The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-16
PONDER CASE IN PROGRESS.
TRIAL of THE ACCUSED OPENS
WITH o'QUINN IN THE DOCK.

Mt the Time of the ShOotfng-NOne
of the Other Witnesses of the Day
Throw Much New Light on the
Case.
Atlanta, Ca. Nov. 15.-Walter O'Quinn,
one Of the men who is charged with hav-
ing fired the shot that ended the life of
Patrolman Thomas ]. Ponder, one week
ago to-day, was placed on trial before
Judge Gambler in the criminal superior
court this morning. When court conven-
ed at 9 o'clock, the cases against Louis
Steinau, Julius Simon and Walter O'Quinn
were called, but the state decided to
sever the cases, and elected to try
O'Quinn first.
The court room was filed with men,
who had congregated to hear the details
of the murder, which created such a SEN
sation last week, investigated, and much
interest was manifested on the part of
those in the court room. O'Quinn came
into the court room dressed in the hight
of fashion and wearing a large white
chrysanthemum on the lapel of his coat.
Louis Steinau and Julius Simon, the
other men indicted for the murder with
OQuinn, were also brought into court.
The killing of Patrolman Ponder
was done in the wholesale liquor
store of L. Stenau, at 4|
Wall street, last Monday evening
about o'clock. Officer Ponder had
evidently been attracted by something
unusual in the store, which had just been
placed in the hands of receiver, and en-
tered it. Almost Immediately after going
into the store duel began between Pom
der and the man who killed him. There
were seven shots fired. After he was shot
Ponder made his way from the rear of
the store to a glass door between the place
of Steinau and the bar of Julius Leinor.
who is a brother-in-law of Steinau. He
attempted to open these doors, but fell
hack and died ten feet away in the street.
Immediately after the shooting w. H
Dorsey, manager of the Excelsior steam
laundry, which is directly behind the scene
of the shooting, saw a small man dash out
of Steinau's place and run up the alley to-
ward the Southern Express Company's
building. The description of this man.
who evidently killed Ponder fits Walter
O'Quinn. Steinau's place had been enter
ed without the breaking of a lock
door or window. Inside on the floor
was found bunch of keys belonging to
Steinau, who says he had not used the
keys in several months He says he does
not know how they came to be there The
safe in the place, which had 4been left
locked by Receiver Blackburn in the af-
ternoon, was found open. The lock had
not been tempered with. so it is believed
the safe was opened by some one who
knew the combination. Only three men,
Louis Steinau, julius Simon and Walter
OQuinn, knew the combination of the
safe.
A 1rnN@ ii LII
ing, Julius Simon and Walter O'Quinn
were arrested. Two hours later Louis
Steinau was arrested near his home on
Washington street.
The first witness called by the state was
County Physician Mcdaniel, who describ-
ed how he had seen the body of Ponder
the day after the murder and the nature
of the wound that caused his death
Capt. Slaughter, chief of the detective
department, testified that he arrived at the
Steinau store few minutes after the muir
der and found Ponder laying on his back
in front of the door lead
ing into simon's bar. Upon cross
examination by Attorney Spalding,
Capt. Slaughter testified that Simon was
not In the store when he arrived He
said that the door between Steinaus
store and Simon's bar was fastened, but
the front door was unlocked
The rear door could have been opened
only from the inside. Capt Slaughter
testified that the outside safe doors were
open and that two of the wooden draw
ers had been broken open. He testified
that the wooden drawers had been broken
open at former burglary which he had
Investigated.
Attorney B. s. Phillips testified that he
was one of the attorneys who had filed
the bill for a receiver for Steinau.
Col. Phillips-Was there ever a notice
served on anybody for some of Steinau's
papers?
Mr.. Spaulding, for the defense, objected
to this question, but the objection was
overruled.
"a served notice on Mr. Spaulding for
some of the Steinau papers last Monday"
This answer was also objected to by Mr..
Spaulding, and his objection was again
oVerruled.
Mr.. Phillips said he never received the
papers.
Attorney R. B. Blackburn, who was APP
pointed temporary receiver for Steinau
last Monday, testified that he had a young
man named E. c. Allen to lock the safe
door on Monday evening after O'clock
and when he went back there after hear
ing of the murder he found the safe doors
open. He testified that he found about
4500 cigars at O'Quinns house. He said
that there was a light in the store and
that if a man had been moving around
In the store he could be seen from the
saloon next door. He could not say
whether any papers were missing from the
safe or not. A number of keys which
were turned over to Mr.. Blackburn when
he took charge of the stock, were intro
duced. He testified that the keys unlock
ed the doors of the store, and also the in
side drawers of the safe.
p H. Moore, a deputy revenue collect
or said he had made a demand upon
Simon for certain books of Steinau. Simon
said he could not get them at that time
Simon had said they were locked up and
that Steinau had the keys. The book
wanted was one kept by wholesale liquor
dealers, showing what disposition was
made of their goods, and was required by
the government.
]. T. Maxey of DeKalb county. Alabama,
testified that he was In Simon's saloon
when the shooting began in Steinan's
store There were three men in the bar
at that time. two negroes and a white man.
The white man was ''tolerably large with
a black mustache." Maxey was the first
to reach Ponder, and stretched him on the
floor. He saw man in the rear of the
store The place was filed with smoke
and he could not tell who the man was.