The herald., 1897-03-02
"Merphine Maud" Must Stand
Trial
SOME DAMAGING EVIDENCE
The Attempted Robbery Was Instigated
by the Woman
Hust Stand Trial for Her Life With Her
Companions HELD Without
Ball

Yesterday saw the third of the al
legged Bellew murderers held for trial in
In the superior court, Maud Pierce, or
Morphine Maud" being given pre-
liminary examination before Justice
Owens and committed to the county jail
without ball. The ffee-colored defen-
dant appeared in court without counsel,
Deputy District Attorney Chambers for
the prosecution. The testimony ad
duced was damaging and seems to con-
clusvely show that the woman was the
instigator Of the attempted robbery of
Bellew and Howerton by Brown and
Warner which ended in murder
A recital of the movements of himself
and young Bellew was first given by
Mat Howerton, uncle of deceased, who
detailed the facts of their visit to the
Buzzard's Roost, their being followed
by two men, and the assault upon them.
Ella Lee, an inmate of the negro dive,
testified to having heard Morphine
Maud" tell Brown to follow Bellew and
Howerton and rob them. At first Brown
refused, but finally said: "All right;
get me the stick" whereupon Maud
went upstairs and came down with the
billiard cue, which she handed to Brown
over the bannisters.
BY Ethel Miller 1t was also shown that
Maud had induced Warner to join
Brown in the attempted robbery. Ethel
was walking down the street with
Warner. and when passing the Buz-
Yards Roost Maud called to him and
asked him to go with Brown and get
the money which Howerton had dis
played The two men were then up in
her room, but she would rush them out,
and the boys could follow and waylay
them. Witness had cautioned Warner
against going into any such business
and told him that he was liable to get
into trouble over 1t, which would last
him lifetime. She had also heard
Maud tell Brown to follow and rob the
men. at which time Warner was stand
ing close by.
The piece of cloth which was torn
from Warmers coat was identified by
Eva Casey who said that Warner had
left the vest at her room, having given
1t to Bob Chism, a friend. The buttons
which had been cut from the vest were
also identified. Her testimony was cor
roborated by that of Chism, who stated
that he had changed vests with Warner
the night after the killing in a restau-
rant, but that later Warner had de-
stroyed the garment. Chsm also iden-
tifie the piece of cloth, and when shown
the hat found on the sidewalk where
the murder took place said 1t was the
one Warner had been wearing. The bill
lard cue butt Chism positively identified
as the property of Manuel Brown.
Frank Maley repeated his testimony
as given at the examination of Brown
nhd Warner. Identifying the hat found
at the scene of the tragedy as one hs
had given to Warner. The negro tamale
man, Robert Jones, told of seeing the
men on Alameda street on the morning
of the murder, and later witnessing two
fellows hurriedly pass back up the street
in q northerly direction from the scene
of the crime.
Then VIII Warner was called to .hs
stand and told of how he had been
>called into the doorway of the Buzz
yards Roost by Morphine Maud" and
asked to go with Brown and rob the
two white men she had in her room. as
the old one had plenty of money. Tho
billiard cue club was identified by HIM
as belonging to Brown and the one used
on the night of the killing.
Dr. Ralph Hagan. police surgeon, de-
scribed the wounds which caused Bel
LEWIS death, and Detective J. ]. Haw-
ley related the circumstances attending
the arrest of the woman, which closed
the evidence for the prosecution.
No testimony was offered by the de-
fendant: and she was promptly ordered
held for trial Within a short time af-
terward Maud, Warner and Brown were
removed to the county Jail. where they
will remain until brought into court to
stand trial for their lives.