The San Francisco call., 1899-12-09
.FRENNA SPENDS
A BAD HALF DAY
ON THE STAND
Tries to Dodge Trap
Laid for Him.
SOME AWKWARD QUESTIONS
Sheriff C. A. Rouse Corroborates the
Testimony of Deputy Sheriff
Daley of San Bernardino
County.

The cross-examination OF Joseph p.
Frenna was practically concluded yes
terday afternoon to the unfeigned relief
OF the defendant. Frenna may be recall
ed by the prosecution later to answer any
questions that may have been temporarily
overlooked by Assistant District Attor-
ney Solomon. but he will not again be
subjected to a severe ordeal. When Fren-
ma stepped down from the witness chair
ed the Assistant District Attorney, re-
marking with a self-satisfied grin:
We'll, amt l all right?"
He did not feel quite so ''chipper'' at
the close of the afternoon session. He
was called upon 10 answer some very
awkward questions during the interval,
and In spite OF the careful coaching he
has evidently received, he was often
plainly at loss for an answer.
Sheriff c. A Rouse of san Bernardino
County was called 10 the stand at the
opening OF court in the morning and cor
roborated the testimony given by DeDu-
ty Sherin Daley which was that Willie
Walsh had told them that he was
coming down the stairs in the Crocker
building on the morning of August 2S he
had heard some one cry, You -,
Frenna, I'll kill you"
The cross-examination Of Frenna was
then resumed. He described in detail his
movements OF the fatal morning up TO the
confronted Turner. Then, using Attor-
ney Salomon TO represent the dead man,
he described with dramatic effect how
the crime was committed. He declared
that Turner stepped back with the re-
mark, "Frenna, -, I'll show you" he
turned so that his left side was toward
Frenna.
He put his right hand under his over
coat, and just as he pulled IL out again
commenced shooting"
Frenna remembered distinctly every
he went, with whom he talked and at
what time, and just how Turner looked
and acted with the important exception
that he did not see the roll OF parchment
Turner held in his right hand at the tine
he, according TO Frenna, made a motion
10 draw weapon, and which was per
forated by one of the bullets from the
BARRIERS gun.
The cross-examination then reverted to
the deeds which passed between Turner
and Frenna and the Assistant District
Attorney asked:
Have you any property in your possess
sion at the present time that was given
10 you by Turner"
Yes was the answer after consider
able hesitation and a storm OF futile OBJ
1ections by the defendants counsel Il
have piece I'm Sunnyside. a piece of 16O
acres in Modoc County, another piece OF
SO acres IL Modoc and piece of go acres
in Lassen County"
The afternoon session was devoted on
tirely TO the offering Of deeds for identi-
some task. and for a while the object ap-
peared obscure. 1t soon developed. how
ever. that the District Attorney nad "A
very good reason for all this. Frenna has
testified that the reason he knew Turner
mad defrauded him out of certain pieces
OF property in Kern and Lassen counties
by writing In the descriptions on old deeds
was that the blank spaces on these deeds
had not been ruled off with red lines at
the time the documents were originally
executed. All the deeds produced yester-
day bore the signatures OF Frenna and his
wife and were marked with red ink The
witness admitted his signature. but swore
he had never at any time signed a deed
with the red lines on II.
Finally Frenna became so fearful Of n
trap that he began TO deny his own sig
nature. and when the transfer OF the s24-
900 mortgage was produced he swOre that
although the signature looked like his ne
had never signed such document
But you signed an assignment OF the
mortgage, did you not?" asked Mr. Salo-
mon.
Yes"
Isn't this the paper you signed?"
No. there must be something wrong
with that" And yet the witness could not
tell wherein the difference existed The
prosecution expects To prove that Frenna
lied when he swore that he never sitned
deeds in which the blank spaces had been
ruled with red lines. The trial will be
resumed at $3.50 Monday morning.