Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-17
HOLDS TRIAL AT
BEDSIDE OF MAN
BEATEN BY THUG
DRAMATIC SCENE IN HOME OF
AGED IEWELER
SICK MAN IDENTIFIES FRANKLIN
AS ASSAlLANT
Mother of Prisoner Appears to Plead
That Drugs Were Cause of
Her Sons Wrong
Doings

A dramatic scene was enacted yes
terday in the home of Jacob Cohen,
the aged Seventh street jeweler who
was brutally assaulted and robbed
the afternoon of December 2. when
Floren Franklin, the young man
charged with the crime, was led
handcuffed to a policeman, to the
bedside of the old man.
That's him, that's the man who
struck me-" hoarsely cried Cohen
from his pillow as he pointed shak-
ing and wasted finger at the pale
faced prisoner. Franklin shifted un-
easily under the old mans accusation
and his eyes roved about the close
little bedroom. packed almost to suf-
location with attorneys, reporters ana
police, as if seeking an escape from
the unpleasant scene
Franklins preliminary examination
on the charge of robbing Cohen $
jewelry store, in which the jeweler
was brutally beaten to the floor with
a lead pipe billy" came up before
Police Judge Williams yesterday
afternoon. Because % Cohens IN
ability to leave his home, court was
held at the old mans bedside, where
his deposition was taken. several
times during his story the aged Jew
eler was forced to halt and recover
his strength, so weak was he from
the blows received at the robblng oil
his store.
In his testimony Cohen graphically
described Frankins entrance into his
shop. He asked for trunk" SAID
Cohen, and / showed him our stock
There was one behind the safe Whlcn
was hidden from the view or the
street, and this young man. indicat-
ing Franklin, asked to be shoWn
Iii 70
asked me to measure It's depth. L dld
SO and as [ bent over the trunk with
the ruler something seemed to para
I'VE NV brain. 1t seemed to me like
a shot. | dropped to my knees, the
blood streaming into my eyes, ana
through it 1 could distinctly see TINS
Young man bend over and look at
me to see what effect his ploW hau
had on me.
Said "Take 1t All"
"When he saw l was not uncoh- =
scious | felt another shock, ana thls
time cried out to him to take every =
thing l had. but spare my ite he
seemed to strike me down again, ana
This time I Law still, as though 1 We're
dead, in the hope that ne Wouiu
leave me alone.
"Through my half-closed eyes I saw
him bend oyer me again, and TINS tlIhe
he seemed satisfied with his work, TOT
he left me and began to rifle the store.
AS he left / rose and staggered atter
him to/the street. 1 don't know What
said or whom I saw after that' -,
At the close of his testimony the ola
man fell weakly back on his pillow
and turning his face toward that of the
defendant. looked at him lond ana
searchingly, with just a gleam OF hat
red in his eyes. Whenever Cohen looked
at Franklin he looked terror-stricken
for the prisoner would move uneaslly
and drop his eyes toward the floor.
AT the conclusion of the testimony or
n number of witnesses, who told the
story of Franklin's capture and subse-
ouent confession to the police, Police
Judge Williams held Franklin to an
swer to the superior court on charge
OF robbery, and fixed his bonds at
$10,0 900.
Prisoner Shows Emotion
Mrs Flora Franklin, the defendants
aeed mother, was present at her sons
preliminary examination, and after the
court had adjourned made her way
through the group of policemen who
were around her boy and kissed hlm:
FRANKLIN exhibited the first mark OF
tenderness he had shown during M the
day. and pattsd her lovingly on the
shoulder. Il have braced myself" he
said, "and so must you. We are lucky
the old man did not die" o.,
"IIe is not a bad boy" said the moth
err as the iron door shut him from her
view. Drugs were his weakness, and
the day before this happened | had
given him some medicine that l had
procured at the drug store that was
advertised to cure him of his appetite
for other drugs. He took this in
much greater quantity than he should
have done, and afterward complained of
feeling queer I am sure that it was
this that made him commit the crime.
In way 1 blame myself"