The San Francisco call., 1897-06-22

this subject. He added he did not remem-
Der all OF the letter and that il had been
mislaid or had got lost
In the course of his conversation with
Hoffman on April 30 Hoffman, referring
10 the AleXanders had made use of thi :
remark: "Al they have they owe to me.
and this is the thanks l get" Hoffman
spoke affectionately of mis- children" con-
tnued the witness, land said that if ii
were not for his ba 5ies things would be
different Hoffman never spoke Of suicide.
but talked of bis business in such way
as 10 Indicate that he had no idea OF such
thing"
Joseph NJ. Rothchild ofRothchild & Ach
related the circumstance of his having
been called out Of the theater on the even
ing of June l and told that Hoffman had
committed suicide. He went into q de-
tailed account OF all that was done that
evening In the premises where the dying
Holman had been found. In the course
OF this he stated that al that time Chief
Lees. who was here talked at length on
the case and endeavored to i'm press upon
those present the idea that il was a case OF
suicide.
When the witness suggested that it
might be murder and mentioned Figel in
that connection the Chief said he had
known Joseph Figel, the fether OF the
bookkeeper, for more than forty years,
and that nobody could convince him that
the son of old joe Figel could commit
murder.
Rothchlld related the incidents con-
nected with FigeIs visit 10 him at the
office OF Roihchild d Ach, when Figel
brought with him a receipt for $500.
Figel stated that his books were ali right
and wanted to go on with the posting of
them, but the witness objected. He was
not satisfied that tie receipt was genuine.
and 1T occurred to him that it would be
prudent TO thoroughly investigate the
matter.
Ii the receipt was all right, Rothchild
explained, the amount would be charged
to the personal estate oil Hoffman; if it
were not, the witness brother who was a
member of the firm of Hoffman, Roth
child q Co., would have to stand part of
the loss. For this reason the witness de-
termined not to let Flgel meddle with the
books. he also told OF further conversa-
tions he had had with Chief Lees, in
which the latter had endeavored to dem
Onstrate that it was a case of suicide.
Draughtsman Russell of the Police
Department ha stated TO witnesses that
there was no blood trail between the two
offices, such as is shown on what is known
as Cnief Lees diagram
p. Z. kellner of Z. p Allen e. Co, testi-
fed that the pistol which Figel said he
had sold TO Hoffman, and with which the
killing was done, had not been sold TO
Figel at the store OF the firm which the
witness represented. Chief Lees had on a
previous occasion testified that Figel tolu
him that he had purchased the weapon at
Aliens.
Then came the sensational testimony OF
Thomas Turnbu.l of Fruitvale, who de-
scribed himself as a real-estate dealer
without any regular place of business. He
stated that on June l he came 10 this City
In order to see an attorney named Nor
! gan at IA Sansome street and have him
examine deed. He left IA S4nsome streeI
/ at 6:3O P. NJ. to catch the GAS P. NJ. narrow
| gauge tram. He went down Bush stree
/ and tren 10 Market and got to the ferry
! III time 10 catch his boat, walking leisurely
! al the wav.
when you were passing Bush and Bat
terry streets did you see any body p asked
the Coroner.
81 saw Isaac Hoffman standing at the
door of his Office" Continuing the witness
said that he was acquainted with the de-
! ceased and that his daughter had worked
in Hoffman's family. When he saw Hoff-
man on June L lie was not over ten feet
! from the deces &c.
''Whst time was thisP' asked the
| Coroner.
This was about 6:32 P NJ. think il
would take me about two minutes to walk
| from IA Sapsome street 10 where l saw
Mr.. Hoffman,
In response to further questions he
stated that he saw no woman about the
store and that the door was open. Wiz
ness did not speak TO Hoffman. bui
nodded to him, and Hoffman returned
the salntation. When asked about what
| clothes Hoffman wore at that time the
witness said he did not notice them par
tlcularly, but thought that he wore dark
suit of clothes and dark hat.
Alter reading of the tragedy in the
newspapers The witness said he went over