The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
To Try Murderers
at the Bedside
of SaSaki.

John Siemsen and Louis Dabner, the
gaspipe murderers, were arraigned be-
fore Police Judge -Shortall yesterday
afternoon on a charge of numbering
NJ Murakata. manager of the Japanese
Bank on O'Farrell8 street. Their pre-
liminary examination was set for Mon
day at o'clock. The desperate duo
were in the courtroom twice during &
the day. They were first taken before
Judge Shortall in the forenoon, but
their attorney, John Greedy, pleaded
for time. and their arraignment went
over until after the noon recess.
When the prisoners, guarded by a
Gordon Of detectives and handcuffed to
each other, entered the courtroom
there was large crowd of morbidly
curious men and women present to get
a glimpse of them, for their trip to
the gailoWs will be made with more
than ordinary rapidity. Women hand
somely gowned rubbed elbows with
the police court habitues and rudely
pressed forward to obtain a better
view OF the most desperate criminals
OF a decade. Siemsen, the swarthy
kanaka, was the center of attraction
He carried himself erect and held his
head in a defiant poise. His demeanor
was coolness itself Dabner, the high
fearful OF the crowd that surged about
him. In passing through the hallway
Dabner seemed to turn toward his COM
panion in crime as if to draw courage
from him.
There were at least three spectators
present who were not drawn there by
curiosity. These were William Dabner.
father Of one OF the murderers, and his
two sons, Leo and Charles Dabner.
Harr "a r-1a 1t
ingly on several occasions. but the
young man did not meet the parental
gaze. Instead he turned toward Siem-
sen. During the brief proceedings the
father was visably affected and sew
eral times it was feared he would
break down under the strain.
In response to a question from Judge
Shortall as to whether the defendants
were represented by counsel, Attorney
John Greedy replied that he had been
retained to look after their interests.
May il please the Court" said
Greedy, II have just been called into
the case and would ask that the mat
ter Of arraignment be continued" II
object to any extended continuance"
said Prosecuting Attorney Ward I'm
cases like these justice will be better
served through expedition than de-
lay"
I will grant you continuance un-
til o'clock this afternoon" replied the
Judge.
Attorney Greedy was satisfied The
murderers were then taken back to
their respective prisons until the after
noon session of court. When they
were brought into court a second time
the defendants were formally arraigned
on charge Of killing NJ. Murakata.
the japanese banker. During the read
-
pale, but Siemsen remained stoically
calm. After the reading of the COM
plant Judge Shortall set the prelim-
mary examination for Monday at
o'clock. at which time the evidence will
be taken.
It is estimated that possibly two
days will be consumed in taking testi-
mony. Before the week is finished
both murderers will in all likelihood be
asked to plead to the charge of murder
In the Superior Court. The prosecut-
ing officers believe that in less than
three weeks the sentence of death Will
be pronounced on the duo.
Attorney ]. j. Greeley, counsel for
Siemsen and Dabner, stated last night
that it has not been determined what,
If any, defense will be advanced for
the confessed gaspipe murderers, but
suggested the probability that some line
case. In the case of Siemsen it is prob
able that this plea may be insanity, the
events of his past career and the brutal
yet methodical manner in which he
planned and carried out his work sug-
gesting a arrangement of a man nat
urally high-strung and acute.
In Dabner's case the plea for leniency
may be based on theory of extenuat-
ing circumstances, in which his youth,
his unfamiliarity with freedom from
restraint and temptations Of city life
up to a short time before his criminal
career began, and the exercise OF un-
due influence by an older and stronger
man, hardened in crime. will be brought
to bear on the minds of the jury.
Despite Greeley's failure to state
positively that the course OF justice
would be allowed TO proceed unhin-
dered il was announced at the office
of the District Attorney yesterday that
Greeley's injection into the case had
been made merely for the purpose of
securing proper legal representation
for the defendants and a fair OBJ
servance of the technicalities attending
their trial. and that II was not ex-
pected that any serious defense with
view to obtaining freedom or light
sentences would be undertaken.
Monday the police will take the tes-
timony of a man named Holmes, who
lives in Northern California, but who
was in the city on the day of the Jap
anese bank murder and claims to have
seen Seimsen and Dabner in the vicinity
Of the building. He will be examined
as to HIS knowledge of the case. Judge
Shortall Will probably transfer his court
to the Lane Hospital on Wednesday or
Thursday in order to facilitate the talk
ing Of the testimony OF Sasaki, the
wounded bank cashier.