The San Francisco call., 1895-11-19
The Exile Describes in Detail
the Slaughter Of the
Aged Couple.
CLAIMS HE WAS HYPNOTIZED.
Forced to Accompany Tscherbakoff
and See Him Brain the Mer.
chant and His Wife.

SAChAM EMU, CAL., NOV. 1o.-IFdu
Kovalev has confessed. Contrary to the
wishes of hisattorneys, who appeared non
plused at the persistent whim OF the exile,
he went upon the stand to-day and ad-
mitted that he was present when the aged
Webers were murdered. He denied hav
ing Drained the old man, claiming that
Tscherbakoff was the slayer of both Weber
and his wife, and, curiously enough, the
bloodthirsty Russian has hit upon the
popular plea of the day-hypnotism-as
his defense.
Soon after the court convened Kovalev
went upon the stand. Mrs. Olga Cor
denko was sworn as interpreter and was
directed by the court to instruct the
defendant that he need not make a state
ment nor testify in the case at all unless
he so desired. She was instructed to say
that it was against .he wish of his attor
neys If he did so.
Kavalev replied that he would not talk
much. He said he was present and took
part in the murder.
This answer was stricken out, as it was
not responsive to the question; but the
mischief had been done, the answer had
been heard by the jury and in all proba-
bility the prisoners fate was sealed.
Kovalev's attorneys then said that the
exile had statement which he insisted on
submitting to the jury, but it was against
the wish of his counsel that it be given.
In the confession made by Kovalev to
Mrs. GordenEo the prisoner gives a de-
tailed statement of his experience after
arriving in San Francisco. He details all
his wanderings and marauding expedi-
tions, and claims that he was dominated
by his companions. He says that
the first one to gain control over
him was a man named Captain Andre,
who endeavored to persuade him to join in
various robberies, bat he declared it was
against his nature, and eventually tiring
of this mode of life he returned to San
Francisco, where he claims he fell into the
hands of Levin and Tscherbakoff, who
persuaded him against his will to go to
Stockton and from there to Sacramento.
Continuing he said:
zone evening Tscherbakoff asked me to
| go and view store which he intended to
rob. / went there and stood a little After
a while we climbed over the fence and hid
ourselves in the shed on the hay. fischer
| bakoff went upstairs, and 1 saw the old
man fall from under his ak. The horrible
sight stunned me, for did not know, nor
had 1 the least idea that Tscherbakoff
would do anything of that sort. fischer
bakoff then called me up. / went up and
then did everything by his direction and
under his control. l then saw the other
victim fall.
1--WE soon went to the hotel, cut open the
| carpet and hid the things under it. Then
we took the train for San Francisco, where
we bought shirts, took baths, and since
| then to this time l have not had 6 mo-
| ment's rest.
"God is my witness that 1 have not COM
mitted any murder, though 1 witnessed
the murder of the Webers. I am not
afraid to die, as death would only relieve
me from the mental and moral tortures
and sufferings that have fallen to my lot"
When the court reconvened in the after
noon, Major Anderson said that he was
willing to submit the case without argu-
ment.
The District Attorney remarked that
this was taking him by surprise. 1t was a
case that involved the life of the defend
ant. He had not drawn up his instruc-
tions, neither was he prepared to proceed
with the argument. Major Anderson
passed up to the court the instructions for
the defense.
District Attorney Ryan asked that the
case be continued until tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock, when he would be ready to
proceed with his argument. It was an i'm
portant case, and one which he desired to
present as we'll as he could for the State,
and he would ask the jury to return a
verdict of guilty.
The Judge said he would grant the re-
quest. He then instructed the jury not to
talk about the case with any one, nor to
read anything about the case in the public
print. Then the case went over until to-