Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-15
DECLARES He WAS DESERTED
, BY THEM
REASON WHY HE CONFESSED
Declares He Told the Truth Because
They Did Nothing to Aid His
Wife and Child When
Trouble Came
(Continued from Page ope.)

was untrue 1 have been in the county
Jail four months. have conversed with
the district attorney and made a state
ment relating to the case. 1t was taken
in shorthand in the presence of Dis
trict Attorney Seymour, Mr.. Jones, Mr..
O'Neill, Mr.. Doane and myself in the
district attorneys office.
"At the time the statement was
made 1 had attorneys-Senator More
house and John Alexander of San
Francisco. 1 did not consider that
had any other attorneys at that time.
My attorneys were not present, nor
were they in Sacramento when my
statement was made. 1t was not made
in obedience to their instructions"
1t was at this point that a battle
royal for possession of the statement
was precipitated. Attorney Johnson
asked that the district attorney be re-
quired to produce it, saying that the
defense expected to prove statements
inconsistent with the substance of the
document
I'VE object to Mr.. johnson being per-
mitted to insinuate that he knows what
he cannot possibly have seen, and if he
Is to make an argument of this kind
we ask that the jury be excluded" in
terrupted Attorney Jones.
MY statement is based upon a con-
ference with F. C. Jacobs" replied Mr..
johnson, "and this witness has denied
that Mr.. Jacobs was his attorney"
johnson pressed for an explanation
as to why Bunkers had turned states
evidence.
Loses His Self Control
1t was at this point that Bunkers
seemed to lose his self control, and he
said:
II was deserted by my friends, the
men who called themselves my friends
and promised to stand by me, who
promised to take care of my wife and
child. 1 heard that Senator Emmons
and his wife were in San Francisco.
They knew their financial condition and
they did not go near them. My wife
was working her hearts blood out and
they did nothing. That's why 1 done
it."
I'm other words" said Attorney John
son, you did 1t out of a mean desire
to get even with the men who you say
had deserted your wife and child?"
"Yes."
And even II the district attorney had
not promised you immunity from prose-
cution you would have made the state
ment?"
YES"
Did you not tell Mr.. Jacobs that the
district attorney had agreed to confess
error and give you new trial If you
would confess?"
NO"
do you feel the same way toward
the other men; toward Mr.. Wright and
Mr.. French?"
YES"
"And you are ready to testify against
them as you have testified against the
defendant in this case?"
"Yes."
IF they had furnished your bond
would you have testified against them ?"
mo, don't think 1 would"
He said he was hot in the collar"
when he learned how his wife and child
had been neglected.
The afternoon session was tiresome
to the Judge, the jury, the spectators
and the attorneys. Bunkers, too,
showed signs of physical WEAKNESS as
he left the stand, but the cross-exam-
ination of Johnson had kept him
awake and on the alert throughout the
long hours of the afternoon. Except
for a ten minute period when 1t seemed
that something was to develop on the
intimation of desertion of Bunkers from
the navy, Mr.. Johnson confined himself
to a comparison of the testimony given
by the witness at his own trial during
the session of the previous day and in
the moment before.
The batting of Bunkers would de-
scribe it exactly.
In reply to questions Bunkers stated
that he had been married seven years /;
that he thinks great deal of his wife
and that he did during last January
and February.
Probes Bunkers' Former Life
Late in the afternoon Mr.. Johnson
was taking Bunkers and Joe Jordan
across the bay on the ferry boat, when
he suddenly diverged and asked
What was your business before you
came to this city?"
IT was in the restaurant business, d
was the reply. Before that 1 was ir
the insurance business. Before thai
marine engineer. Before that ar
oiler on the Australia and before thai
fireman. Prior to that worked II
the railroad shops"
1t was evident that Bunkers did moi
relish this portion of the cross exami
nation and at one time he turned ap
pealing to the Judge and snapped out
"This has not anything to do"
Mr.. Johnson persisted, however, anC
established that Bunkers had beer