The San Francisco call., 1897-06-25
TODAY MAY
SEE FICEL
ARRESTED
His Fate Is Largely in
the Hands of the
Coroner.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY TO COME.
Peter Powers Will Testify to
Being Told of Heavy
Losses.
ACH TO ATTACK FICEl'S ALIBI.
Chief Lees Peculiar Actions May
Impel the Board of Trade
to Protest.

With the close of the Hoffman inquest
today the fate of Theodore A. Figel will
rest largely in the hands of Coroner Haw-
kins. That official has the absolute right
10 accept or reject the verdict of the jury
before which the inquiry into the death
of Isaac Hoffman has been heard If that
verdict is murder at the hands of some
person named, the Coroner, if he accepts
The conclusion of the ten men, must at
once place q warrant in the hands of the
police for the arrest of the accused man.
On the other hand, should there be di-
vided verdict the Coroner has the right to
approve whichever he may deem to be
just and take his action accordingly.
Three witnesses in particular gave in
terest to the Hoffman inquest yesterday,
though as many as twenty-three were ex-
amined. The Coroner rushed things, as
he is anxious to get through with the in
vestigston. He declared at the close of
the session that he would wind up the
inquest today.
w. NJ. Taylor, who has been in the
company Of FigeI almost constantly since
the lst of June, gave the most sensational
testimony. He was telling of the fire that
occurred in the establishment OF Hoffman
g. Alexander in 1891. After the fire had
been extinguished, he said, Isaac Hoff-
man came TO him and said in reproving
tone, "Why in - didn't you let it burn?
The insurance companies pay good
prices" The testimony was given with
out there having been the slightest hint
made 10 that remote affair in any of the
questions OF the Coroner. Taylor had got
through giving his testimony, so far as
answering the questions of the Coroner,
and had been asked to sign his testimony.
He asked to be allowed to make a further
statement, and then came the peculiar
story of the FIRE of 1891.
In his recital Taylor made mention of
Harry Hoffman, and the latter in the after
noon made a statement refutIng the testi-
mony of Figers intimate.
Edgar L. Atkinson, a chum Of Figel,
also gave fire" testimony, in line with
that given by the suspected bookkeeper on
Tuesday.
Both Taylor and Atkinson acted as
agents in the placing of bets on horse
races for Flgel, and according to their
statement the net aggregate winnings of
FigeI through them was more than $40, 900.
While Atkinson was under examination
he was asked If he had not told Peter
Powers in February, 1897, that Figel was a
loser to the extent of $1,000. He denied
that he had done so. In the possession OF
Chief Lees is statement of Powers made e
TO that official, in which Powers relates in
detail the circumstances under which
Atkinson gave him this information. In
spite OF this fact Powers was not sub
penaed by Chief Lees as a witness in the
case. The Coroner was asked to subpoena
him yesterday by Attorney Ach.
Theodore Kytka, handwriting expert,
created considerable Of a sensation by his
new theory regarding the $95Oo receipt.
His testimony was that the signature OF
Hoffman was genuine, but that the
amount of the receipt had been raised
from $500 to $4,000. When the receipt was
first submitted to Kytka by Rothchild
and Ach, according to the statement of
both members of the law firm, the expert
had pronounced the signature forgery.
He went so far as to explain that the word
Hoffman" had been copied from some of
the checks written by the deceased, and
that Isaac" had been written from mem
ory.
It has got to be somewhat of question
of alibis in the case-FigePs on the 1st of
June and Hoffman ON the 18th Of May.
Ach is prepared to attack that of FIgeI
For that purpose he has had two witnesses
subpenaed from Suisun. They will give
testimony going to show the character of
Turnbull, who testified that he saw Hoff-
man enter the Battery-street store at 6:32
on the evening of the tragedy. Ach
claims that he will be able to prove that
Turnbull is not worthy of belief. On the
other hand, he will be ready to produce
not less than three more witnesses to
prove that Hoffman was in Sacramento on
the afternoon of May 18.