The San Francisco call., 1897-10-23
Fired When the Old Mans
Gun Was LeveIed at
His Wife.
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF
THE WOMAN.
Witness BOYD Tells of a CoWardly
Attack Upon Her Nine
Years Ago.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

SAN JOSE, Oct. 2L-Dan butcher, who,
with Mrs. Sarah SchofeId, is charged
with the murder of George W. Schofield,
went on the witness-stand to-day and told
the story OF his ife and the killing of the
rancher on the Llagas.
He proved to be a good witness in his
own behalf. He was a little nervous at
first, but this soon wore Off and he was
self possessed and answered the questions
coolly and clearly.
He told ofthe trouble at the place the
night before the killing and the subse-
quent shooting of Schofeld. His testi-
mony was similar 10 that of Mrs Scho-
field. The courtroom was crowded with
men ana women, who listened attentively
to the boys tale.
Since the stories of Schofeld's brutality
have been related in court the sympathy
seems to be all with butcher The de-
tense rested this afternoon and the in
PRODUCTION of testimony will close to-mor-
row.
The first witness to-day was Justice of
the Peace John L Bond of Sequel He
said that about nine years ago. while
the Schotelds were living in Sequel. he
was aroused one night by Mrs. Schotield 5
screaming. and rushed over to see what
was the matter.
He found Mrs. Schofeld with blood all
over her face and heard Sch ofeld threaten
to Kick the life out of the woman. He
told of other brutalities OF Schofield
DuiCher then took The stand He said
he was born on November IA. 1879, and was
nearly is years of age. He had known
Schoteid since July 19, at which time he
went to work for him.
'On the morning of August 6, at the
F1ul foot % Rin h. CT -
TO his wife: I am going to sell
the ranch and go to the klondike.' She
said: You can't, for there is a homeste ad
on it?' He said he didn't care; he was
going to sell it anyhow and he slapped
her. She started to leave the "a BILE and he
threw knife at her. Then he jumped up
and seized her by the throat aad dragged
her toward the bedroom 10 kill her.
Just then Irving Mann rushed be-
tween them and said that Schoied was
not going 10 get any gun to shoot his
mother. Schofelc threw Mann down and
kicked him, and that ended the trouble.
We boys soon aftervard went out to fix
fences and met Bennie Fourcade. We told
him about the racket at our house and
said to him if Schofeld tried to kill his
wife again IN my presence l would stop
him.
About 9:30 or 10 o'clock that night
there was another difficulty SchotieId
asked his wife if she was ready TO arm
over the homestead. She said No and
then he asked her If be did the other
thing (burn the house for the insurance)
would she tell on him. She said she
would, and then ne said she would never
live to tell on him ana ran TO the bedroom
10 get the gun, and she ran out of the
front door.
After Schoield had gone in pursuit OF
her, went into the bedroom, got the rifle,
went out of the diuing-room door and
SPhnfiald he
saw Irving Mann there. He looked
to me as if he had iumped
out of the bedroom window. He
had come from that way and had his
boots in his hands. We stayed there until
we heard Mr.. Schoteld coming 10 the
front steps. and then we moved back to the
Toulouse, where we remained about half
an hour. Then Mrs. Schofield says: Il am
going into the house, for / am afraid he
will kill the children | said, Don't 90.
for he's crazy and will kill YOU She
said she would go, anyhow, for she had
had thirteen years of hell and her life was
not of much use to her
we then started toward the house.
Schoheld was sitting by the window in a
rocking-chair. When we got to the porcn
Mrs. Schofield SAID, she opened the
He said, No, 1 won't, and I will
shoot the first - who comes into the
house, He raised his gun and | fired
and ran off the porch. Irving Mann then
came to where l was. l heard something
drop after L shot. Shortly after Mrs.
Schotield came to the door and hollered
for me to come in. Then Schofield hol-
Tered and said, Dan, come in; it's all
right now. l answered that | was going
to leave. | stayed around outside about
three-quarters OF an hour and then went
to bed.
early in the morning 1 heard Mrs.
SchOnnld I in, hod A.,
awakened me. 1 jumped up and ran to
the toolhouse door and saw Mr.. Scho-
Held at the corner of the porch just turn
lug to go back with the shotgun in
his hand. | went back into my
room, dressed, got The rife and started
toward the barn. Mrs. SchofeId was
then somewhere near the bridge by the
woodshed. She ran through the WOOD
shed door and l followed her and came
around by the little gate to the back of the
woodshed Mrs. Schofeld joined me by
the east door and we moved toward the
hill. When Schofield opened the wood.
shed door on the west, he had the shot
gun. de had come from the back end of
the house. When he opened the door he
started to raise the gun and fired Then
the rife away.
Mrs Schofield and talked the m after
over after the shooting. l said to her.
What shall We do? I'll get punish ed for
this, l know | testified at the Cor oner's
inquest. Part of the statement | made
then and there was concoct ted right afte
the killing, the rest during the day."
butcher said that he went to Watson
vile with Scbofeld few days before the
latter was killed. On the way home Scho-
field said if his wife did not sell the ranch
and give him the money to go
TO Klondike he would kill the whole fam
lily and be like Dunham. butcher said
the statements about rocks being thrown
on the house were false. He also denied
some statements alleged to nave been
made in a confession in the Sheriff's OIL
ice.