The record-union., 1895-11-15
DOES KOVALEV MEAN TO CONFESS /?
A Rumor to That Effect Was Abroad
Yesterday.
The Prosecution Forging a Strong
Chain of EvIdence-Testimony
Taken Yesterday.

There was an air of expectancy
throughout the courtroom of DEPART
ment Two of the Superior Court yester-
day morning, where Ivan Kovalav IS
being tried for the murder of F. H. l..
Weber Nearly everybody had heard
1t whispered that something of import
ance was going to happen
On the opening of court w. A. Andef-
son and E. c. Hart, Kovalev's attCr-
neys, took him into Judge Johnson
chamber, where they held consulta-
ton with him for nearly an hour.
Mr.. Anderson said this was done for
the purpose of planning line Of action
to be pursued in the cross-examinatlon
of Arnold Levin, one of the principal
witnesses for the prosecution, but a tip
had been given out that KovaleV was
contemplating making a confession
but owing to the absence of olga COR
s denko, the woman residing at Glen
Ellen, Sonoma County, who wrotea letter
to him in which she offered him assist
ance, he would defer making a state
ment or confession until her arrival.
District Attorney Ryan telegraphed
her that her attendance was urgently
q reply that she would come up on the
evening train.
The lady came up on the early train
and went direct to the Jail, in company
with District Attorney Ryan, to sec
KoValeV. She had a long consultation
with the prisoner, but all she could get
flcm him was the statement that he
had told his lawyers all about 1t, ano
they could tell her. He finally said he
would take the matter under consider
alton till this morning.
Judge Johnson ordered stricken from
the record the testimony of Witness
Levin relative to what KOvalev told
him about the trip to LOOmis, Placer
County. except that Levin went there
with Kovalev and Stcherbakoy. Le-
wins testimony relative to what
KOvalev told him about the pHOto-
graph taken of StcherbakOv after the
latter was killed was also stricken out.
except where the defendant told Levin
that Stcherbakov was killed in San
Jose.
lust before court adjourned yesterday
afternoon W A Anderson said that a
man named AIeXandrOff, a porter at
the Lick House in San Francisco, had
been subpenaed on the part of the de-
Tense a couple of days ago, but has not
obeyed the subpoena, so Judge Johnson
ordered an attachment to issue IcT
AleXandroff, and directed the Sheriff tc
go down to San Francisco and bring
him here.
WITNESS LEVIN AGAIN.
II was II o'clock when ". A. Ander-
son. of counsel for the defense, com
nienced to cross-eXamine Arnold Levin
the witness for the prosecution who
was on the stand when court adjourned
Wednesday afternoon. Levin said ht
was born in Russia and left there il
1889. He came to this country with his
bcother He understands the Ian
guages spoken in the different prov
inces of Russia. He had been in the
Russian army, and was stationed al
Sebastopol. He had attended school al
St. Petersburg for five years. When he
left Russia he was given passport fol
five years. He did not know of a Sec
ton in Russia the members OF which
practice an espionage on all Russians
at home and abroad charged witt
crime.
Levin said he came to San Francisco
SIX years ago. and that he is a lock
smith. He was asked why he trampeC
around the country if he did gool
business making keys. The witness re
pied that business was not good all th'
time He became acquainted with KOv
alev when the ten refugees from Sibe
ria arrived in San Francisco. He denied
ever having been arrested for any
crime, but had been detained in jail as {
witness against Kovalev. Since his con
frement he has had a number Of inter
views with kOValev.
Reference to this was stricken out a
the request of Mr.. Anderson.
Levin said he first met KOvalev II
Wodiewada'S saloon in San Francisco
Kovalev and StcherbakOv came in anC
said they had escaped from SaghalieI
Island in Siberia. From that time on
witness took an active interest in thei