: ''he said the bills were too heavy
and that it would be impossible for him to
meet them. He went to my father and
complained. He even did not want any
meat in the house. and when l would buy
some he would make fuss"
The witness went on to describe events
Immediately prior to the shooting. She
said that the night before the tragedy
Saturday evening" her husband came
home and said that Daley had paid him his
rent SIC. Lawton gave his wife the money
and told her to go buy some hatss for the
children. He also brought in some wood
and coal. All these things were so IN
usual in her husband that she did not
know what to make of him. However,
she took the money and started into town
to do some shopping. She bought a dress
aud two hats for the two little girls and
got home about 10 P. NJ. Lawton sat with
her while she trimmed the hats, and made
remarks about them He seemed to OBJ
ject to her having bought two hats exactly
alike.
The witness contradicted good deal of
her husbands evidence. AS TO his having
sung or whistled annie Rooney" to divert
her suspicious, Mrs. Lawton said that was
utterly untrue. She also denied the alleged
observation" of herself and Daley on the
Sunday before the shooting. April 80 She
said that on that day Daley ross early,
went out and never returned until late at
night. Two of her sisters were with her
all day.
Then Mrs. Lawton gave a graphic ac-
count of the shooting. She made much
better witness than on the previous day
and gave her answers with ready and de-
csive force. Witness denied Lawton's as
sertion that she haG a wrapper on. She
q c ha hai q q
long while and that on the occasion of the
shooting, she was fully dressed. Then. as
to dlataaf, Mrs. LawtOn saiu that SIZE rose
at 80 A. NJ, lit the fire ana made the
breakfast, TO which herself, Daley and the
two children sat down. She had gone to
call her hus band, but he had gone out.
Daley was sick, and al the breakfast he
partook Of consisted of a cup Of beef tea
and two soda crackers, after which he
went back to bed. She performed her
household duties.
By and by she determined to see if
Daley was better, so she went again to his
room and stood on the threshold. Daley
said he would ike some more beef tea and
she started back to the kichen to prepare
some for him. Sac had no sooner turned
than the door was thrust open, John Law
ton rushed ID, and pushing her out Of the
way ran into Daey's room. Witness ran
out and screamed with all her might,
While the shooting went Oh. She knew
nothing more until she met her husband
entering the Ihuuse. He said to her: "My
brother is killed and it's all your fault.
Get t. - out Of this OR FL kill you"
She then ran away.
In crOSS-examination Mrs Lawton said
that she was not engaged in bathing
Daley's head in the bedroom. She said
that after the shooting she might have
told one Of the neighbor so, but that such
xpoc n faat her hoa
the slightest intimacy between herself and
Daley. All their relations were of purely
friendly nature. In fact, she had not
wanted to have Daley live there at all, as
1t took her ali her time to get through with
her housekeeping work without look ing
after the wants of ledger. 1t was her
husbands wish, and it was thought that
Daley's money might help them out
little.
There was a slight thrill of expectancy
when Daniel Daley, the defendant, took
the stand. He was neatly dressed for the
occasion and, being rsspectable-lo king
man. did not very unfavoraby impress the
throng of spectators. He gave his answers
clearly and distinctly, and seemed TO know
what be was about.
Daley testified To his relations with Law
ton. He had known Lawton for years
and they worked together. One day Law
ton suggested that they might live to-
gether and offered Daley room in his
house. Daley accepted the offer and took
up his abode there They used 10 leave
the house In the morning together, work
together and return together in ths even
lngs. There was never any occasion for
either Of them to be unusually early or
late at the works, except they worked
overtime. lie had had lots of financial
transactions with Lawton, having loaned
MIN money often, and the last transaction
they had was the very night before the
shooting. when he had taken a $50 gold
piece from his pocket and said mike,
owe you SIC Tor rent: take IL out Of this"
And Mike bad gone into the house. subse-
qnently emerged with the 81, which he
handed TO Daley as change,
Asked about his pistol, Daley said he
had carried one for three years. Hs held
permit from Cher Crowley, because he
lived III rough neigh borhood and was ant
to be out and abroad at all times of the dav
and night, and he always kept his weapon
by him.
At this point the trial was continued