The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-31
Questioned in Regard to a
Letter She Wrote Her
Husband
Miss Cohn Says She Saw Hoff-
man Outside His Store
at 6:25.
Another Witness Testifes That Figel
Started for His Boat Before
That Time.

Solomon Lewek, over whose testimon
there was so much argument last week,
was placed on the stand again yesterday
by FigePs attorneys. He was asked to
identity the letter found on Hoffman's
body as one shown him on May 81. He
said he could not identity it as the one
shown him, but that the contents were
similar. Identification of the letter in
this manner was objected to by the prose-
cution and the objection was sustained.
General Barnes next called Mrs. Hoff-
man for cross examination. lie stated
that he had waived his right to cross
examine her at the time she had testified
for the prosecution through feelings OF
delicacy, but he now asked permission to
examine her. She was shown letter
found on her husbands body, and said
that she had written it about the LIST OF
May. This was the letter she had sent
Mr.. Hoffman in reply to his request that
she give him an order on the Postoffice
authorities for her mail. In the letter she
said she would grant this request if he
would give her 500.
An objection 10 this testimony as not
being proper cross-examination was sus-
tanned and the witness was excused by
General Barnes, who rem arked to Mrs.
Hoffman that he had his opinion OF the
Judge for not allowing her to answer his
questions.
DR.. D. D. Lustig testified that he had
performed an experiment with human
hair and found that it would be burned by
the discharge of a pistol at about three
inches. He thought it possible that b OIL
man could have fired both the shots that
caused his death.
On crossexamination he stated that in
forming this opinion he had not taken
into consideration all OF the circumstances
of the death of Mr.. Hoffman.
cousin of Hoffman, Mrs. Lewek,
identified letter she had written to him
in regard to his trouble with his wife, but
her testimony was ruled out.
l.. L. Levings, reporter, said he had
seen the pistol which killed Hoffman
few days after his death and that there
was blood smeared on the right side OF 1T.
Officer Colen, who testified for the
| prosecution, was called by the defense.
He said that the pistol ne showed Fred
Bishop, reporter for THE CALL, on the
night of June l was his own, and not the
one with which Hoffman was killed. He
said: tine reporters wanted to see the
pistol, and showed them mine to get rid
of them. I told them that it was the one
that shot Hoffman and there was blood
on it," On cross-examination. Colen said
he had been sent to the ferries that night
to apprehend Figel but that the order had
been countermanded.
Harry II. Unger, salesman for Heyne-
mann & Co., testified that at 6:15 o'clock
he saw Officer Ferrenbach in front Of the
Heynemann store on Battery street
Later, in company with Miss Cohn and
his brother, the witness walked to the
corner of Bush and Battery streets, where
Miss Cohn went west on Bush street and
he with his brother crossed to the letter
box In front of Hoffman, Rothchild &
Co. and mailed some letters. This was
about 1925 o'clock.
Miss Lillian Cohn was next called, and
testified that after she left the Uuger
brothers at Bush and Battery she turned
to see If they were mailing the letters and
saw Mr. Hoffman on Bush street, about
ten feet from the corner of his store. He
was talking with another gentleman,
whom the witness could not describe, but
she did not think it was Figel In the
cross-examination, which lasted about
three quhrters of an hour and was very
rigid, Miss Cohn was thoroughly self
possessed and gave her answers to the
questions in u clear, unhesitating manner.
General Barnes said that she was the best
witness he had ever seen on the stand.
P. j. WeDiger, one of the proprietors OF
the Cabin saloon, on Market street, said
that Figel came into his place of business
about o'clock on the evening of June 1
and left a grip and package of books
About 6 :23 he returned and took his pack
ages away. On cross-examination the wit
ness said that Figel seemed to be in some
thing of hurry, as if he was going to
catch boat.