The record-union., 1893-11-18
JEFFERIg SIDE OF TIE Case.
General Hart Tells the Jury What He
VIII Prove.
Reasons Why JefTeris Could Not Have
Done Certain Alleged Things
starkey's Statement.

Starkey's Statement.
The defense in the Jefferis murder trial
opened their side of the case in Judge
Prewett's court yesterday morning.
General Hart announced that it had
been his intention, on the conclusion OF
the testimony by the prosecution, to
move the court for Jefferis' dis
Charge, but as the gravest accusa-
tions had been made against him, he had
concluded that justice to his client de-
manded that he should take advantage OF
the opportunity to have him exonerated
by laying the facts before the jury.
The General then began his opening
statement to the jury by saying he would
show that the prosecution had acted with
concealed testimony which, if made
known, could have been explained with
out trial. The first date mentioned is
that on which Jefferis is alleged to have
obtained marriage license in San Mateo,
June u, 1892. The next Is July 7th, when
it is alleged the defendant procured a
marriage certificate in San Francisco to
we'd Miss Ayres. The next was the Sth
o. July, when someone called on Rev.
Mr.. Ferguson and marriage ceremony
was performed.
Counsel then said he would show to the
jury that Jef1eris was not at San Mateo on
June 9th by credible witnesses who were
with him. a lady friend of Mrs. Jefferis
was at Mrs. Jefferis' house on that date,
as shown by diary kept by her. This
entry shows that she took dinner with
Mr.. and Mrs. Jetferis on the date men
toned, and that Mr.. Jefferis looked
strange to her with his whiskers Off. 1t
would also be shown that on the 7th day
of July, when it is alleged Jefferis pro-
cured marriage license in San Fran
cisco,
HE WAS ELSEWHERE,
And his whereabouts during the time in
which it is claimed he went from Oakland
TO San Francisco would be explained. 1t
would be shown that on the Sth of July,
when j is claimed the marriage was per-
formed, he was not in San Francisco, and
spent the night in his own house in Oak
land, where he was called by a Mr.. Enos
on the following morning.
General Hart proceeded to explain what
Jefteris was doing on the Sth. lie said
that while 0'Hern says he was in san
Francisco looking for Jefferis, the latter
was in Oakland explaining to fellow
workman something about new engine
that had just been tried. At the hour
O'Hern says he saw Jefferis on Market
street. San Francisco, in company with a
woman, 1t would be shown that he was in
the roundhouse at Oakland attending 10
his train.
SOME OTHER GEORGE.
1t would further be shown that on the
night Of November u, 1892, when Mrs.
AndeI son says someone called on Miss
Ayres while she was visiting her, Jefferis
was in Oakland and not in Sacramento at
ali, nor was ne here during the time Mrs.
Anderson was with Miss Ayres.
On December %. 1892 when il is alleged
Jeheris Went TO the house of Rev. Mr.
Ferguson in San Francisco, to obtain
from him the marriage license, he was
not in San Francisco at all, and could not
have been there, nor again on the 9th of
the same month, when it is claimed he
again called on the minister.
Again, it would be shown that Jefferis
was with his family on that date, and that
Oh the morning of the 18th Jefferis was
dressing d chicken in his yard at the
very hour when it is claimed another de-
mand was made by him on the San Fran
cisco preacher, and that Jefferis remained
at his house until the hour his train
started for Sacramento.
THE MORNING OF THE FIRE.
He would show that half an hour be-
fore the fire at Brighton was discovered
Jefferis was undressed and in his room
at the Arcade lodging-house, in this CITY.
where he was awakened by a MIR. Red
mond, who usually called him. After
Jetferis had dressed and eaten his break
fast be went to the roundhouse at $3.50
O'Clock, just the hour when Mrs Kern
saw the flames enYeloping the Brighton
Station building.
1t would be shown that at 4:35 O'Clock
Jeiieris left the city with his engine for
San Francisco, going by way of Davis
vile, and Detective Ben True was on his
train. Counsel said it would be shown
that a
CONSPIRACY WAS CoNCoCTED
Against the defendant Miss Ayres was
in love with Jetferis and wanted him to
rid himself of his family, and even offered
TO pay MIN to leave his wife, and finally
TO murder her in order to be free to
marry her (Aliss Ayres). The latter pur-
sued Jefferis in her effort to induce him
to get rid of his family and go with her.
She also procured key to his room and
would go there to meet him. and in order
to avoid her he had to change his room to
another building. While Jefferis was in
the East Miss Ayres wrote annoying let
ters to his wife. While at town in
Texas he received a package containing
some women's clothing and a telegraph
1AoIIuI dCColu DduA6Q D9 d uOie say
ing: My things are with you, and 1
viii soon be there, too" These things
Jefferis knew TO have come from Miss
Ayres, and he expressed them back to
her.
THE SUICIDE THEORY.
1t would be shown that Miss Ayres had
threatened suicide II Jefferis did not
marry her, and became so desperate that
she. by the assistance of Ben True, put
up job on the defendant to bring him
into contempt with his wife. and by de-
stroying their marriage relations she
(Miss Ayres) might be able TO induce
Jederis to marry her. She had also pre-
pared blank marriage contracts, one
dating back so far as 10 antedate his mar
riage to his present wife.
THE MYSTERIOUS HOWARD.
General Hart then related the alleged
incident of one Howard having given
Jefferis letters TO be delivered to Miss
Ayres, and who accompanied Miss
Ayres from this city to Brighton After
Jetferis' arrest it was discovered that
Howard was none other than George G.
McMullen. This fact, General Hart said,
bore out the claim that Miss Ayres was