The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-01
Sentenced to Fourteen Years Imprison.
ment at San Quentin.
Judge Cook Creates a Sensation at
the Close of the Trial by Charging
One of the Witnesses With WiIlful
and Corrupt Perjury, and Ordering
Him Into the CUSTODY of the
Sheriff.

FRESNO, April 30.-A sensation was
caused in the trial of Professor Sand
ers, charged with forgery and suspected
of the murder of William Wootton, this
morning by Judge Carroll Cook of San
Francisco, who presided in Judge
Webb's stead. The Judge had instruct
ed the jurors and dismissed them,
when, turning to the attorneys, he
said:
Il am satisfied that one of the wit
nesses in the case committed Willful
and corrupt perjury.
Il refer to DR.. G. B. Mcintosh the ex-
pert on penmanship. I therefore order
him into the custody of the Sheriff, with
bonds fixed at $1,000.
Mcintosh was the expert on behalf Of
Sanders. He is well known throughout
the State as an expert on handwriting,
also as a minister of the gospel and as
a school teacher.
The jury, after an hours delibera-
ton, returned a verdict of guilty
This was Sanders fourth trial. In
the first trial the jury disagreed on the
question of expert testimony In the
second trial the jury convicted after
being out only forty minutes The YER
dict in this case was reversed by the
Supreme Court In the third trial the
jury disagreed, principally upon the
conflict of testimony and because of
the failure to prove that Wootton was
dead.
The verdict this morning implies that
Sanders is guilty of the murder of
Wootton.
Sanders was sentenced to fourteen
years Imprisonment in San Quentin.
The case has been one of the most
notable that ever occurred in Califor-
MIA. About three years ago Professor
Sanders and his victim, Wootton, lived
on neighboring farms. Wootton, an old
bachelor, lived alone. Sanders seemed
to have made up his mind that he would
get possession of Wootton's farm and
set deliberately to work to achieve his
purpose. He cultivated Wootton's ac-
quaintance and the two men became
very friendly. Soon after Wootton dis
appeared, and has never since been
heard of. When last seen he was in
buggy with Sanders, not far from their
farms, or rather, his body was, for
those who saw the men agreed subse-
quently that Wootton was probably
dead when they saw him, although the
body was erect.
When Sanders was afterward asked
what had become of Wootton he told
an improbable story of him getting out
of the buggy and going northward
Whatever his fate may have BEEN his
body has never been found, and al
though Sanders is suspected of murder
ing him, the crime has never been
rant a trial.
But shortly after Wootton's disap
pearance Sanders showed a deed CIV
ing him title to Woottons property.
1t was not made out directly from one
to the other, but other deeds We're pro-
duced showing that Wootton had deed
ed the land to a mnn named Knausch;
that Knausch had decided it to a third
party. and that the third party had
decided it to Sanders. All efforts to
find Knausch and the other man failed.
Sanders was accused of forging the
deeds and each of his former trials
have been on this charge.
The present trial has lasted about
three weeks. Judge Webb, who had
presided at the other trials, refused to
hear the case, and exchanged courts
with Judge Carroll Cook of San Fran
cisco.
An interesting feature of the trial
was the production in the courtroom of
$50, 600 in gold. Sanders testified that
Knausch paid Wootton that amount
of money, and described the jaunty
manner in which it was carried up the
Hill to Wootton's house. When the
amount Of gold mentioned was brought
into court it was found to weigh sew
enty-three pounds. too great weight
to be handled as described