The record-union., 1895-10-19

me to help her out OF It," Christ was the
kind of man, the witness said. who
would get even on man Tor wronRlng
him. Christ always carried revolver.
In reply to Hiram w. johnson. Christs
attorney, Reitzke said that Christ was
sober and industrious man.
Hart called on witness after the woman
left Christ and asked witness If his wife
had called on Christ. Hart said ne
thought his wife had made fool of her.
self, and that he would straighten the
matter out. Hart was nervous at the
time.
MRS. FRANCES E. HART,
Wife of w. C. Hart, then took the stand.
She stated that she is living at 202G *
street. On the 18th of the present month
she called Christ out of his shop and gave
him the poetry to read. She said she OBJ
iected to her husband visiting Mrs.
Christ. She told Christ she had found
two letters in her husbands pocket, and
if he wanted to read them she would get
them for him.
Christ called at her house in the after
noon. but she did not respond until he
had rung the bell number of times. De
said be wanted to talk TO her about the
poetry. She told Christ that Mrs. Ely
and Mrs. Weber had told her that they
saw Hart call on Mrs. Christ.
Christ was quite excited. He told wit
ness that she was welcome to his pistol,
and advised her to kill his wife. He said
he would not prosecute her if she did it.
Witness said she refused to do SO, and
told Christ that she did not think that
was necessary. Christ promised not 10
kin his vile. He said he would give her
four days time, and at its expiration he
would put her out Of his house.
L L.. J l.
in a case oi that kind. He would blame
the woman. Witness said she had the
letters IN her possession about six or
eight months. While in San Francisco
she received an unsigned letter. She
kept them that long because she did not
know what was going on. She discov-
cred the poetry which was signed by
"E'' in her husbands pocket. The let
ters witness destroyed after Christ left
her house on Monday night.
MIS- Hart called on Mrs. Christ on
Septem Der l0th aud accused her OF writ
ing letters and UOetry TO bart. Witness
went there with q revolver in her pocket.
She said Mrs. Christ was larger woman
than sac, SO she armed herself for self
protection. Mrg. Christ called her liar
and ordered her out OF the house.
When Christ called on her she expected
bad uews. She felt that way because she
did not know what effect il had on Christ
after showing him the poetry. Witness
told her husband that she gave Christ the
poetry. Witness called on Mrs. Eby, and
asked her if she had seen Hart call on
Mrs. Christ. Mrs. Eby replied that she
had.
Witness said she regretted exceedingly
the shooting of RS. Christ. When she
heard of it she went 10 Mrs. Ely TO learn
the particulars. The witness said If there
was any news in the neighborhood Mrs.
lIby would know all about it. Witness
Told Mrs. Ilby after The shooting that had
she known what the result would have
/ been she would have preferred that Mrs.
Christ and Hart had gone away and lived
together all their lives.
The contents of the letters found in her
| husbands pocket, Mrs. Hart said, were
OF an at1ectiouate character. The letters
were addressed to Hart in care of the
State Printing ONCE.
To Mr.. Johnson Mrs. Hart said that
when her husband returned from work
she Informed him That Christ had called
on her. She also told him that Christ of
tered her his revolver, and requested her
/ TO shoot his wife. While Christ was In
| the house he became frightened at the
sound made by witness child walking in
| an al joining room, and drew his revolt
/ yer. Witness always told her husband
! that the letters We're from Mrs. Christ,
/ but he denied it.
CHARLES FLOHR,
The gunsmith, ex planned the mechanism
of the revolver the bullet from which
caused Mrs. Chrisps death. Mr.. Flohr
said that If the hammer was set at the
safety notch il is not likely that the re-
volver would have been discharged. Ex
perts, he said, always carried their re-
voIvers with the hammer set on the
safety notch. The weapon would have to
be held within about TWO or three feet Of
the woman's face 10 have caused the pow
der burns. A longer distance than that
the powder would not be likely to burn.
WILLIAM c. HART
Then took the stand. He said that on
! last Monday ne did not work the last half
OF the day. He laid Oft that part OF the
DAY because he had heard of his wife s
visit 10 Christ. He went to his brother,
DR.. Hart and asked him for advice. His
brother advised him TO see Christ. He
called at the latter's place OF business,
but he was not there. The proprietor OF
the shop told him that Mrs. Hart had
called to see Christ.
On day previous to the shooting he
had conversation with Christ. in which
the latter said he had been informed that
his wife had been untrue 10 him. Christ
said he did not believe what he had heard
concerning his wiie's actions. Witness
WIG iOlG MIN OF Der WISH TO Mrs. ClrlSt.
Witness wife also told him that Christ
promised not to shoot him.
Witness diu not know what effect the
poetry would have on him. He imagined
that il would excite Christ. Mrs. Hart
told witness that she was going to show
the poetry TO Christ, but he ad vised her
hot TO do So
Hart said he picked up the poetry in
/ Mrs. ChTists house. She took il and
/ SAID: "PII fix it 50 that anybody will
/ think IL was sent 10 you" There was a
small piece Of poetry cut out OF news
! paper which Mrs. Hart found in her hus-
/ bands pocket. Hart said that Mrs. Christ
ueVer laid eyes upon il.
Tie " mole thing was q Joke, said Hart
! Mrs. Christ had told him that she wrote
4 the poetry 10 Christ long before they
were married The heading to the
poetry, My Dear Hart" was written by
Sirs. Christ while ne was in her house
/ Tie signature, the witness thought, WAS
al the bottom of the poetry when he
/. picked il up. He admitted having re-
coived a number OF letters from Mrs.
( tArIsi, bat they were not OF an affection
/ ale character.
This ended the taking of testimony
/ ana The room was cleared 10 allow the
jury 10 CELEBRATE on the verdict.
TaE VERDICT.
The jury rendered a verdict that Mrs.
Christ came TO her death "by gunshot
wound in the right temple, said wound
/ being inflicted by pistol in the hands of
William Christ with intent 10 kill. We