The morning call., 1893-08-11
THE CURTIS CASE.
A Witness With a Pull
Political.
Witnesses Who Saw the Tragedy
From Their WindOWS-TheM Man
Who Found the Pistol.

The third trial of NJ. B. Curtis for the
murder of Policeman Grant Is proceeding
apace.
When the hearing was resumed yester-
day morning Mrs. Annie johnson testified
to having resided at $40 Folsom street for
some time. She was there on the night of
the tragedy. and occupied bedroom facing
on the street. 1t must have been about
midnight or therea bouts and she was re-
firing, on the night of September 10, 1891,
when she heard shouts proceeding from
across tile street aud a noise as if persons
were scuffilng. Looking out she saw two
men, one tall and the other short, STANDING
on the sidewalk.
Witness heard one say to the other
Come along" AMI then she heard three
shots, seeing the flash of pistol in each
case. The tall Ean fell, while the other
sped up the street toward Fifth. AS far
as she could remember he was wearing
dark hat and coat
In eross-examlisation Mrs. johnson adj
mitted that sne lad signed statement Of
her evidence. which had been drawn up
for her by Officer Dillon. Asked II Dillon
did not give her chance to correct that
statement afterward she said, yes.
why did you deny your statementr"
asked Attorney w. w. FOOte.
Il didn't know that Dillon was police
man. As soon as l knew that OF course
knew I'd have TO stand by any statement
l made"
The witness was here subjected to a
very severe cross-examlnatiOn on her evil
dence, present and past. She grew Ok
tremely nervous under fire. aud Foote
grew correspoudingly joyful.
(Which of the two men was it who said
To-, oil, bad
IL don't know"
Further cross.examinaton followed, of
more or less severe nature, but witness
cut it short by starting up aud crying:
MIR. Barnes, is my Daby all rIght?"
Barnes mmediately rushed out and re-
turning IN moment reasSured the wit
ness, who was soon alter allowed to de-
part
Philip S. Allen, who was Coroner's mes
seDger at the time of the tragedy,
identified Grants clothing together with
the club and pistol.
James Creighton. who was employed as
BAR ender in the saloon on the southwest
corner of Folsom aud Fifth streets, testified
to having heard three shots fred outside
the saloon He rushed out OF the saloon
just III lime to see man rushing up the
street. Officer Allen was in hot pursuit,
closely followed by Officer Bude. Previous
TO the shots lie had heard some one say,
Come along" but he head no sounds of
quarreling
Edward Toomey, who was on the spot
at The time, c0rroborated the testimony of
the last Witness. The witness found q
pistol lying in the street about ten feet
from the place of shooting.
In DISCRIMINATION witness admitted
having been sent for" by Attorney
kowalSky previous to his giving evidence.
He said he went to Kowalsky's office and
there met William Kreling, kowalsky and
Mrs. Curtis. He didn't know why then
sent for HIN.
What was your business then?'
"A molder. on strike"
wv nat are you DOw?'
"A police patrol driver at the old City
Hail."
How did you get your job?" smilingly
asked Foote.
ION. political pull" was the cool reply.
foote wanted TO know who had put
witness In Office, but the Judge decided
that ne need not say. unless 1t was some
party interested in the case. :: on re
ne ocrat Yourself, Mr.. FOOte," said the
Judge III ocular tone.
Foote looked severe Il am SO. Judge.
nut am not one of the wire pulers, like
Dan Burns IL Co. They've done nothing
for Democracy"
Judge Murphy withdrew promptly. The
n