Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-04
KILL HIM. IS CRY
HEARD BY WOMAN
DAMAGING EVIDENCE GIVEN
AGAINST LANE
Member Of smllde Party Tells Of In
eldents Connected With Flight
Which Resulted In chauf-
feur's Death

The preliminary examination Of A.
r, Lane, self-confessed slayer of John
A. Smilde, a chauffeur, commenced
yesterday before Police Justice Austin
and was continued until this morning.
Lane, who was represented by At
torney Chester Smith, appeared con-
fident that he would not be held on
the charge Of manslaughter in the
superior court.
Deputy District Attorney Asa Keyes
handled the case for the prosecution
and called w. L. Hickman, an arch
man employed by the Southern Pacific.
Hickman said he was out with an
automobile party on the night Of July
81. After riding about town with a
party which included Mrs. Florence
Trembert, Mrs. Gertrude Wilcutt and
Smilde, they stopped at Campis res
taurant on North San Fernando street.
Got Out of the Way
About 10 o'clock the party left the
restaurant and went toward the auto
mobile near the corner of Marchessault
and San Fernando streets. Here the
party met Doble and Lane Hickman
says Doble came toward him and put
out his hand. Il understood some one
to say 1 had better run, and / did not
want to get hurt, so I ran down San
Fernando street, and then finally went
to my room at 207 North Broadway" 4"
said the witness.
Hickman said he heard no blows
struck and did not know any one had
been hurt until he returned and was
told by Mrs. Trembert that Smilde
had been injured.
Mrs. Florence Trembert, who admits
she has been living at 139 North Ave-
nue. 10, where Lane and Doble both
lived. was caleld to the stand by the
prosecution She testified to having
been out with the party and substan-
TALLY corroborated the testimony
given by Hickman. The only difference
in the testimony was that She said She
saw Doble strike twice at Hickman,
who ran Immediately after. She said
she saw no blows struck between
Smilde and Lane.
Doble Tells His Story
Harry Doble, a machinist living al
139 Avenue 10, testified that at o'clock
on the evening of July 81 he went home
and was told by Lane that Smilde had
called to see Mrs. Florence Trembert
and She had gone out riding with
Smilde.
"This was about O'Clock and soon
after Lane and 1 went to find Smilde
and my wife," said Doble.
1--WE first went to Campi's restaurant
and then went to the automobile and
waited for the party to come out
When they did come, about 10 o'clock
we walked up to them to shake hands
and say we were glad they had beater
our time with the girls. did not an.
ticipate any trouble, and / had pre-.
viously told Lane If we met Smilde ant
his party there would be no ill-feeling
"After a scuffe with Hickman
picked up my hat and went home.
did not see any blow struck by either
Smilde or Lane and did not know there
had been any trouble until Lane
reached home. He got home a little
later than 1 did and said he had taken
a car to our place."
Heard Cry, "KilI Him"
The strongest witness for the prose-
cution was Mrs. Gertrude Wilcutt OF
III Mateo street, who had met Smilde
several different times previous to the
night of his death.
Mrs. Wilcutt testified that she met
Hickman and Mrs. Trembert at First
and Spring streets on the night of July
81. With them she went to the garage
on North Main street where Smilde
After riding about town for about ar
hour she said they drove to Campi's
restaurant on North San Fernando
street.
AS the party went to the machine
from Campis, Mrs. Wilcutt said two
men, Lane and Doble, ran from the
north side of Marchessault street tc
the automobile Immediately, Mrs
Wilcutt says, one of the men, either
T cAt ofI fI1f r
about beating their time" and ther
attempted to act as if they wanted tt
shake hands with Hickman and
Smilde. When Smilde said he would
not shake hands with them, Mrs. Will.
cutt says, Doble yelled to Lane to Kill
him.
Held Lanes Coat Tail
LANE struck at Smilde," the witness
said. "and Smilde staggered back
Smilde then ran toward San Fernando
street. In the fight between Lane an6
Smilde / held to the coattail of Lane
and tried to keep him back, but
could not do it."
Mrs Wilcutt said she saw both of the
men run around the corner at San Fer
nando and Marchessault streets, but
she did not see Smilde fall.
'After the fight 1 went to a roomine
house and did not go home until the
next morning."
In cross-examination Attorney Smith
asked Mrs. Wilcutt if she had ever
kept company with Lane and the wit
ness turned toward the accused mar
and said: with him? No, 1 met hin
only two or three times
When asked by the attorney if she
had not received money from Lane
Mrs. Wilcutt looked again at Lane an6
answered mo-" most emphatically.
After Sissis Hill had testified about
what she had seen from a window ir
place on Marchessault street, which
substantially corroborated the testi-
mony given by Mrs. Wilcutt, the case
was adjourned until today at II o'clock
Says Lane Is Bad
AS Attorney Smith left the court
room he was followed by the mother
of Mrs Wilcutt, who took the attorney
to task for asking her daughter sug-
gestive questions.
"This man Lane is a bad one." she
said. "He has threatened to shoot me
and has been frequently ordered from