The San Francisco call., 1895-10-18
KILLING OF MRS, CHRIST
DAMAGING TESTIMONY AGAINST
THE HUSBAND OF THE
DEAD WOMAN.
LETTERS WRITTEN BY HER TO KERN
HART SAID TO HAVE BEEN
EXPOSED.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Oct. 17.-Coroner
Clark held an inquest this evening upon
the body of Ms. Christ, who was killed by
bullet from her husbands pistol la t
Monday night. Some very damaging
testimony was adduced against her hus-
band, who is under arrest on suspicion of
murder.
Kern Hart, with whom the dead woman
was so madly infatuated, has left the city
and it is claimed is in San Francisco. AS
his evidence in the matter is deemed ma
terial and it was impossible to examine
the long list of witnesses at one time, the
verdict of the jury will not be received be-
fore tomorrow night.
Or. White, who performed the autopsy
upon the body of Mrs. Christ, described
the course of the ball and the powder
marks on the face and right hand and said
that it was impossible for her to have been
shot as she was had she been standing
erect and the pistol discharged by striking
the floor.
Thomas NJ. Eby, who lives two doors
from the Christ residence, stated that hav-
ing been called to the door by a messenger
boy. he heard the report of a pistol, and
few minutes later Christ came to his house
and said: II believe | have shot my wife"
When asked if he had called doctor, he
answered mo, | don't believe doctor
could do her any good"
Christ did not appear at all excited when
speaking OF the shooting, and was also
very much at ease when they were in the
room with the dead body. He also stated
that Christ said the killing was accidental
his pistol having exploded by slipping
from the holster and striking on the floor
DR.. Haight, who had been called in by
Christ a + the S1UupStiOn Of Ny Ehu alcn
described Christ's absolute GOODNESS of
behavior, and said shat on coming into the
room where the dead woman lay he
stepped over his wife's dead BODY instead
OF walking around it.
When requested to 60 after some am
monia to be used for injection in the body
in an attempt to start the hearts action he
said, "Oh, it's no use, she's dead"
Several other witnesses testified to
Christ's absolute GOODNESS and apparent in
difference.
The most sensational testimony of the
evening was that of Mrs. Eby, who stated
that Mrs. Kern Hart had called upon her
at o clock on the morning of the shoot
ing and had said: well, I've done it; I
am in it now" and then went on to relate
that she had found some letters in her
husbands coat pocket, and had shown
them TO Christ, who had displayed great
agitation.
one ndu bnen asked witness II SheIhad
ever seen her husband in Mrs. Cnrist's
company, and Mrs. Eby, with great reluc-
tance, said she had.
After the shooting, Mrs. Hart called at
the house between u and l o'clock and
asked her if she had told any one of the
conversation that had taken place between
them that morning, and was informed that
witness had told Mr.. Eby.
She then told very conflicting stories
about the other letters she had claimed to
have in her possession, and stated that
she had burned them. When pressed to
tell the contents of the destroyed letters
she said she could not remember, as she
had not read them for two years.
One of them had been full of endearing
terms and said that the writer had never
loved man until she met Mr.. Hart. Since
then she could not abide by her husband
After she had shown the letters to Christ
she had urged her husband to go down
town and get his life insured. She also
said that she went to the Christ residence
on September 10 with a revolver to settle
the matter, but her courage failed her.