The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-18
LOOKS BAD FOR BARBER CHRIST.
Events That Led Up to the Killing Of
His Wife.
Testimony Concerning the Relations
Existing Between Mrs. Christ
and w. c. Hart.


there will be a strong case made Out
against her husband, despite his asser.
ton that the shooting was accidental.
Two very important witnesses have not
yet been examined. These are w. G.
Hart and his wife, but the latter's state
ment to neighbo Mrs. Il. NJ. Ely, tells
a story that furnishes clew to the motive
for the killing. Mr.. Hart was out of the
city yesterday. and it is not likely that he
will return to testify before the Coroner's
jury.
The citizens composing this body are
D. X. Daugherty, r. II. Hawley. II. G.
Megerle. Daniel Flint, NJ. Barber, Jerry
Payne, Ed Goepel and j. S. George.
NATURE OF THE WOUND.
Dr. G. A. White, who made the autopsy
on Mrs. Christs body. explained the
character of the wound. The bullet, he
said, entered the right temple and ranged
/ back ward and downward, splintering the
bone, and lodged in the back of the head.
The deceased's eye and the flesh about 1t,
also her right hand, were powder burned.
The bullet must have been fired at close
range.
Or. White stated in response 10 ques-
tons by Coroner Clark, that a person
wounded as was the deceased, could not
| have been standing erect if the pistol was
| discharged by falling To the floor. Dia-
grams were shown illustrating the pow
dar-marks Oh the hand and face. In the
| opinion of the witness, the pistol could
not have been more than foot from the
deceased when discharged. The coudi-
| ton Of the right hand would indicate
! that the deceaSed'S hand was pressed to
the upper part Of the face when the shot
| was fired.
! District Attorney Ryan had Dr. White
again describe the course of the bullet.
WHAT NEIGHBoR EBY KNOWS.
Thomas NJ. EDy, who lives at 1922 l.
street. testified that little before 10
| O'Clock on the night OF the shooting he
| heard the pistol shot III Christs house,
! two doors away. He and his wife went
| to the door, and Mrs. Chris's mother
came and called for Mrs. Eby. Christ
! also came along, and when the witness
asked him what had happened, he re-
| piled, II think Pve killed my wife ~
| The witness was advised to go for DR..
! Haight, who lives near by, and he did SO.
! Ely said he went into the Christ house.
and shortly after summoned the police
! Christ gave his pistol to DR.. Haight, who
! handed it to Officer Fisher.
Mr.. Eby said he could not say that
| Christ made any statement to him OF the
shooting but believe he did to DR..
/ Haight. When the witness spoke OF send
ing for the police Christ said it wasn't
necessary. He did not appear to be eX-
cited at all. While the witness had gone
to telephone for the police Christ went to
| the house of his bTother-ln-law.
Mr.. Eby then told the jury OF the state
/ ment made by Christ to the District At
! torney and Coroner when they visited
| the house, to the effect that the pistol had
! fallen to the floor and exploded, and that
| his wife then fell.
OFFICER FISHER
! Testified to having gone to Christ's
house on Monday night, in response to
the call. DR.. Haight told him that
Christ had said the shooting WAS an ac-
cident. He sent the patrol wagon to the
| Walther residence and had Christ
brought back. Christ made Statement
to him similar to that made to the Core
ner and District Attorney, about the pis-
tol falling to the floor.
CHRIST WAS VERY COOL.
DIR. NJ. Ii. Haight, who resides oppo-
site Chrlsts house, testified to having
| heard the pistol shot and soon after
ward heard q comlnotion. He went across
the street at Chrisps request. Mrs
Christ was dead at the time. Christ
started In to show him how the accident
occurred, but he the witness) got the
pistol and gave it to Mr.. Ely. Christ
ascended the witness doorsteps very
ieisurely, and did not manifest the least
excitement. He said he was afraid he
had killed his wife.
The witness noticed that Christ, when
he wanted to cross the room, stepped
right over the body of his wife.
Coroner Clark had had photographs
taken of the room in which the shooting
occurred, and DR.. Haight explained by
them the position of the body as he found
l., al l. IL
held his wife, as be said he did, without
getting blood on his hands or clothing.
Officer Matt Karcher testified to about
the same facts related by Officer Fisher.
The statement made to him by Christ
was substantially the same he made TO
the Coroner. Christ did not manifest any
excitement. In a cool sort OF way he
once stopped over the body and kissed
the face, saying, "Oh, my poor wife ~
MRS. EBY TELLS IT ALL.
Mrs. T. NJ. Ely tetitied TINT she had
known Mr.. anu Mrs. Christ. She had, re-
tired when the shooting occurred across
the street. Her husband said 10 her, II
believe the shooting has taken place ~
Shortly alter midnight Mrs. w. &. Hart
called to see her. She asked the witness
if she had repeated what she Mrs. HART
had told her that morning, and the wit
ness replied that she had told only her
husband. Mrs. Hart told her she had on
Monday shown to Christ the letters writ
ten by Mrs. Christ TO Mr.. Hart. He was
onsiderably disturbed, but promised her
no would not Kill anyone. AT any rate,
he would not Kill a man under such cir
cumstances, as he blamed only the
woman.
He offered Mrs. Hart his pistol, how
ever, when he called on her late in the
day, and said she might use it to kill his
wife, as the latter had wronged her.
That afternoon. Mrs. Hart said, she
fired her husband of down town 10 get
his life insured" [Merriment.
On Monday afternoon, prior to the
shooting. Mrs. Hart called on Mrs. Eby
and asked her ii she had ever seen Mr..
Hart going to the Christ house. and the
witness replied that she had on one occa-
sion-one sunday IN July. Once after that
she saw him stop at the gate and talk with
Mrs. Christ.
Mrs. Christ had once said to her that
she thought great deal more of Mr.. Hart
than OF her husband, but would like Hart
better ii his complexion were different
Mrs. Hart said she knew her husband
had been visiting Mr5. Christ frequently.
She knew that from letters she had found
IN the pockets of her husbands coat. She
/ wanted 10 show them To Mrs. Eby, but
the iatter did not care TO peruse that kind
of literature.
W a. Iatt Ihsh lhsistou On repeating
some OF the contents of the letters. which
she did. When she went away she
spoke OF going TO see the Webers in the
same neighborhood, who knew some
thing OF the affair. Among other things.
Mrs. Hart said TO Mrs. Eby that she
couldn't stand II. She had her babies to
support, yet her husband was spending
half his earnings on another woman.
Mrs. Eby then said that Mrs Hart told
her she had gone TO Mrs. Christ's house
one day during the State Fair armed
with pistol. her purpose being to settle
tho thing" at once. She told Mrs Christ
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