The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-09
JURY VIEWS SCENE
OF THE MURDER
Trial of John Siemsen for
Terrible Crime at Japan
csc Bank Is Under Way
SAsAKI A WITNESS


Escorted by Japanese bank officials
and the officers of Judge Cooks court,
the twelve men composing the jury
before which John Siemsen. murderer
of Banker Murakata, is being tried
visited the Kimmon Ginko at 1883
O'Farrell street yesterday and We're
shown the scene of the last tragedy on
the list of those charged to the as
sassins Siemsen and Dabner.
The 'Siemsen murder trial opened yes
terday morning and the rapidity with
which the testimony is given is a
promise that the trial viii be finished
either today or tomorrow. District
Attorney Langdon spent the day in
the courtroom and made the opening
address for the prosecution. He pic
tured the little banking room as it was
on October ?, the day before the COM
mission of the crime, when Siemsen
visited it, ostensibly to arrange for the
opening of an account, but in reality
to gain a knowledge of its affairs
which would assist him and his com
panion in the successful carrying out
of the heinous crime which they had
determined to execute the following
day. He then told of the second visit
of the murderers. of the encounter in
the rear room of the bank and the rain
of blows which ended the life OF
Manager Murakata and crushed the
skull of Cashier Sasaki and of the steal
thy escape of the men, laden with the
spoils of their crime and of the steps
which led finally to their apprehension
and confession.
SASAKI BEARS SCARS
The first witnesses called after the
return from the visit to the bank were
/ George w. Russell, who explained a
diagram OF the building, and DR.. Millar.
chief surgeon of the Central Emergency
Hospital, who testified to the condition
in which Murakata and SasaN were
found. Cashier Akira Sasaki was one
of the most interesting witnesses Of the
day. The little bank cashier has re-
covered almost completely from the
effects of his terrible experience. yet
his head bears the scars inflicted by
the blows from the heavy gaspipe and
he has never been able to recall the
events of the morning Of October 8 for
{ several hours preceding the entrance Of
Siemsen and Dabner. He distinctly re-
membered the visit of Siemsen the pre-
vious day, however told OF it on the
stand. identified the murderer and also
identified a picture of the latter which
was taken before he had shaved the
mustache which he wore at that time
In answer to a question SaSaki declared
/ that he loved Murakata as father, but
the emotional response was stricken
7 from the record.
DR.. o. s. Kusich, autopsy surgeon, de-
scribed the wounds on Murakata's head.
and being shown tins instrument with
which the death blows had been in
hicted declared that such a weapon
would have caused the wounds. Attor-
ney Greeley counsel for Siemsen. OBJ
jected to the use of the word "gaspipe'
in relation to the instrument. and II
was thereafter referred to as exhibit
A"
SAW MEN LEAVE BANK
Probably the most discriminating tes-
! timony Of the day was that given by
j Henry Bischoff, machinery agent who
saw Siemsen and Dabner leaving the
bank at 5 minutes after IL o'clock on
the day of the murder. He Identified
/ both men positively and fixed the time
I by stating that he left the barn where
his horse was stabbed just as the
whistle blew at minutes OF u, and
! that it took him just nine minutes TO
drive to the corner of O'Farren and
webster streets. On discrimination
/ the information was elected that he
/ had afterward timed the trip for the
/ purpose of establishing the time and
had found 1t to take just nine minutes
1 1t was also brought out that Bischon
4 had reported to the police what he had
/ seen the day after the murder was COM
mitted
1 James Booker. an architect. told OF
/ seeing Siemsen in the bank on the day
I prior to the murder, and l. Watanabe.
! boOkkeeper OF the bank, told of the
condition of the room when he left it
i at 10 minutes of II on the day Of the
\ murder. He said there was then be-
4 tween $4,000 and sta0O in cash in the
/ cashiers room. Watanabe also described
the condition in which he found Mura-
kata and Sasaki on his return 10 the
bank after the lunch hour