Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-27
ROOMER IN SKELLY HOUSE
TELLSOFHEARING SCREAMS
Abraham Cans Testifies That
Woman Cried, Frank Threw
Gasoline on MeY

SANTA ANA, July 26.-During the
morning session of the trial of Frank
Il. Skelly, charged with numbering his
wife, Ethel Lewis Skelly by igniting
gasoline he Is alleged to have thrown
on her. Judge West ruled to admit the
stenographlc report of Skelly's state
ments on the day of the inquest, as
taken by Eugene Hoff.
Another ruling made by Judge West
was to exclude Mrs Shamrack's testi-
mony as to the words of Mrs. Skelly
as she ran from the house to the place
where she fell on the ground.
J. Il. Patterson of Westminster con-
tinued his testimony from last Friday.
He testified that when he lighted the
gasoline stove on the morning Of the
tragedy for the purpose of heating
water for DR.. Violet, one Of the at
tending physicians called to Mrs.
Skelly's relief, he found the stove in
normal condition. He found the gas
oline tank half full. On being cross
examined he testified that he started
the fire within twenty-five minutes
of his arrival at the Skelly house; that
the tank was off the stove, with the
screw top of the tank on the stove.
He could not remember If there were
marks OF burning on the kitchen walls.
His further testimony was that the
ceiling of the pantry was not charred
nor marked by burning.
Abraham Cans, former bookkeeper
for the Santa Ana Celery association,
was next called. Much interest centers
about Cans, as he is the man who slept
in the Skelly house the night preceding
the burning OF Mrs. Skelly on the
morning of May 6; also because he
frequently spent the night with the
Skellys and would therefore be more
or less familiar with their domestic
relations.
Cans told OF being awakened In the
morning by a scream, but did not rise
until the second scream. 1t was about
$40 in the morning. Hurriedly dress
ing, he went downstairs and FOUND
Mrs Skelly lying on her bed surround
ed by Skelly, who was gazing at her;
Shamrock, Mrs. Shamrock, Cavanah
and others. He heard her say, PRANK
threw gasoline on me. Frank has muir
dered me. Why didn't you shoot me?'
and later to DR.. Gordon, one OF the
physicians called, "Oh, DR.. Gordon,
please cut my head off He killed me;
he threw gasoline on me-"
Preceding the burning, Cans said he
was awakened br Skelly, who came TO
his rooom and asked him II he mad
heard a noise or had made noise, he
was not sure which.
Cross-examined by Attorney Bishop
Cans denied having made q wager
with Frank Ward that Skelly would
hang, although Ward had made some
such a proposition. He denied ever
having been convicted of a felony. He
said that FIVE minutes elapsed between
the time he heard the first scream and
the second one, the first being In the
house and the second after she was
brought in from the yard.
w. H. Bentley testified that on Sun
day morning, two days after the burn
ing. he examined the kitchen and pan
try, Anding the northeast. side Of the
pantry partly burned. there being
charred spots on the wall above the
wide shelf A dark spot spread be-
meath the shelf over half way. He de-
MED on cross-examination having any
bias against Skelly or contributing
money to a fund to hire special counsel
to assist the prosecution.
o. C. Hare, e. A. Hare, Mrs George
Waters, Mrs. Margaret Canaday and
f M. Watson were other witnesses
whose testimony was unimportant.