The San Francisco call., 1899-12-12
DECLARE TURNER
VOWED He WOULD
MURDER FRENNA
Witnesses Swear to
Hearing Threats.
DEFENDANTS WIFE TESTIFIES
LAST OF THE EVIDENCE MAY
BE SUBMITTED TO-DAY.
Indications That the Weary Trial Is
Drawing to a Close-May Go
to the Jury Tomorrow
Afternoon.

" lAc v ui 1O-AoiAVW
Afternoon.
The trial of J. p. Frenna, charged with
the murder of j. +. Turner, Is drawing
to an end, and it is expected that the
examination of witnesses will be conclud-
ed this afternoon. Another day ought to
suffice for the arguments of counsel, al
though there is no telling when they Will
stop when they are once under way.
However, 1t is thought that the case will
be given TO the jury tomorrow night or
not later than Thursday, and then the
long trial, which has resembled anything
but a murder trial, will be over, barring
the verdict.
scopic change yesterday afternoon. The
seemingly endless talk of deeds that were
not deeds, of whether the documents were
or were not illuminated with red lines
drawn through the blank spaces, came
TO an end at last, and then the defense
started in to convince the jury that Tur-
ner had not only bunkoed Frenna out of
all his money and property but that he
had spent the last year Of his life making
threats to take his life as well II Frenna
did not take his medicine philosophically
and cease TO bother him.
trenna was recalled TO the stand when
court opened at $3.50 a. m, and on redirect
Nfnrnnt HXfa,natlGn gave some further alleged
transactions with the man he killed.
After the attorneys had finished with him
Frenna turned to Judge Cook and asked
permission 10 change some or his previous
testimony He then stated that he had
been mistaken on Friday when he teSti-
fed that the bunch of twenty odd deeds
which he had transferred TO Turner in
1870 had been in his possession several
days after he had acknowledged his sig
nature TO them. They had been acknowl-
edged and taken away on the same day.
Frenna then left the stand.
A II. McCallum. A. B. Paul and c. y.
Gregory, joint occupants of room q.
Crocker building, followed each other on
the stand. but their testimony contained
nothing new and was simply corroborat-
I've OF certain not very material facts.
The examination of the first named,
however. furnished an opportunity for a
little variation TO the proceedings He
had testified that when Frenna was being
escorted to his room by Mr.. Paul after
the shooting he handed him (McCallum)
letter and asked him TO take care OF II.
District Attorney Murphy remarked sar-
whisper. to General Solomon: II sup
pose that's evidence of insanity"
Immediately Captain Barnes wheeled
around. and. calling the attention of the
| court 10 the remark. demanded that the
record show that the District Attorney
had behaved improperly within the hear
II heard it distinctly" he declared
the jury"
T.. H. Curtis. brother-ln-law of the de-
noon. and he gave his testimony with the
| air Of a man who had supreme confidence
in the value Of the little tale he had to
unfold. The substance of his testimony
was TO the effect that he had examined
| the deeds, over which there has been the
greatest dispute; on November after
noon In 1885 in the dining room at Fren-
mas house. Frenna and Mrs. Frenna
assisted in the examination which was
made for the purpose OF assuring them
| selves that the documents were what they
| DtlrDOrtpd q hat ba.
| were no red lines on the deeds and that
they did not, at that time. contain any
reference to the property in Sonoma and
| Lassen counties.
His memory was sadly deficient on many
| other subjects on which he might reason
ably be supposed to be equally we'll in
| formed, but on everything that could be
| used to strengthen the defense he was as
positive as though the events had hap
pened within the last twenty-four hours
| Mrs. Frenna, wife of the defendant. was
was dressed all in black, and her testi-
mony was mainly in corroboration of that
given. by her brother, although she was
equally weak in remembering anything
about the deeds aside from the absence OF
red lines. and showing the state of tine
defendants mind during the times he was
having his trouble with Turner.
| She said that for months Frenra had
been unable TO sleep nights and thai
after the nth of August he appeared &c
be going out of his mind.
Mrs. Frenna was not subjected TO a very
| severe cross-examination. She was fol.
lowed on the stand by Detective George
II. Graham, who testified that he arrest.
ed Turner in July, 1895, at which time the
latter declared:
This is persecution; If this -
Frenna. don't stop prosecuting me ri
kill him." Graham had afterward tolC
Frenna of the threat and warned him Il
look out for Turner.
Police officer Chappelle testified thai
Turner made a similar threat agains
| Eranna October n
pelle arrested him.
William ]. Harrington. who accompa
MED Frenna TO ]. j. Rauers Office on on,
occasion. when several of the prosecu
tion's witnesses had testified that Fren
ma swore he would kill Turner. took tn.
stand and testified that Frenna had beer
as mild as a kitten on that occasion.
I'VE went TO Mr.. Rauer's office, ant
Mr. Frenna asked big stout mar
Rauer) il he could see those deeds. Tn,
deeds were handed TO him. We looket
them over. and Mr.. Frenna called m,
attention to the difference in the ink ant
| the type of the two descriptions OF prop
erty. He then handed the deeds bacl
and. thanking the stout gentleman. W.
walked out"
ibid he make any threat Of any kint
against Mr.. Turner" asked Mr.. Hosmer
"didn't he threaten to kill Turner
mo sir; there was not an ungentleman
|. lv word spoken while we were in tn
Office" replied the witness before tn
District Attorney could get In an objoc
ton.
dating or forgetful a witness to adj
/ strength to the defense. as Frenna him
: self has admitted that he denounce
I Turner on that occasion. although he ha
denied making any threat to kill him. a
was but natural The trial will go on a