The San Francisco call., 1899-12-13
COUNSEL NEARLY
READY TO ARGUE
FRENNA'S CASE
Few More Witnesses
to Testify.

The defense in the Frenna case intro
duced It's prize bunch of witnesses ~ tho
trial of the alleged murderer YESTERDAY
The attempt TO show that Frenna had
Deen driven temporarily insane by the
chlcanery OF turner was abandoned for
the moment and the attorneys for the
accused bent all their efforts toward co,,
vlnclng the jury that Turner had been
for year or more thirsting for tho HOOD
OF the man who shot him full OF boIos
from behind. According 10 these y.i,
hesses, turner spent a large norton of
MS time during the last two years voic-
ing threats TO XIII the Dago" and tale
fall out Of one l.. S. Megginson TbaSo
threats having been promptly repeated to
frenna, counsel Tor the defense would
nave the jury believe that the slumbers
Oh the Daroer mad Tor months preceding
the shooting been disturbed by visions e
a tall. lanky. Notwithstanding man ex
ecuting war dance on the foothoard -,
his bed, brandishing bowie knife in ono
hand and a revolver in the other and
yelling for blood aHu
The only trouble with the scheme to
enmesh the jury in the self-defensa ~
ory was the evident fact that aIros,
every witness who testified 10 bat-r
heard Turner make these threats had an
old gruoge against the murdered maj, -.
was altogether too eager 10 clear tbe 49,
who slew him. This eagerness cansad
the witnesses considerable enn ha rra ssr,ayt
ana cohIuslon Wnen they came TO be
well represented among those who came
forward TO help clear the defendant hrt
their testimony was OF little value
l.. s. Megginson was the mos, nro
nounced or the witnesses who seem datar-
mined to secure the acquittal of ~ A.
fendant at all hazards Megpinson ne
occupied a seat with the colInsaI for 49,
defense all during the trial and also yisit
ed Frenna in the County Jail dailv since
the tragedy In the Erocker buitdtng 1itt.s h.t
OF these facts being brought ont I'LL bi
cross-eXamination. He testified ,bay
Turner had met him on the street ono ID,
in 1895, and in the course of the conver
satton said; III Kill that Dago -"
ana yel Messlhsoh sald minute later
in response TO question addressed TO
him by Attorney w. NJ Cannon on crass 90
examination. that he had not smoke, -
Turner since 1892 Megginson admitteS
that he was very bitter toward Turner
for a number of years before the lafter's
death and that he had helped gather owl.
dence to prosecute him on preVious occa
sions. He became so badly tangled i'm nis
statements that MS testimony was robbed
of any value TO the defense. while his
manner on the stand could hardly have
had very favorable effect on the iurv
DIR. w. r. Cool was another Witness
who had trouble with Turner and swora
he had heard Turner threaten Frenna
He had seen bowie knife in Turner's Of
flee on one occasion and Turner had told
him he intended to use IL on Frenna
Cool also became sadly mixed as 70 he
dates, however. Turner had had him ar
rested on one occasion.
A. Bernard. who said he was an attor-
ney. testified that he saw Frenna a few
days before the shooting. Frenna was
greatly worked up over threats made nv
Turner and threatened to drown himself
A E. Lucas. a private detective. testi-