The herald., 1898-02-08
ON TRIAL FOR MURDER
ADD WILL FIGHT HARD FOR
HIS LIFE
Theodore Figel Charged With Caus'
ing the Death Of Isaac Hoffman,
His Employer

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. THE trial
of Theodore Figel for the murder of
Isaac Hoffman commenced in earnest
this morning before Judge Carroll Cook
and a jury it took two weeks to select.
The bitter contest that was waged i'll
the Police Court was renewed in a tri-
bunal whose Judgment means life or
death to the accused. On that account,
and from the extraordinary circumstan-
ces of the case, arousing the interest of
| influences outside those of the Police
Department and the prosecuting officers
Of the State, the court room was well
thronged with the curious.
Fiegel and Counsel Louderback and
| Gen. W. H. T. Barnes were on deck at
an early hour. while the prosecution was
represented by ex-Judge D. J. Murphy
and Assistant District Attorney Hos
mer. When all was ready. Judge Muir
ply made the opening statement to the
| Jury on behalf of the prosecution. He
| told the twelve men in the box the ma
ture of the crime they had to investigate
and then entered upon a detailed his
tory of the life of the murdered man.
When he had concluded, he was about
to call his first witness, when General
Barnes interrupted him with the inti-
nation that he desired 20 make his OPEN
| ing statement for the defense.
Judge Murphy gave way and General
Barnes took his place before the jury
After brief Introduction, the counsel for
! the defense outlined the facts he eX-
| pected to show that would forever dis
connect Figel with the alleged murder
| In so doing, he endeavored in the first
place to destroy the edifice of motive
that Judge Murphy had built up. He
| would show, he said, that it was certain
| ly not Figel who had anything to con-
ceal. and that even if he had, the killing
of Hoffman would have been his worst
possible mistake.
AS against the theory that Hoffman
had been murdered, General Barnes
spoke of the nature of Hoffmans
wounds, showing that the pistol must
have been pressed against the dead
mans head. In fact, when taken to the
Receiving Hospital, the marks of black
powder were found in Hoffman's mouth.
Then, regarding the pistol with which
| the dead man was killed, General Barnes
sprang a surprise.
ne SIOWtu lndl lHeEe w DIS lWO DlSlOlS,
one larger than the other, both pur-
chased by Figel, but he claimed that one
of them Figel had given to Hoffman
THE dead mans own brother, Chas,
| Hoffman, saw the very pistol which
Judge Murphy just now brandished in
the face of the defendant, in the possess
sion of Isaac Hoffman on the Goth day
of May, two days before the tragedy"
said General Barnes, with emphasis.
That's news to me-" murmured Judge
| Murphy.
Yes, SIR" returned Mr.. Barnes, "Chas.
Hoffman told me so himself in my office.
He said he did not so testify at the pre-
liminary examination for he knew ex-
actly how that proceeding would end
But he had told Hoffman's partner, Ed
ward S. Rothschild about it, and that
Rothschild had advised him to say moth
ing about it. Say nothing just now,
Rothschild said"
That the trial now in progress will be
bitterly contested is borne out by the
declarations of the defendants father
who says he will spend every dollar he
possesses-and he is a rich man in ar
endeavor to free his son from the charge
| of murder.
Contrary to his declared intention
Judge Cook declined to make an order
compelling the jury to live in a down
town hotel under the watchful eye OF
deputy sheriff during the progress OF
| the trial.
Incidental to the statement made By
Gen. Barnes, was the charge that the
new witness had not come forward
sooner because he had been advised by
his employer, Edward S. Rothschild
partner Of the late Isaac Hoffman, not
to do so. This is denied by Mr.. Roths.
child.
Court adjourned until tomorrow.