The San Francisco call., 1899-07-29
MURDER IS THE
CHARGE MUSCAT
IS NOW FACING
Killing O. Miss De
Sanchez Retold.
THREE WITNESSES EXAMINED
THE ACCUSED LISTENS TO THEM
CALMLY.
Strong Probability the Defense Will
Try to Shift the Blame Of
the Deed TO De-
ceased.

Elias Muscat, the sailor accused OF
shooting and killing Sophia B de Sanchez
on July . in the grocery at 50l Broadway.
had his preliminary examination before
Police Judge Mogan yesterday afternoon.
He was represented by Attorney J. n L.
Wilson.
The tragic story connected with the
alleged murder is still fresh in the public
mind. MusCat was consorting with the
deceased for some months before her
death ard was madly jealous Of her. He
met her in the grocery ar Il o'clock on
July ? and after the pair had had a
stormy row y. BIanken, who IS the pro-
prieJor OF the place, heard several pistol
shots He went into the bar OF the
grocery and found Miss de Sanchez lying
on the floor dead The defendant en-
deavored 20 shoot himself, and had a
smoking pistol in his hand. but Blanken
grappled with him and managed 10 OBJ
tain possession OF the revolver. The ar
rest Of MusCat followed. and he was
thereafter held 70 answer 20 a charge Of
murder by the Coroner,s jury.
The witnesses called by the prosecution
yesterday were Peter CdSaviellO. y.
Blanken and Dr. J. L. Zabala. the physi-
clan who performed the autopsy for the
Coroner Their testimony was exactly n
line with that given before the Coroner
Casaviello stated that MusCat and the
al 13ola Stockton street for several weeks
before the alleged murder. They had Ire
QueQr TCws. and defendant one time when
drunk said 10 witness that he would Kill
\. Blanken. the owner OF the store
where the murder was committed, de-
Scribed how he heard the shots fred in
the rear OF his establishment his discov-
cry OF the deceased and MS successful
struggle with the defendant TO obtain the
Dr. Zabala went over the gruesome de-
tails Of the autopsy The effective bullet
had entered through the mouth and into
Er-rf - 90 Led
ZabaIa had forgotten 10 bring u with him.
and an abrupt CONTINUANCE was taken
until next Tuesday at II o clock, waen the
bullet VIII be presented as an eAhlolt III
Muscat is & stout. stoIid German with
4 pieasarr face who hardly approximateS
the traditional idea OF the low-Drowed
murderer. Yesterdays testimony did not
seem 10 affect his COmpOSure, although
he listened 70 il all aItentively-
The plan OF MS defense has not been
made dear by the tactics Of his attorney
IN CrosS-eXa nainarion although some OF
the questions asked yesterday would seem
10 indicate that an attempt viii be made
10 prove that the deceased attempted 20
shoot MUsCat. or else that he accidentally
shot the deceased while she was sJrug-
Cling with MIN 70 SECURE tne PISTOL ana
prevent him from killing himself These
theories. in the face OF the SEldence
brought out by the testimony taken be-
fore the Cor0ner's jury. seem hardly ten
able. however. and II looks as tnougn
Muscat Will have d hard legal run for MS
life by and by.
N+s%-a-%-.-Z- 3-~3-@0
some means TO give all the river steamers
quick dispatch
The steamer Lakme. which was afire
few days ago was not as badly damaged
as was al first supposed. About 5000 will
pay for the repairs. and inside OF three
weeks she will he running again
CAPTAIN William Olsen has purchased
the schooner Lena SweaSey and is now
fitting her out for the Mexican trade.
Captain Johnson Of the Martha ". Tuft
will command the Lena Sweasey-
Chief Officer Ross Of the Newport, who
left that vessel just before she sailed for
Manila has been made chief officer OF the
Colon Chief officer Reid OF that vessel
is going 10 take vacation
The American ship Servia, now out
ffty-s!x days from New York for San
Francisco. was spoken on July 10 in lati-
tude degrees 81 minutes west by the
British steamer Hermes, with her mizzen
topmast head gone.
righIed by the wrecking schooner Cata-
lima yesterday. She viii be pumped out
and 0verhauled. after which she Will go
into commission again.