The herald., 1894-12-12
THE TRIAL OF WATS0N'S SLAYER,
Counsel in the AshwOrth Case
Not in Sympathy.
The Outlook for. the Defendant Does
Not Seem Promising.
Members OF the Murders zRssfS Family
Testify-Ths Defendanps Former
Threats Against the Man
Whose Life He Took.

der, particularly when he is in the court
room ON tiial for his life, has been
moved very largely in the Ashworth
case from the defendant to his coun-
eel.
As one of the unregenerate yesterday
remarked, it is as funny as circus to
watch them. Truth to tell. the efforts
Of Messrs. Woolner, Bledsoe and Car
penter to make good showing for their
cfent have 30 far not only not been
crowned with success worth mentioning.
but have rather discredited the old man,
who seems totally ignorant of what is
going on. and, indeed, sits the day
through in a condition OF apathetic in
difference.
Defending counsel cannot, apparently,
decide who shall cross.examine the
witnesses, and as a consequence whoever
does 80 is met by shakes Of the head and
uncomplimentary remarks made in un-
dertone. Il is but right, however. to
say that Mr.. Carpenter OF San Pedro,
who had charge OF the case from the
fret, has 30 far taken no part in the
cross. examination OF witnesses. Mr..
Woolner has done most of that work.
Over and over again ne overstepped the
bounds of legitimate REORGANIZATION,
and albeit Judge Smith allowed him a
considerable amount of latitude in this
direction. he outwearied the court and
was called. to time on the objections
raised by the prosecution. The mass Of
totally irrelevant testimony drawn out
in this manner in tine day and half
the trial has thus far taken up has been
very great.
The friction that has existed from the
first among these gentlemen eliminated
Yesterday afternoon when Mr.. Bledsoe
opened fro on his confrere in emphatic
language. Indeed it closed the proceed
iDgs for the day.
Quite large number OF notable peo-
pie are interested in the present trial,
and at a later date will in all probability
be introduced az witnesses in the case.
These belong for the most part to the
'Dominguez family. numbers of whom
arc we'll known in society circles in Los
Angeles, Manuel Dominguez filled
many positions of trust in the olden
days and won great honor as a state
senator. He was far seeing enough to
appreciate the value of his lands years
hence, and at his death the Dominguez
rancho of $4,000 acres, the Redondo
beach property and Rattlesnake island,
recently sold for 1926, 600. and other
valuable lands were left to his heirs.
The murdered man was named after him
who may be, perhaps, considered the
founder of the family.
INTERCHANGING COMPLIMENTS.
The first witness put on the stand
yesterday was Mrs. Margaret Osborne.
who resides three miles from Long
Beach. Mrs. Osborne stated she heard
the defendant make statement to her
husband. He stated that Mr.. Watson
had disturbed him during the night, and
that il some witness had been standing
by he would have murdered him, for he
had overturned his tent, forcing him to
sleep out in the open.
Cross-examination-" defendant
lived about mile from my home. He
said nothing about Mr.. Watson having
ill-treated him that l heard, but he did
say that smarting under the treatment
he had received from Watson he would
have killed him."
Luis Morales, q rancher, gave his tes.
timony through an interpreter. II
have known the defendant for about ten
years. l had . conversation with him
about the 18th OF August last at my
place. My ranch is about four to five
miles from the Watson place. One day
was filling the trough with water when
Bob (the defendant) came along to water
his horses. He spoke in English when
he came up and Cursed lot, and when
asked him what he WAS angry about
he told me that Manuel Watson owed
him something. and il he didn't pay up
he would kill him."
Cross.examination: "The defendant
lived only about 14O steps from my
place"
Mr.. Woolner, of the defense, proceed
ed to ask questions outside the line of
an examination, to which Mr.. Gage OBJ
jected. Defending counsel, in the at
tempt to be facetious, drew from Mr..
Gage the remark:
IA little less impertinence and more
politeness, if you please"
II shall always try to be polite to you,
Mr.. Gage, as l expect you will be to
me-" responded MIR. Woolner with ex.
cess OF politeness.
II recommend you to-" answered
back prosecuting counsel.
White-winged peace descended, and
for the time being quiet again reigned
after this crossing of wits.
81 received no money to come up
here" resumed witness.
"Who paid your fare here?"
my pocket"
Didn't Robert Ashworth once give
you half ton of hay which you have
all along refused to pay for, and conse.
lusntly have borne him a grudge ever
since?"
mo; paid him back good hay for
that which he gave me-"
Have you received any money what
aver to come here and testify in the
Gaee?"
"No. cir"
l.. Ii. Peraon, residing at Todd's
place, about ak miles from Compton,
stated he knew Manuel Watson slightly
in his lifetime, and went on 10 tell how
he found his dead body lying in the
road on the night OF September lst.
IT was about half way down the hill
side," said the Witness that found
she body. The road was TO the south OF
Mrs. Watson's house. Sometime after
found the body q hat was picked up
about "a feet distant. / saw no blood
aoont as 1T was raining at the time. The
ROAD is not graded heavily, and the
body lay about Is feet from the ditch at
the side OF the road. About 21 feet
from the side it was apparent, from the
marks on the road, that someone had
been on his back, and from that point
TO where the body lay thers were other
marks indicating q struggle / found
knlie next morning between 5 and
O'Clock. 1t WAS lying about six pacea