The San Francisco call., 1906-05-14
LAWYER JOHNSON
SCORES WITNESSES
IN STE|NMAN CASE
DenOunCeS Them as Riffdff
and Charges Them
With Perjury.
Says Counsel for the Prose
CUtiOn Has Coached
Them to Lie.

Hiram johnson, oounsea for Jacob II
Steeinman, accused of the murder Il
Joseph Myers In Columbia square on
the night OF April 10. broke forth Sat-
Urday into denunciation Of Henry Ach,
special counsel for the prosecution; As
siEtant District Attorney O'Gara and
the witnesses for the people.
It w&s during the progress Of the
preliminary examination before Judge
Graham that the verbal volcano erupt-
ed wnt4Am Bush. the first witness Cor
the defendant. was en- the stand and
his testimony was 50 much az variance
with that given by ali the witnesses
for the prosecution that Ach and
OhGars smiled increedulously. The
smiles did not make any noise, but
they awoke Johnson from the serenity
which had marked his conduct dur
ing the previous two days. No sooner
had the attorney detected the smiles
than he jumped to his feet and re-
marked energetically.
4 don't propose to sit here and have
these men (pointing to Ach and
O'Gara) laughing in the face OF this
witness They brought lot OF riffraf
here as witnesses, outra geous wit
nesses. and Notwithstanding the man
ner IN which they testified 1 treated
them courteously. There is no doubt
that many Of your witnesses have been
coached and have perjured themselves
here I don't propose to let you sneer
at this witness"
o'Gara suggested that Johnson al
or0Or-
tuinty OF arguing the case.
You can have the court settle this
matter. but we won't take it from
you" he said.
You will take It from me-" hotIy
retorted Johnson
Judge Graham, who was IN the line
OF possible fists and fire, itnerposed
with few soothing remarks and paci-
fed the seemingly irate lawyers.
Bush's testimony differed very ma
teg-ally from that OF the witnesses for
the people. His story was that while
he was assisting Corporal steinman in
picking out twelve able-bodied men 10
60 after supplies Myers came up and
said:
TIL see to this"
He was a stranger to Bush, and
neither told him who he was nor what
was his authority.
I asked Myers what his business
was" resumed Bush. and he called ms
vile name, grabbed me by the vest
and said, III show you at the same
time attempting to assault me-"
Bush called for help and requested
Steipman to get Myers out Of the
pace. Byron Maxwell, one of Bushs
friends, interposed and showed Myers
back. Then Corporal Steinman ordered
Myers to get off the grounds. Myers
thereupon said to Steinman, You
know who I am" and Steinman re-
piled that 1t didn't make any difference
Who ne was and he didn't want 20
know him. Steinman had his revolver
in his hand when he ordered Myers
away. but Myers advanced upon him
threateningly with his left arm ex-
tended and his right hand behind his
back in the vicinity Of his hip pocket
Then Stenman fired two shots in rapid
E-ccCSz.Ol and Myers fell
On cross-examination by Ach, Bush
admitted that after awakening at s
sfter four hours sleep. he took swig
O whisky out OF a bottle presented to
him by a friend named Davis, who had
several bottles OF the earthquake anti
cote. He admitted, further, that he
took many more drinks during the day,
bit denied that he was drunk. He
judged, however, that Myers was In
toXicated on account Of HIS actions.
Preceding Bush on the witness stand
y ere Adolph Mastner and John H
1Esldobry. who swore that Myers did
rot advance toward stetnman, and
that at the time Of the shooting tbs
oecedent had his thumbs In the arm
holes OF his vest Both Ewore that tia
two shots We're fred In rapid success
sion.
The examination win be resumed at
q N today