The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-13
AL THE GRUESOME DETAILS
OF the Murder of Weber and
His Wife
KOVALEV IS IDENTIFIED
By q Witness WHO Speeks With Much
Positiveness
The Clothing Worn by the Prisoner When
Arrested Identified That of
the Murdered Men
Associated Press Special Wire.

SACRAMENTO, Nps. 12.-Today, In
the trial of Ivan KovaIev for the m drder
OF Grocer Weber and wife, Mrs. l.. 4.
Beeslsy, daughter of the murdered cou-
pie. resumed the witness stand and pro-
ceeded with her Identification of tn e
clothing found in the rear of the build
ing where the m arder occurred. The two
white shirts, upon which the witness w.
T. Hamilton thought he saw blood
stains, belonged to her father, and the
pair of boots also. The pair OF tattered
scarlet drawers were of unknown owner
ship.
Major W. A. Anderson, of counsel for
the defense, subjected the witness to
severe cross examination. but as she had
lived in the house in which the tragedy
occurred up to within a month and ten
days of the commission of the murder,
she was positive as to what clothing her
father possessed.
Lptber Weber, a son of the murdered
ouple described how he saw the bloc
dripping from the ceiling of the grocery
store and how he found the bodies OF his
parents His fathers face WAS so much
Inu,ilated with knife cuts that he at first
was unable to recognize the body. The
witness identified the ak with W hich his
parents had been Drained by the murder
ers and the Ratchet marked IS. P. Co.
No. g." The AK belonged to his father,
but the Ratchet and the jimmy didn't
belong to the place. The witne IS posi-
lively identified the pantaloons and sus-
penders found upon kovalev's person at
the time of the arrest as being the prop
erty of his father.
The cross-examination faileo to break
down the testimony given on the direct
examination by the witness, with one ex-
ception, and that was that the witness
was sure of the identity of one of the
shirts, but would not he willing ~ swear
to the identity of the other.
Senator Hart asked the witness whether
he was willing to stake the lie OF the
accused upon the accuracy of the state
ment that the pantaloons were made of
the same goods as the coat and vest, out
this question was objected to by District
Attorney Ryan.
Judge Johnson held that, whils the
supreme court had deprecated and con-
demned the use OF such questions, he did
not wish to make an erroneous ruling of
which advantage might be taken by de-
PENDANTS attorneys, and he would allow
the question to stand.
The witness replied that be would be
willing to stake the life of Kovalev on
the accuracy of his statement.
Then Mr.. Hart put to the witness the
question up to which he had been lead
ing-was the witness aware that it was
possible for another and many another
part of pantaloons to have been made out
of the same kind OF clothP
He admitted that it was possible.
The most impressive incident OF the
trial occurred this afternoon, when
mi1dle-aeea man, George III. kost, told
how, at o'clock on the evening of De.
cem1er 29th-a few hours prior TO the
murder-he saw man standing by the
Weber gate. The man was a stranger and
was dressed n an old-style light overcoat
with a cap On his he'd. The cap appeared
to be glazed or If oil cloth. He had in
his hand club or stick three or four
inches thick. The appearance of the man
was 30 suspicious that Mr.. Kost looked
hi n straight into the eyes and took de-
1iberate notice 'of his appearance. He
did SO because the man looked a hard
character.
Have you seen that man since them"
inquired the district attorney.
"Yes, sir,' replied the witr ess 81 have
seen him today"
"Whers?''
''Sitting over there in this court
ROOM
As the witness spoke he looked toward
Kovalev, who was sitting in his usual
fashion with his lips apart and his eyes
staring straight ahead.
"Please step down and place your hand
upon the shoulder vi the man, II he is in
this ROOM" said the district attorney
There was buzz of expectancy es the
witness walked down from the stand
crowded his way through the lawyers
and the detectives and stepping behind
Kovalev, placed his hand firmly upon the
left shoulder OF the prisoner.
kost returned to the stand and Major
Anderson cross examined the witness
mercilessly. Was he absolutely positive?
Could he not have been mistaken in the
man? No. Kost was positive.
Then came the last shot form the de-
PENDANTS counsel.
Would you be willing to swear away
this mans life by saying that you are alb
solutsly positive that he is the mani?
The witness hesitated a m oment. Then
he spoke:
II am sitting in this chair and looking
at you. Is not that fact?
1t is the fact" responded Major An
derson.
Then" replied Mr.. Kost, deliberately.
ION the same basis | know as fact that
the man ] saw on that night was the
prisoner, Kovalev.'
]. M. Brodt, San Francisco notice
officer, told how he found the murdered
woman's watch and chain in the prison
closet on January I'd of this year. This
testimony was corroborated by that of
another policeman named O. II. knight.
Policeman Thomas IL. Bowen of San
Francisco identified the copy of arrests
made at the city prison on which the
name of John Dubroff, drunk" appears
under date OF January 1st.
BRADY'S CASE