The herald., 1898-11-16
WILLIAMS knew NAUGnT
ABOUT THE SAVAGE ASSAULT
ON ]. w. CAsEBEER
AT LEAST so HE CLAIMED
More Testimony in the Assault to
Murder Case-What Williams
Defense Will Probably Be

a charge of attempting to kill his father-in-
law, j. w. Casebeer OF Santa Barbara, Oc-
tober 9th of last year, was resumed before
Justice Morrison yesterday, and occupied
practically all the session Of the court.
There were no particularly new develop
ments in the case except that the defense
disclosed, probably inadvertently, what the
probable line OF defense will be. Williams
will probably claim that he was not near
his house at the time of the assault upon his
father-in-law, and endeavor to prove an
albi.
The first witness called was Casebeer, as
his cross-examination had not been con-
cluded at the afternoon session, the pre-
vious day. He seemed much stronger than
on Monday, but his physician was still in
close attendance. w. j. Hunsaker, one OF
the attorneys for Williams, conducted the
cross-examination. Mr.. Hunsaker laid
particular stress, in his examination of the
witness, upon the animosity which Case
beer had entertained toward the Williams
family, as the result of the damage judg
ment Mrs. Williams had secured against
him.
MIR. Hunsakcr had Casebeer again go over
the assault, questioning him closely as to
details, but was unable to shake the old
| mans testimony, who answered all ques-
tions readily and pointed out on map the
positions occupied by himself and his as
sailants.
| Casebeer went into quite an extended ac-
count of his badly mixed up family rela-
| tions, saying that he had told his son that
Williams had attempted to poison him, had
stolen numerous valuable papers from him,
but that his son threatened to kill him if
he attempted to put his sisterinhil. There
was also some talk about divorce suit that
had been filed against him.
The matter of the suit brought against
Williams and his wife in Santa Barbara,
and which was decided against him, was also
gone into, and copious extracts were read
| from the transcript, but no facts about the
case at issue were brought out
Casebeer testified that he had some money
in his pockets and watch the night he
was beaten, but nothing was taken He
showed the watch, which was somewhat
dented, and he testified that the dents were
made by his assailants in beating him.
Casebeer stuck to his original story,
though, and his testimony was mistaken
by vigorous cross-examination.
Miss Alice Carter, the young woman who
had written letter to the Williamses at
| tie dictation of Casebeer, telling them he
| intended to call on them the night on which
| the assault afterward took place, was re-
called. She had testified on MoDday
about the contents of the letter, and was
being questioned regarding the appearance
OF Mr.. Casebeer, when she went to him in
the receiving hospital, when the prosecuting
witness entered the court room, As he
was said to be very weak, and it was not
desirable to detain him any longer than
necessary, Miss Carter was withdrawn ant
Casebeer placed on the stand. Yesterday
Miss Carter resumed her testimony re-
garding the condition Casebeer was in, but
it was not material, and had no direct bear
! ing upon the assault
The next witness was also from Santa
Barbara, and he was w. B. Carter, the
father of Allie. He testified to having
been present on the occasion, when Casebeer
dictated the letter to Miss Carter. The
witness corroborated the contents where il
Williams the next day. Carter saw Case
beer in the receiving hospital the Tuesday
following the attack Casebeer was ban
daged up, and his principal wounds ap
peared to be upon the head, After Case
beer returned to Santa Barbara the witness
saw and attended him. For the first few
days Casebeer complained of pains in the
head, and would rest only under the in
f1uence of opiates. Casebeer appeared like
dying man, and it had been frequently
necessary for the witness to turn him ovel
in order that Casebeer could expectorate
pus from his mouth. Casebjeer had ap
parently been permanently Injured from his
wounds, the witness thought. He had pre-
viously been an active man, but after thu
assault had been scarcely able to get about
The witness admitted on cross-examinatior
that Casebeer had been far from being
we'll man when he left Santa Barbara il
October of last year to come o his ely.
Mrs. Mary Alice Lewis, who resides OF
Lucas avenue near Third street, was th
first witness at the afternoon session. Sh,
testified to hearing the fight, which Case
beer had had with his assailants, and late
finding him unconscious in the street, neal
her house She said that she heard Case
beer cry for help, and then heard him moan
ing. She and her son and anothermembel
of the household went out of the house t.
the aid of Casebeer. The injured man wa
then unconscious. The witness statet
that her SON had found heavy stick neal
Casebeer, and it was thought that the as
saiants of the old man had used this weapon
! him.
Regarding the visit of Casebeer to tn,
house of Williams on lockwood street
three witnesses were examined. The frs
was Samuel r. Cokely, whose house OF
lockwood street was separted from VIII
liams' house by lot, ON which there was al
oil derrick. Cokely said that Casebeer hao
been driven in front of his house, and the
hack driver had inquired for the house O
Williams. Casebeer left the hack, as the
house waa close, and Cokely saw him walk to
the front steps of Williams, but did not pay
much attention to what happened further
as the oil derrick interviewed and shut of
his view. Cokely stated that Williams had
told him after the assault that he had
known nothing of the occurrence, as he had
had been away from home at the time, but
he inquired if Casebeer had told the witness
whether he recognized Williams as one Of
his assaiants. Cokely declined to discuss
the matter with Williams on that occa
sion. Mrs Cokely, the wife of the former
witness, and Mrs. Northrup, the mother o
Mrs. Cokely, testified to the circumstance
OF the hack being driven in front of theil
place, on the night of October 9th, anc
somebody inquiring for the Williams house
They saw an old man leave the carriage and
walk to the front steps of the Williams
house, but could not say whether anybody
had come out to receive him or not.
Arthur Lindley, the hack driver, who is
brother of Hervey Lindley, the ex-boss
testified previous to this, that he had drive,