San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-15

Inc jury In the trial of Austil
Brown, charged with MURDER wa
completed last evening at 3: Al
o'clock. 1t required no less thar
161 men from which to select thI
necessary twelve. The panel i:
made up as follows: f. l.. Hickey
l.. NJ. Lacey, F. p. J. Meyer, Christ
Perner, Edgar Seay, c. X. Graves
Won r. Van Raub, H. III. Hunt, Il
| f. Kerr, w. ID. Ewald, F. w
Stevenson and A. A. Brace.
About 1900 people were in the
courtroom this morning to hear
the evidence, which was begun to.
day. Eight witnesses were exam
ined this forenoon as follows
Julius Beilstein, who found Har-
ris dead Oh the hack, and reported
it to the police; Bessie and Leila
Harris, daughters of the murdered
man; Martha Thomas, colored,
|, who nursed Mrs. Harris, the MUIR
dered mans wife, during her spell
of unsoundness Of mind; John
| Winner, colored; J. A. McCor-
mack, the undertaken. who pre-
pared deceased for burial; Frank
De Knight, colored, and Frank
Melrose, a hack-driver, who was
present when Alois Vidal, the
Mexican, engaged Harris to haul
him to the fatal spot.
When Bessie Harris was placed
on the stand she was asked by
District Attorney Camp whether
she knew Brown and if he was in
the court room. She looked around
and when her eyes met the prison.
er she pointed to him, who was al
most directly in front Of her, and
said: "There's the brute"
Leila Harris stated in her testi-
mOny that she heard Brown say on
the Sunday previous to the killing
that he would have Harris out of
the way.
The attorneys for Brown are w.
l.. Thompson and Emilio r. Leal,
who have been appointed by the
court. They do not ask many
questions Of the witnesses and
when the state finishes with them
the witnesses are mostly allowed
to go and the next is called.
BROWN MAKES A CONFESSION.
Brown asked of his attorneys
this morning when court convened
| TO be allowed to make a statement.
His request was not granted at the
time and after Frank De Knight
had testified he again wanted to
| make statement. Attorney
Thompson did not object and
Brown rose to his feet and address
ed the court.
Interest was at fever heat and
several of the jurors arose from
their chairs. Extreme quietUde
reigned and the ticks of the clock
over Judge NOOnan's head were
distinctly heard. Brown advanc-
ed in a nervous manner
and faced the judge His
voice trem bled and he often re.
peated the words he spoke. 1t was
apparent that he was trying to
steady himself, as he talked slowly
and rather distinctly. Judge
| NOOnan told him to make his state
ment to the jury, and he obeyed.
Brown said that he was an old
acquaintance of Alois Vidal and
that he asked Vidal if he would
kill man for him and how much
he wanted for his services. Vidal
replied that he would do it for a
few dollars, and Brown asked
him the amount, to which
Vidal replied 1.-TWO or three dol.
lars" Brown agreed to pay
that amount aud described Harris
to Vidal. 1t was agreed that Vidal
engage the hack to have
Harris drive him to the spot Sc
lected for the scene of the murder,
which was on the Goliad road.
Brown stated he was in waiting
near the place and when their des-
tinatiOn was reached, Vidal order
ed Harris to turn to the right. AS
Harris did so, Vidal fired the first
shot and as Harris was falling he
fired again.
District Attorney Camp then
asked Deputy Sheriff Van Ripper to
produce the pistol used and also
"those rags" Van Ripper respond
ed and brought the pistol, wrapped
up in a copy OF the Freie Prese
Mr.. Camp unwrapped it and hand
ed it over to Brown.
IT WAS LOADED.
The weapon was an old army pis-
toll and Mr.. Camp told Brown to