The record-union., 1894-09-05
SALVADORAN REFUGEES.
Examinations for ExtraditiOn Up
Before Judge Morrow.
JURISDICTION OF THE U. S COURT
RULED UPON.
An Insane Man Shoots His Wife and
Then ATTEMPTS Suicide at Napa-
Green Fruit Shipments This Year
Largely in Excess of Those of the
Last Season-Fatal Accident to a
San Joaquin Ranch Foreman.
snecIal to the REcoRp-ux1or.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4.-General An
tonic Ezeta and his four fellow refugees
from San SalvadorTwere brought into the
United States District Court to-day for
examination for extradition. Judge
Beatty sat with Judge Morrow. The
courtroom was crowded with Spanish
Americans. Among the throng were
many ladies.
Counsel for the defense at once raised
the question of the courts jurisdiction,
and urged that the testimony of the Off
GERS of the gunboat Bennington be taken,
in order that it might be shown that the
prisoners had been practically kidnapped
into this country. 1t was argued that
while the prisoners had asked aud been
granted temporary protection on board
the bennington, they had subsequently
demanded to be permitted to leave the
gunboat at La Libertad, and also at Aca-
pulco, and these demands having been
refused, they had been forcibly and un-
lawfully brought to within three leagues
OF this city and there held merely to make
the present case of extradiIion. Thus, it
was claimed, the prisoners were not law
fully within the jurisdiction of the court.
Dy Vic D6uullEJOu OliiCefS -Iu0 Oe-
tense hoped to prove these facts. If me-
cessary, the prisoners lawyers declared,
they could bring UP the issue bv suing
out writs OF habeas corpus and having
the refugees taken before another court.
Having the right under that method of
procedure, they argued that they ought
certainly to have the right TO the same de-
tense under direct proceeding.
Judge Morrow did not hesitate to pass
upon the question of his jurisdiction.
He declared that the warrants returned by
the United States Marshal showed that
the arrests had been made within the
jurisdiction of the court, and that for the
purpose of the present proceeding the
men were fully within his jurisdiction,
1t would hardly do, he said, for the court
to examine into the conduct of naval
officers. Even had the defendants been
wrongfully detained and brought into
United States territory on an American
man-of-war, that was "a question for the
Government at Washington to deal with,
and not question before the court.
However, Judge Morrow stated that it
might be within the authority of the
court to examine into the conduct of the
Bennington's officers, and on that point
he would reserve his decision.
In answer TO question from the bench,
Captain Thomas stated that the Benning-
ton would remain at Mare Island until
the middle of October.
The taking of testimony on behalf of the
Government of San Salvador was then
ordered to proceed. The Offering of sew
eral dispositions by residents of San SAL
vador resulted In many technical OBJ
Jections on the part of the defense and a
series OF long arguments by counsel.
Nearly all the afternoon was consumed
In wrangling over deposition in which
Ezeta and Juan Cienfuegos are charged
with the murder of Thomas Canas. a
teamster whom they encountered during
their flight TO the sea. Under the court's
ruling to accept all the depositions. but
to apply the rules OF American courts to
their contents, much of the testimony
was stricken out.
One of the counsel for the prosecution
naively remarked that should this rule
prevail throughout the proceedings, there
would be very little of the documents left
for his honor to report to the Secretary of
State.