Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-16
INTEREST IN
MURDER CASE
GROWSDAHY
THRoNGS CROWD COURTROOM
TO SEE MRS. C0RWELL
PRISONER TAKES MORE INTER.
EST IN PROCEEDINGS
Four Witnesses Testify in EsteIle Corr
we'll Trial and Case Reaches
Point Where Woman Sur
renders to Police

well, charged with the killing Of
George 7. Bennett, was resumed yes
terday morning in Judge Wilbur's de-
partment of the superior court the
chamber was crowded to its utmost
capacity and court officers and others
having business with the court found
it difficult to effect an entrance. The
gathering was made up, in large par,
of women, many of whom stood during
the entire four hours session.
Mrs. Corwel1 took more interest in
the proceedings than on the two pre-
ceding days and followed much of the
testimony of witnesses closely watch
ing the face of each intently and some
times shaking her head as If doubling
the truthfulness of what was said. No
smile, however, frightened her face
and the same sorrowful expression
noted when she first appeared in court
was still In evidence.
The prisoners mother, Mrs. c. c.
WEIGH, and a cousin, Miss Emma Quin-
ones, sat on either side of her through
out the day, while little sister, Grace
WEIGH, played about the court room
and sometimes leaned her elbows on
the knees of the unfortunate woman
and looked up into her face in an in
quiring way.
-Four Witnesses Testify
Four witnesses testified during the
day, Mrs. Collins, a sister of the pris-
oner, concluding the testimony begun
yesterday. She occupied the stand less
than an hour and during that time the
defense apparently endeavored to show
discrepancies between the testimony of
Miss Mais lnnett ON Tuesday and that
given by Mrs. Collins yesterday, but
was successful only in minor details
as to parts of conversations.
In her testimony Mrs. Collins ire
uuently referred to the defendant as
her" not desisting even after her at
tention had been called to the wording
of her answers.
. Mrs, Collins said she had been at the
telephone about fifteen minutes before
Miss Bennett and George Bennett re-
turned after leaving the house at TAD
o'clock Sshe said woman had asked
her If Bennett was at the house ana
she later recognized the same voice
when Mrs. Corwell went to the house
and called for her former lover, and
told her sister it was the woman VINO
had telephoned.
Nell E. Bennett, sister of the fiancee
of George T. Bennett, was the next
witness. She related the circumstances
surrounding the shooting as she knew
them. She was in the house at the
time, she said, and told her brother TO
call up the police as there was
Spanish woman outside shooting Ben
nett"
John A. Bennett, q brother OF Miss
Bennett, was the next witness to take
the stand, He fioundered a great deal
in his testimony and number or times
returned contradictory answers 10
question put to him by the defense.
At one pointn he denied that he had
testified at the coroner's inquest In
fYaf nf
testimony he Is said to have given at
that time was read he remained firm in
his denial
With Bennett Before Shooting
Bennett said he was sitting on the porch
of his home with the man who later met
his DEATH when Mrs. Corwell came UP
and pointed a revolver at George Bennett.
After the shooting he tried to get Ben
nett into the house but was unable to
until two men came to his assistance.
About ten minutes later police officers
came to the house and took the body
away in an ambulance.
Attorney Horace a. Appel for the de-
tense asked Bennett If there was a scuf-
file that night between Mrs. Corweil and
George Bennett and the witness replied
there was not.
"Did you testify at the preliminary
examination asked the attorney.
II did, said the witness.
Mr.. Appel read from the transcript OF
the testimony taken Immediately follow
ing the death of Bennett, in which the
witness was quoted as saying that two
OF three shots were fired; that he saw
Mrs Corwell fire the shots and that as
the two were standing on the walk they
seemed to have a little scufrle.
THAT was not my word, scuffle," said
the witness, but later said he may have
used it.
IF you made that statement, you made
it without being particular about it, did
your asked the attorney.
"WeI, / aimed to tell the truth"
"And in your exertion to tel. the truth
you said a scuffle occurred, did you?"
II may have said So"
Not Trying to Forget
The witness said he was not trying to
forget that there was a scuffle and re-
fused to swear that Bennett had his arm
around the woman's waist while clutching
the pistol with one hand all the time of
the shooting
He said Bennett held Mrs CorwelP s
arm as they went down the walk and
that they stood two feet apart, but de-
clared Bennett had no time to grasp her
before the shooting. Later he qualified
this statement by saying he thought there
grasping her arm at the time.
In reply to question whether he had
testified at the coroners inquest the wit
ness said he did not, but said he was
present.
Deputy District Attorney Blair and Mr..
Appel at this point became involved In a
brief argument which caused a laugh in
the COURTROOM as Mr.. Appel declared he
would ask the witness what he pleased.
The court warned those in the court
room that should another demonstration
occur the chamber would be cleared, say
ing the trial was not beirg carried on as
means of entertainment.
Mr. Appel then read the testimony al
legged to have been given by John A. Ben
nett at the coroner's inquest in which
the witness is quoted as saying that he
and the deceased were sitting together
when Mrs. Corwell came up and relating
the incidents following
The witness said he did not testify at
that time. There was no other John A.
Bennett at the inquest, he said, and no
other person In the city, so far as he
knew, by that name.
Did Not See First Shot
Later Bennett said he did not see the
first shot fired, and, did not know whether
he had seen the second or third, declar-
ing he knew only that Bennett was shot.
The progress of the testimony then led
up to the time when Mrs. Corwell reached
the police station and surrendered the
pistol. Harry Hodges, the driver OF the
carriage in which Mrs.. Corwell is said
TO have gone to the Bennett home at