The San Francisco call., 1910-02-12


hissed at me.
As he came within striking
distance he drew his rfEhr arm
back To strike. The next moment
he would have done for me. In
that moment ! shot him.--Storv
of ire shooting Of Bernard La
gan as told by MICHAEL Jo-
>EPH CONBOH on the witness
stand.
~"--~~@~>~---~~-~---~~~-~~-~---
IN words and manner simple and un-
affected. Michael Joseph Conboy. for
ner captain OF police. told the story OF
his shooting of Bernard Lagan as a
witness in his own behalf yesterday.
Tie very simplicity Of his telling adding
ro The Intensity Of the dramatic mo-
1r- The claim was seIf-defense.
TIE courtroom, from the door to the
railing was solid mass of tightly
1eez-d humanity. Men Of every de-
zre- and station fought and pushed
r1el- way into the press TO gain a van
-aEe point but over all was a silence.
deep. intense, oppressive. The usual
noises II The courtroom. the cough
shUHings whisperings. We're
s-ilej. Men scarce moved Nothing
was -eara lut the swapping question
-r- ~ the counsel and the steady. al
most droning reply OF the witness
heavy with the brOgue Of his native
-au5
His daughter. Nina. sat in her ac-
c-s-ored place. leaning forward. with
--r .l-u IN her hand. listening intently
she was composed 50 long az ne was
tlt when ia the midst Of the telling his
fn-re broke with quick. half checked
sob low moan broke from her.
II was the sad day for me and
--re. said CorbOy. 1T was the sad
'LAIsIS SELF-DEFENSE
His story was the same as that told
ns several of has witnesses. the whole
summed up being that he shot Lagan
-n selt-cefense. thinking the latter was
bout ~ XIII him, having recourse TO
lis revolver because OF sickness and
dizziness which prevented him properly
protecting himself When he had IN
isned he crossed the courtroom TO his
seat beside his daughter and sat down
u-ttn his gray head resting in his hands
t-e or Two friends went 10 him 10
shake his hand. but he seemed 10 heed
-tem not His daughter leaned over
E-ul. tears ia her eyes and when few
moments had elapsed whispered 10 him
and patted him on tho shoulder. for all
Tile world ike a mother comforting a
stricken child.
with the conclusion Of Conboy's tes-
tiu0nE the defense rested its case The
state VIII offer some rebutral testimony
with the opening Of the case Monday
and Il is expected that by Monday
g. O..
hands of The jury.
CONBON TAKES STAND
u joined the police force in 1875 as
3 uatroluan. said Conboy. IN reply TO
The questioning Of Attorney James J
51aDne. under chief Kirkpatrick I
was = patroluan for Is years, and was
promoted 10 sergeant under Chief
crowley and seven or eight years later
made Lieutenant under Chief Whitman
snc I'VE years later promoted 10 cap
tain under Chief Dinan.
ron the night OF the shooting of
Bernard Lsgan I took dinner at home.
drinking a small bottle Of white wine
Later Mrs. Muirhead telephoned 10 me
asking f the girls and myself would
like = ride in her automobile. I said
Ne would be pleased 10 and she came 10
the house In her machine. 7 expected
one Of my daughters TO accompany us
NY second daughter was sick in the
hospital. where my third daughter was
attending her AS q result. the only
PARTIES in The automobile We're Mrs
-TIir1ead. myself. her nephew. = young
man ma med Brown and another person
Peterson ] believe. was his name
we went first II the hospital where
my daughter was and I made arrange
uents 10 meet my second daughter
later in the evening. Following that
visit we went automobiling. first TO the
harbor police station. whore had some
business To attend 10. and then later 10
the ocean boulevard. We stopped AZ
rhe Trocadero and there I drank q gin
ger ale high ball, and then TO the Seal
Rock hotel, where ] had another drink.
DENIES HEAVY DRINKING
AT about u O'Clock we reached the
Odeon cafe. There / had some raw
oysters and a hottie OF beer and the
usual trimmings At II o'clock Mrs
AIuirhead left me and I was left alone
in the restaurant At about 1 o'clock
ate again taking raw oysters and
cheese. A bout this time some friends
~ mine began joking me about the
birth Of the new grandchild and
bought a small bottle Of wine in which
20 drink its health. 7 drank a glass
of wine then
"A few minutes later / left the res
tstlrant and went 10 Fillmore and Ellis
streets TO wait for ear. I began 10
feel very sick. being taken with.
cramps IL my stomach. Such was my
condition that ] went 10 lamp post
and lea ned against IT. Ny condition
began 10 grow worse and. holding on
a. The lamp post with one hand. I stood
with my body bent
-at this time I felt myself suddenly
seized = bout the middle OF the waist by
one Of two men who had passed me.
This person. whom / afterward discov-
cred was La gan. had his hand about
rv watch pockets and my first thought
was that he was trying 70 rob me. I
Arluediatelv grsppieo with him. He
led out. Brace up, old man; hold UP.
ola man. while he seufT7ed. While we
were c-rsppling he swung my head
n,nnrf and struck II gainsf the lamp