The San Francisco call., 1904-08-09
MUST SUFFER
death PENALTY
JUdge Cook Sentences Leon
:. Sdeder to Be Hanged for
: Murder of Joseph BlaiSe
Is NOT YET FIXED
Prisoner Makes Statement
Accusing John Cooper of
Z; Being Liar and Perjurer

leon Soeder was sentenced by Judge
Cook yesterday to be hanged at san
Quentin for the murder OF Joseph
g bla[se, his brOther-in-law, on Taylor
street between Vallejo and Green
streets, on the night Of January 10. The
date for the execution viii be set to-
morrow
When the case was called yesterday
Attorney SalOmon moved for a new
trial He argued that as the District
Agt6rney had not in his opening state
hent 10 the jury mentioned the fact
that he was 10 introduce the testimony
Of John Cooper, TO whom il was alleged
Soeuer had made q confession Of the
murder while the two were together in
the County jail. he had purposely mis-
led the defendants counsel He char
- acterized COopers evidence as absurd.
he analysed the testimony given by
other witnesses at the trial, pointing
OUT. alleged contradictions and improb-
abilities; and concluded by objecting
that the District Attorney in his argu-
-Inent TO the jury had stepped outside
p OF the evidence.
Attorney Alexander Campbell Jr. fol-
lowed and criticized the action Of the
Judge in reading 10 Cooper the section
ef the Penal Code providing that any
one committing perjury which led to
the conviction and hanging Of a de-
fenpant thereby rendered himself also
liable TO the death penalty.
District Attorney Byington replied
briefly He said he had merely dis
cussed the weight Of evidence before
tie jury and the jury had passed
upon IL
The Judge denied the motion. He said
that after the verdict had been rem
dered he sent for Cooper and oues-
toned him II his chambers. Cooper
had said that IL he stood on the gal
lows he could not testify differently
% Soeder had told him, he declared, a
great deal more. but the witness had
o only answered the questions put 10 him
bE the District Attorney. Cooper had
- made this statement after the Judge
had told him that II he had perjured
himself and SOeder was hanged he
could be brought from any part OF the
werLd and tried for murder. II Cooper
had admitted that he testified falsely
then the motion for a new trial could
be made and granted
When the Judge asked Soeder II he
had anything 10 say the prisoner rose
without the slightest appearance Of
emotion and said in a firm voice:
There are three respectable people
. whose names ! have given my attor-
AtaS ana MlO VIII come into your
chambers and viii testify that this man
p. Cooper is a liar, perjurer and opium
1end- 7 would ask for two or three days
t. get-the affidavits Of these people"
"E0u have slready had two months" q"
replied the Judge, and cannot grant
further delay"
:. Judge Cook then pronounced the
death sentence upon SOeder, who kept
his eyes steadily hxed upon him and
never blanched when the solemn words
that sent him 70 the gallows were ut
3 tered. The Judge said he would to-
-TnOrrsw sign the warrant fixing the
date Of the execution. Attorney Salo-
mgn inumated that an appeal would be
taken 70 the Supreme Court
The theory Of the prosecution was
that SOeder was in love with Miss
Catherine Flatley- He told her he was
going 70 Germany 10 get a $4,000 leg
acy and on his return they would be
married He went TO Germany and re-
. turned with Blaise. On arriving in
New York he applied for insurance on
Blaise's life. and followed the same
course when they reached this city.
Then he took Blaise to the secluded
spot on Taylor street and deliberately
murdered him so as to get the insur-
anee money and marry Miss FIatley.