The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-13
JEFFERIN' ALLEGED MARRIAGES.
Strong Circumstances, But Witnesses
Are Not Positive.
The Defendants Mother-in-Law on the
Stand-That San Francisco We'd
ding-Oniciating Minister.

motive engineer, charged with bigamy,
was resumed before Superior Judge
Prewett and the jury yesterday morning.
There was even a larger throng OF spec
tators in the courtroom than on the pre-
ceding day, and in consequence those
who were compelled to be there under
went considerable discomfort.
Jeferis was as gay and clipper as
usual and seemed to enjoy the attention
bestowed upon him by the curious.
w. C. Fletcher, the Oakland barber,
who testified on Tuesday that he shaved
Jefferis' beard off on the day of the pow
der explosion near Oakland July 10,
1892, was the first witness called to the
stand. Jefferis' attorney. A. L. Hart,
wanted to cross-examine him. In an
swer to the lawyers questions, Fletcher
said he was positive that Jefferis was be-
ing shaved when the explosion took
place. The defendants beard was about
two inches long at that time. Several
weeks ago, said the Witness he met jeff
eris in Oakland and the latter said. =" GU
have no dates, so your evidence Will be
worthless"
Hart asked the witness if he could not
be mistaken-if it were not JeIeris' hair
lLdk L6 cut anu AOL lL6 DCdIOs 14GbC1OI
was positive, though, that he was not
mistaken.
On redirect examination by Dis
trict Attorney Ryan, the barber said a
Mrs. Barnham, who said she was sent by
Attorney Hart, called on him and quiZZed
him about the date of the whisker-cut-
ting. When he told her it was the day of
the explosion she said That's too bad, :"
and departed. Mrs. Jefferis also called
upon him in regard to the same matter.
JEFFERIs' MoTHER-IN-LAw.
Mrs. j. w. Eby, the mother of the de-
fendant's wife, was next called. She said
Jefferis told her year ago last Septem Der
that he married her daughter on October
%, 1885, in Sacramento. She called to see
them in Sacramento on several occasions,
and found them located in house at
Eighth and II streets. She visited her
daughter at Oakland on the Thursday
after Jefferis' arrest She was not at
home, but she found her at his sisters.
On-cross-examination she said she did
not come to Sacramento voluntarily, but
on a subpoena. She admitted that she
had given the District Attorney some
Information and had written some for the
press, but she had done no more than any
mother would do under the circum-
stances. She said she arrived in this
city last night. She had not called on
her daughter since she had been III town,
nElLL6I Ildu SLe DSSIi dSSOCldltl VIII MISS
Ayres' sister or any of the witnesses for
the prosecution.
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS.
Then Rev. NJ. }. Ferguson, who, ac-
cording to the prosecution, OBLIGATED at
the marriage OF Jelferis ana Miss Ayers,
the dead station agent, was called, and
the spectators on the benches began to
crane their necks in order to catch every
word he might utter. Jetferis eyed the
reverend gentleman closely, too.
The witness, in answer to the prosecu-
TONS questions, said that on the Sth day
of July, 1892, a couple came to his home
at 6070 Twentieth street in San Francisco.
and desired to be married. They said
they We're in a hurry as they wanted to
catch the train for Sacramento, and asked
that the ceremony be made as short as
possible. The man was of medium size,
wore a full beard and mustache, and was
bronzed by the sun. He was dressed in
a dark striped suit of clotheS-nOt an eX-
pensive suit. The parties gave their
names as George B. Jetteris and Miss
Ayers. After the ceremony the woman
asked the witness to refrain from publish
ing the marriage, and not to file the GER
titicate until compelled by law to DO So
She gave as a reason for asking this
secrecy that she was a school teacher in
Sacramento County and she would lose
her position when the school board found
out that she was married. After they left
TO take the street car JeiferiS returned
and requested that the certificate be with
held as long as possible.
In Septem Der the witness said a man
called at his place and asked for the mar
riage certificate. Witness did not have it
at that time and the party went away. He
supposed it was Jefleris. He again called
in the latter part of Deem Der and asked
for the certificate. The same morning
witness received note from Mrs. George
B. Jet1eris, warning him not to surrender
the certificate to her husband. The note
was read to the jury, and offered in evil
dence. 1t was dated at Auburn, Decen-
Der Goth, but the envelope was postmarked
at Sacramento.
LOOKED LIKE HIM.
Attorney Charles II, Jones, who is as
sisting District Attorney Ryan, and who
was conducting the examination of the
minister, asked the latter to describe the
man whom he married as near as he
could.
He was man of rather small stature,
with a beard and mustache, and wore a
striped suit. His face was Drowned, as if
by the sum-"
a photograph of Jefferis when he wore
beard was shown the Clergyman.
That looks like the man l married, :"
he said.
Estate how the defendant compares
with the man you married"
At Mr.. Jones' request Jetferis stood up.
and the minister gazed at him intently.
A death-like silence prevailed in the
courtroom, and every eye was conferred
on the two individuals. 1t was a dra-
matte scene.
After quite pause the witness spoke.
lit would be hard for me to say said
he, because the man | married wore
whiskers, and this man doesn't"
Attorney Hart then took the witness
in hand tor crOss-eXamination. "Now,
sir" he said, you say Jefferis called on
you three times, once to be married,
twice for the certificate of marriage, and
still you say you cannot identity the de-
tendant Look at that striking face of
Mr.. Jetferis and tell me if you think he
could call on you three different times.
and that then you could not remem Der
him?"
The witness replied that he would not
swear positively that he was the man.
10 him. ii o said all the visits were made
about the same hour of day, same time
in the forenoon. He said he would not
swear positively that the photograph
shown him was the man that he married
TO Miss Ayers, but he thought it was.
The witness was then excused and the
court took the usual noon recess.
Afternoon Session.
Court reconvened at 1:30 o'clock and c..
Claussen, an Oakland photographer. was
called to the stand. lie testified that the
photograph of Jefferis, which had been
,.-t,il;tad in pOirrt 1yaS +al-a,, ~ .I,o -.