The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-18
Says He Is innocent
of Wrong.
MAKES AN ATTEMPT TO FAINT
APPEARANCE OF HIS FIRST
WIFE RATTLES HIM.
The Accused Swears That He Was
Not Cruel and That He Never
Struck the Hapless
Girl.
Oakland Office San Francisco Can,

Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
90S Broadway, March II.
When the trial was resumed this morn
Eng Mrs Eta BTandes was further cross
examined by District Attorney Allen. who
continued his questions as to witness
relations with Brandes. Mrs. Brandes
had just declined to answer TO a question
as TO whether or not her name is Mrs.
Etta Brandes when the District Attorney
asked:
y lis it not a fact that your name is not
Mrs. Brandes but Eta Crown and that
you are unmarried?"
Mrs Brandes caught her breath, fall
tered and looked for sympathy to her at
1orneys, VINO entered vigorous objection.
Witness was not required to answer.
Mrs. Brandes was then cross examined
at length regarding the noises she heard
IN the house on Saturday morning, the
day Of Lillian's death.
She was unable TO describe the exact
character of the sounds. II can only
say continued the witness. they were
loud noises" When Mrs. Brandes went
to investigate she had found Lillian hang
ing to the bedpOst and saw frOth on the
girls lips Yet according to her previous
testimony she had said she thought the
girl was fooling. Witness could not ex-
plain why she thought so. She had
turned the body around twice only to
look at it,, but made no effort to take
the body down, and did not remember
why she had not tried to unite the knot
My memory Is sometimes good. some
1lmes poor, SaId witness; since l went
to the County Jail it has been poor"
Another serious contradiction in Mrs.
Brandes testimony is that at one time she
stated that the girls body hung clear of
the floor. To-day she swore lue feet were
below the mattress.
Juror Sieben asked Mrs. Brandes if she
had requested her husband to remove the
girl from the house and If she was glad to
get rid OF her The witness tersely re-
piled: Yes, ! was"
William A. Brandes, the accused was
then sworn and took the stand. He gave
MS age at about SO years. Lillian was his
daughter, who before she latterly came to
live with him resided at Monterey with
an aunt. AT least" said Witness "she SO
wrote in several letters He told of hav-
Ing sent her 81 90 each month for year.
The date of the Tuesday on which the girl
is alleged to have been beaten witness
death only II was Saturday. He had pro
posed to send her back to her aunt's on
that day because she and his wife did not
get along. The rent money--Sl5-was TO
be used partly for her fare. Lillian knew
where It was kept: On the Sunday prior
TO her death the family went buggy rid
ing, and there was a row."
Il concluded there had been enough
rows" continued Brandes, and decided
went on my beat. l returned about l
O'Clock Tuesday morning and found Lii
Ian sitting Up IN oa the kitchen reading
her away. l told her Mrs. Brandes had
accused her of hiding the money. l knew
II she had she would tell me where it was.
Just then heard noise in my bedroom.
We went into the bedroom and found Mrs.
Brandes spanking the boy. l concluded
Iillian-I never struck her in my life.
thought more Of her than of any of the
family, and never chastise in my home.
I could not have made a statement TO
Harvey that beat her"
Brandes then recited at length the story
of the search on Tuesday for the money;
how he emptied Lillian'S trunk and after
ward drew It down stairs to his office,
fVin %
he spoke almost in a whisper at times
and Attorney Melvin remarked that he
his vocalization now" The prisoner went
on TO relate that he had seen Lillian on
Friday and LAat she showed no symptoms
OF pain. headache. fever or stupor.
Deputy District Attorney Melvin com
menced the cross-examination rather
mildly, but before he had concluded for
the day he had infused new spirit into
the accused man. At one stage he had
representing the head of L!liian's bed
just how he had found the body. This
was exceptionally interesting, though
Brandes' explanations contained discrep-
ancies.
Her face was against the bedpost"
explained Brandes, and the apron was
about two inches above the headboard.
The other end of the apron was tied about
inches apart. and the lower knot was to-
ward the back Of Lillian's neck l inn
mediately, grabbed the body with both
loop. Just how 1 don't remember
While Attorney Melvin , had the apron
startled the witness by asking:
Cant you tie the same kind of a knot
in that apron now that you united at
that timer Brandes hesitated a moment
and replied that he would not swear
that he could.
continued the witness, Il rushed into
Harvey's room and asked MIN to go after
a doctor. bat he refused, saying he pre-
ferred not to get mixed up In such an
Brandes admitted that he had told
Deputy Sheriff White on the Sunday OF
his arrest that the man who left his
house Saturday morning Frank
Thompkins, when he well knew it was
II did this" said Brandes. because ]
knew White was not there for any good
OF mine. I also knew that had been ar
rested by Marshal Lloyd. one of my
worst enemies and [ didn't want to talk
too much before seeing my attorneys"
Brandes denied that he had asked
Deputy Coroner Streightif to ''be easy on
marks found on the girls body. 1--WE
had been talking about the funeral eN-
penses." said Brandes, land asked him
to be easy on that account, for L am 4
In another breath Brandes said he first
thought the girl had taken poison be-
cause the poison bottle was missing. She
mad talked of using poison and he saw
froth on her lips. He denied that there
were marks on the girl when he found
her This statement Is In line with the
theory of the defense that the marks
were post-mortem
The trial will be resumed tomorrow
An incident of the proceedings was the
unexpected entrance Of Mrs. Aranelles
the former wife Of the prisoner, Brandes
80. citing nv his attorney, and when he
c Gsin sight of The woman suddenly fell
forward from his chair maxi making egondI poor
attempt to appear In dannt b con nid on.
~ He sat In window several min
,fes moaning, a picture of Wretchedness
and then returned to his chalr' tears MI
ing his eyes:
Local Derailed.