The record-union., 1896-01-22
ALL TIE TESTIMONY IN.
The KoValeV Reward Claimants All Pre-
sent Their Cases.
Arguments by Their Attorneys Will
be Listened to by the Board of
Examiners To-day.

and his wife was resumed yesterday
morning before the State Board Of Ex-
aminers, Governor Budd, Secretary Of
State Brown and Secretary Markley
being present.
The claims and testimony being so
conflicting, the parties were all put un-
der oath.
WHAT BENNETT CLAIMS.
2. L. Bennett, who claims to have
given to Captain Lees the information
that led to the arrest Of Kovalev, took
the stand and testified that ne met Ste
vens on the street in San Francisco. He
had known Stevens before. He met
him again on June 18th, and he wanted
to go to Sacramento. He told witness
that he could lay his hand on the Weber
murderer at any time, and if he would
sign a contract with him and take him
to Sacramento they would share the re-
ward. Stevens said he had the murder
ers under his eye as much as he had the
coat on his back. He also said that,
while talking to another man Oak
reuski), a man went by, and that he
said to the other man that he would bet
that the man passing by was one of the
Weber murderers.
The two men laid a plan to get the
man drunk, and did so. While drunk,
Kovalev kicked Zakreuski, crippling
him. Afterward, when drunk, Kovalev
confided to him the fact that he and
Steherbakov had murdered the Webers.
and that afterward Stcherbakov was
stabbed in San Jose in trying to rob a
man, and that they "silanced" him, in
order to prevent his giving them away
to the police.
Kovalev told about the killing of the
Webers
Witness, after consultation with Ste
vens, went to Captain Lees and told
him all the circumstances and many
others concerning Petelon and Kova-
lev, the circumstances surrounding the
watch and others. He told him much
more than the statement produced by
Captain Lees shows he did.
Captain Lees wanted witness to
bring Stevens, but he told him that
Stevens refused to have anything to do
with the police, and that he could not.
The Captain then wished him to ar
range a meeting with Stevens, and he
went to Stevens to do so. He told the
Captain that Stevens was haggling
about the reward, and the Captain told
him that so far as he was concerned
Stevens need not fear for the reward.
Witness felt assured from what Ste
vens had said that the men wanted
were in the house where he lived, and
he did not want to go to Sacramento
and possibly lose them.
Witness had arranged with Captain
Lees and Detective Cody that he
should meet the latter at the Cafe
Royal, and if Stevens was with him he
should give Cody a signal. Cody did
not come, and afterward said the Cap
tain would not let him.
Cody here stated that he thought he
knew Stevens, and therefore he did not
care to have Bennett point him out. He
had Stevens record.
Bennett resumed, saying if that were
the case there was no use of keeping
him standing on the street like a cigar
sign.
PRIVATE DETECTIVES
You could afford to. in order to win
81 900 reward, could you not?" said the
Governor
Il suppose so. have had some de-
tective experience since, in Los AM
geies,' was the reply.
"I hope the next Legislature will put
a stop to this private detective busi-
ness, said the Governor.
well, Governor, if it were not for
private detectives there would never be
a man hung in California" " said w. T.
Hamilton ''The officers only take the
evidence that is dug up for them in
making their arrests"
The Governor explained that he meant
the professional private detectives, and
not private parties who obtained in
formation.
Bennett resumed that Captain Lees
seemed to have no further use for him
after he found Stevens. He went to
Los Angeles on business, and when he
came back he put in claim for the re-
ward.
Captain Lees asked Bennett if, when
he came to him, he did not tell him that
he Qlees) had sent officers to San Jose
to investigate Stch srbakov's death and
had located the other men on Folsom
street. Bennett remembered his speak
ing of San Jose, but not of his locating
the men. In his opinion the police were
ivrorant Of Stevens whereabouts and
would not have made their discoveries
had it not been for the information he
furnished
STEVENS CONTRADICTS HIM.
stevens was sworn and said he had
known Bennett for about two years, but
vyas not well acquainted with him. He
knew of Kovalev's having the brass
ag1e and some gold and silver orna-
ments. and the latter wanted some
money. which he let him have. ko-
xaIev afterward burned all these things
In witness presence.
HOW RUSSIANS MURDER.
when he read of the ak and the bloody
p7ints of bare feet at the time OF the
,,,,,-f7er which is the manner in which
r.,,rdars are generally committed by
Russians. he suspected that Russian
had done the deed, and when he found
Kovalev had these things and that Ben
nett had money, he thought that he
could borrow money from him to go to
Sacramento and ask the Webers II they
had ever had such ali eagle. He asked
Rennett to lend him money to go to Sac
ramento with. telling him that ne
thought he knew the Weber murderers
and could lay his hands on them at any
time. He did not tell him that KoYaleY
had cO0ISSSSu 10 the 4AANAAS-f - -~
the circumstances detailed by Bennett
concerning the watch or anything relat.
ing to Stcherbakov's death. He only
bad a. conversation with Bennett on tne
street for probably fifteen minutes. he
never had any conversation with Ben
nett about the reward, except to tell him
# he got the reward he would see thai
he CBennett) was not forgotten.
He did not tell Bennett that he woule
rot go to the police He did not think