The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-10
SAW GRANT SHOT.
The Misses Holden Peeped
Out of a Window.
HIS ASSAILANT RAN AWAY.
Some Conflicting Testimony as to
Whether Grant Wore an Over
coat and q Star.

The second day of the trial OF M. b.
Curtis for the murder Of Policeman Grant
on the night of September 10. 1892. dragged
somewhat. owing to one Of the principal
witnesses being deaf and another unable
to understand English
The jurors, especially Engelberg, ap-
peared bright and early and did not Keep
Judge Murphy waiting minute.
The first witnesses called were Police
men James and Haven. who were with
Grant on the night Of the murder. James
was acting sergeant on that night. Both
witnesses testified as to the time they left
Grant, and Haven said that on that occa-
sion Grant was wearing heavy chinchilla
oyercoat with his star conspicuous on the
outside. In cr0ss-eXamination this wit
ness described the route taken by the
squad that night on leaving the Folsom
street police station, the instructions en-
countered on the way, and said he had
left Grant on the corner OF Sixth and Har-
riSOn streets.
Unfortunately, Haven is very deaf, and
the same question had to be asked him
time and time again. Haven finally be-
came doubtful as to the Overcoat. and said
he was not sure whether Grant had one on
or not
Augustine Marcoval explained through
the medium Of an interpreter that
for three wears he had earned an
in this city. His stand was on the corner
of Sixth and Folsom streets. He knew
Grant very well, and saw him on the Night
of the shooting.
ibid yon hear of a pelice officer being
killed on Folsom street that night?"
Yes; 1 heard of it the next morn
ing"
did you see this officer after he was
dead?"
Yes; they took me to see him on Mis-
sion street."
Continuing, the witness said that he
saw Grant about midnight that night
walking with another man. The officer
seemed to have hold of the other man by
the hand. The men were talking as they
passed. but the witness could not under
stand what they said. They passed down
Folsom street as if going to the wharves.
and that was the last the witness saw of
them.
On cross-sxamination the witness was
confronted with the huge map of the dis
trict and asked to point out his position on
tn at memorable night. This stumped him,
but the District Attorney went to his
rescue with the explanation that he was
too illiterate to understand maps and
places. 1t came out that MarcOval had
gone to the Southern police station and
conversed with the officers concerning the
case. He had never been in trouble, he
explained, and was not afraid of the
police, but he understood he was wanted.
Now, isn't it fact that you were once
arrested for criminal offeDse, and as
soon as the police found out who you
were they let you eo?" asked j. n. E.
Wilson.
mo, sir. l was arrested with some
others. and we paid SIS apiece. We stood
oil IN, "a nd hat
friend of mine, also tamale-seller, was
responsible for that"
Referring to the events of the night OF
Septemb Der 10. 1891. Marcoval said he only
saw Grant once that night. He did not
know how he was dressed, whether or not
he had an overcoat on Or even a uniform.
The witness could not tell whether Grant
had a star on or not, and did not know
whether or not the man with him was a
policeman.
Ibid you see anything about the men to
show that their conversation was other
than friendlv?"
mo. sir; | did not notice anything. They
walked slowly along. close together. The
officer was on the outside"
Curtis was then asked to stand up and
the witness was called upon to identify
him as Grants companion on that 0cca-
sion. but he was unable to do 80.
Marcoval spoke fl eely about having gone
to the Southern station anQ cOnVerSeQ with
the police He had signed statement
drawn up by the police there. but did not
know what that statement was. The state
ment had been lost since the last trial
when it was introduced In evidence.
"Who was there with you when you
signed that paper?" asked ajuror.
Zone Of my friends. who could speak
English"
"What language did you use when you
spoke to the officers about the case?"
"WhatI knew of English"
The witness was dismissed, but was told
to remain within call. as the Judge had
given orders for the missing statement to
be searched for.
Mamie Holden testified to having resided
on Folsom street. close to where the shoot
ing took place. She saw two men standing
near fence and then one OF the men raised
pistol and fired three shots at the other.
One of these shots took effect and the man
fell, after which the man who did the
shooting ran down the sidewalk toward
Fifth street. She was in her bedroom at
the time and the blinds were drawn, but
on hearing the shots she "peeped through"
Miss Lena Holden corroborated her sis
ter's evidence, even to describing the small
pool of blood that marked where the officer
fell. Asked il she was not SO frightened
that she tried to crawl under the bed. the
witness replied, well. / felt like it, but
l didn't try to-"
The trial will be resumed to-day.