The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-30
Only Eyewitness Tells How
Lawson Was Killed
WHATOCCURREDlN THE ROOM
Believed His Life in Danger and Shot
in Self=Defense
The Detective Was About to Spring Upon
Him When He Fired-A Dramatic
Narrative-Court Notes

of testimony is concerned. Today will BIZ
given up to argument, and as Judge
Smith announced that If argument wa:
not concluded within the regular hours,
he would hold night session. the case
will go to the jury before court adjourns.
There was the usual crowd in attend
ance when Judge Smith opened court
yesterday morning, and after d;spos ing
of the usual exparte business, the hearing
OF the Kennett case was resumed.
Deputy District Attorney McComas
opened the proceedings by reading, with
the permission of the court, a portion Of
kennett's testimony at the Kid Thomr-
son trial, for the purpose of showing tn 9
strained relations which existed between
himself and Lawson in the month OF
May last. q month before the shooting.
Kennett had stated on the witness stand
at that trial that he ald Lawson were
not on COED terms.
At this point the defense stated that
since the adjournment they had discov-
cred new evidence with reference to Mr..
Lawson's son upon which they wished to
cross examine him. Young Lawson was
accordingly recalled, wnen his atten ton
was directed to the testimony given by
him at the coroner's inquest in which he
had stated that he had heard a voice in
the private Office at the time of the shoot
ing which was not his fathers voice. On
his direct examination in this trial
young Lawson testified that just previous
10 the shooting he heard mum bling
sound in the office but did not distin-
guisb any voices, which makes quite q
difference, and which was strongly empha-
sized by the defnese.
Constable II. II. Yonken testified that
in January last A. b. Lawson asked him
to appoint Mr.. Kenneth as q deputy, and
he did so. Later, in May, he asked the
witness to revoke the appointment, which
he did. Lawson told him that Kenneth
was a bad man, and if he did not revoke
the appointment he (kennett) would get
him into trodble.
u. G. Smith formerly of st. Louis,
living there from 1854 to 1874, knew Mr..
Kenneth In that city. His reputation
was the very best when be knew him.
Constable Harry Johnson testified that
he had conversation with A. b. Law
son the day after Kid Thompson was
onvicted, in which Lawson referred to
Kenneth in slurring manner.
p. ]. Kennedy. deputy sheriff and
county taller, was next called. Kennedy
saw Kennett shortly after Lawson was
shot, and the defense tried 10 bring out
a statement made at chat time, but it
was ruled ont, as it was shown that it
was not the same conversation referred to
by the prosecution.
w. S. Livengood, a reporter on the
Times, test fed that he saw kennett in
his Ecell at the county Jail ana inter-
viewed il m. kennett at FIRST refused TO
talk, but finally sad: II can say this:
| have no com FUNCTIONS for what I have
done; l think I have shot the worst s.
of b. that ever came to Los Angeles. "
Continuing. Kennett said that Lawson
owed him money which he would net
pay him. His wife had died only three
weeks beors, and as he needed the money
badly, he had gone up to the Office one
more time to see if he could not get it.
On entering The private office Lawson
had asked him, what do you want you
- of a b-?'' and started toward him.
when Kenneth said, II let him havs it
three times Kennett further re
marked that he had tried to do right all
his life. Mr.. Liyengood was not GLOSS
examined.
William Bosbyshell, formerly Eof ST..
Louis but now of this city, testified that
he had known the defendant and his
family. in St. Louis for twenty five years.
and that his reputation for peace and
quiet was good.
= W. H. Jaw of Glendale testified that he
had conversation with A. B. Lawson in
A priI or MAY, after the kid" Thorn D.
son trial. Kennett had just passed by
Lawson and the witness and given then,
a sharpsslook, when witness asked Lawson
who he was. Lawson replied that it was
Kenneth, and when witness asked him
what kind of a man he was replied that
he vas "a dirty stinker," following it up
by saying that no such man could get the
best of him. Lawson was So bitter in
his remark that Jay had suggested to
him that he had better go slow with such
matters.
RI
and MIR. Carpenter also testified to Ken
nett good character.
At the afternoon session, after some
unim portant testimony by William
Bridges and Howard Longley, the de-
tense sprung It's first sensation when V.
Lacroix took the stand. This witness
was only recently discovered, but his tes-
timony is most important. Mr.. Lacroix
testified that he was In the hall on the
way to the office of Mr.. Haas who is his
attorney, when a man passed him and
called out to Mr.. Lawson, who was in his
Office, that Kenneth was coming. Law
son, with an oath, replied, ''Let him
come; he will never get out OF here,
or words to that effect. Mr.. Lacroix' 1
testimony created a decided sensation,
and he was subjected to a rigid cross
examination. but could not be broken,
and he was finally allowed to leave the
stand.
being raised, he could not testify, anC
then Kenneth took the stand IN his owr
behalf.
Kenneth was pei fectly cool and collected
as he stepped forward and was sworn
and gave his testimony without thu
slightest embarrassment going into tn,
most minute details. His name, he said
was Ferd h. Kenneth, and he was AZ years
of age. He was born in st. Louis, blu
shortly after was taken to Jefferson
county by his parents. where he resided
on a farm until 1862, when he entered tn
confederate army. At the close of tn
war he returned to St. Louis, where h
remained only a short time, and then re-
turned TO Jefferson county, where he leas
ed o farm from his mother and RENAME,
until 1875, spending most of the time il
Jefferson county. He finally returned Il
st. Louis in 1877, and went on the polio
force. remaining until 1882, during which
time he was advanced from policeman t.
chief, holding the latter office two years
This was the only Office he ever held ex
cepting term in the legislature, when h
represented Jefferson county in 1884. Ii
August, 1892, he went to San Francisco
from which ne went 10 the quicksilve
mines as uperintendenr. Here he re
manned a year, but on becoming salivate
he returned to San Francisco, where h.
secured q position as Pullman conductor
from whicn he was advanced to recoivin
cashier. In 1884 he worked on the A 1t
California, and went into the custor
Turing the last half of Presid ens Cleve
and's first term. He then worked 70
ssshe California Sugar Refining compan
Inf Son ErapcisrO HAVING charpa of tn