The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-24
SOLDIER VINO KILLED LENA WOLF.
Corporal Sass Swesrs That II Was an Accident
That Happened whoa lie Was Drunk.

Corporal Adolph Sass OF the seventh United
States Artillery who Is on trial beforeJudge Fos-
ter Ia General Sessions on Il charge Of numbering
| Lem Wolf at 3li East Eleventh street on May
II last, was put on the stand yesterday after
noon Ono Of his sisters wept bitterly "a he
, walked 10 the witness box and was sworn.
lie is "a line looking, dean-cut young fellow.
and his testimony was Straightforward
sass told how he had enlisted IN the Regular
| army and had gone South during the Spanish
war. beng stationed In Florida, Al the return
Of his regiment. In September, 1898. he had
gone 20 Fort Adams at Newport, X. ]. On
May 0. with his monthly pay OF $50 In his pocket,
be had absented himself without leave with
several other men OF his regiment. who were
not on duty. on q trip TO Fab River. He ex-
planned that this was not desertion. lie had
drunk enough liquor of one kind or another to
be under the weather" Nevertheless. he had
been sensible enough TO appreciate that II he
should embark ON the night boat from Fall River
and getto Fort Adams that evening II would be a
good thing for him, and he tried 10 do II. Tn
fortunately on the boat he met with a number
OF men who Piled him with drinks. and when
he reached Newport he did not care where no
went and kept on To New York. where he arrived
on the morning Of MAY 10. at ! o'clock. lie
drank some more and then went TO an Allen
street house, where he remained until 2 O'Clock
In the morning. After that he kept up his
drinking, and the last place he remembered
having been in VAS "a saloon in Third avenue.
| where he bought u drink for nearly every one
Ia the place.
lie did not remember meeting Lena Wolf
but did remember being in her apartments and
taking of his coat. thus bringing TO view an
IMMENSE old-ttme Colts revolver which at
tracted her attention. lie said that he had
other women had. at different times. been cur
ious about 1t and had asked TO examine 1t.
The Wolf woman did likewise and he remem-
bered drawing the weapon. lie knew that II
had been discharged but did not know how
whether she had fired II or whether he had. In
his muddled condition he had become frigh-
tened and had He'd. lie had money In an IN
when he was searched at the police station none
was found on him.
Assistant District Attorney Mcintyre asked
him II II were not true that he had spent all tho
money, that the woman had demanded money OF
him and that he had shot her because, finding
he had no money. she had repulsed him lie
said no and seemed To be able 10 account for
his cash. He said that Al the place whore he
had drank last he had offered "A so bill In pay
ment and had received change.
4 number OF men from this city and Fort
Adams testified as 10 the generally good repll-
tation which Sass bore.
LAWYER House moved that the Judge take
from the consideration Of the Jury the charge
Of murder In the first or second degree and also
verdict of acuuittal. These motions were de-
MED, with permission to make them again al
the end of tha defenc'. The trial was adjourned
10 II o'clock this morning,