Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-21
PEER THROUGH OLD
EYES At TRAGEDY
Mrs. Sammann Describes Death
of Bride at Figueroa
Murder Trial
TESTIFIES AGAINST NEPHEW
Saw Girl on Floor, Felt Her, Then
Heard Shot, but Did Not
See Gun Wielder
TESTIFIES AGAINST NEPHEW

IudL Sne nedru the BnOL WHICH eIuou
a life; saw the victim and felt her hair
upon her bare feet, but could not see
the person who held the weapon, was
the gist of the testimony offered in
Judge Willis department of the su-
perior court yesterday by Mrs. Eloisa
Sammann, aunt of George e. Figueroa,
who is being tried for the murder of his
wife, Sarah Pugsley Ffgueroa, at Ocean
Park. May %.
Mrs. Sammann testified in a most
positive manner and was entirely equal
to the volleys of confusing questions
delivered at her by tho attorneys for
the defense, Joseph Seymour, Jr., and
Fred w Morrison. Her evidence was
OF the most thrilling nature and those
who heard her felt shivers of horror
quivering along their spinal columns.
She is the principal witness In the
case and was placed upon the stand
by the prosecution after Adelbert
Pugsley. brother to the dead woman,
had given testimony regarding the
Identification of his sister when he saw
her in the hospital May %, the day fol-
lowing the alleged murder.
Mrs. Sammann related all that she
knew of the night of May 22-the night
upon which a life was taken and an
other life-that of the dead woman's
husband-was placed in jeopardy.
She told of Figueroa and his girl
wife, who was only 10 years old and
who eloped with him to Santa Ana,
where they were married. afterward
went to live at ocean Park, in q sum-
mer house In the rear of her home at
250S Fourth avenue.
DESCRIBES QUARREL
She told of Figueroa's returning home
the night of May % with Mrs. Figueroa
and John r. Surber, an oil field worker.
The young wife at first went into the
house to pass the night with Mrs. Sam
mann, so the latter testified, while Fig
ueroa and Surber went to the summer
house.
Preparations for bed hardly were be-
gun, so Mrs. Sammann declared in
court, before Figueroa went to the
house and demanded the company of
his bride at the summer house.
Obedient to her husband, Mrs. Figu-
eroa went to the little establishment
as she was bidden, while Mrs. Sam
mann remained restless, unable to
sleep for some reason which she could
not explain.
"Soon I heard noises as OF a disagree
ment in the summer house." Mrs.
Sammann related in court. "I went to
see what was the matter. I gained
entrance to the place without great
trouble and found Surber in bed in his
underclothes. My nephew was arguing
with his wife. "TIe was trying to force
her to go to bed and she demurred.
Finally he struck her in the eye and
called her unspeakable names. Then he
kpoclxed her over against the bed
stead"
At this point Mrs. Sammann was
asked by Arthur Keetch. deputy dis
a-A -AA AANw t,A
prosecution. with the assistance of
Capt. J. d. Fredericks, district attor-
ney, to identify a section of a bedstead
that was introduced as evidence.
It was the footpiece of a bedstead,
iron, and painted white, and distorted
and bent as IL heavy body had lunged
against 1t or somebody or thing had
been hurled upon 1t. Mrs. Sammann
declared It to be the bit of furniture
against which Mrs. Ffgueroa had been
knocked by blow from her husband
GIRL WIFE ON FLOOR
"I,knew I could not do anything for
the girl with two men opposed to my
WILL" said Mrs. Sammann, when she
resumed her testimony, "and I went for
help"
This action upon Mrs. Sammann's
part was most apparent to all hearers
as having been of a heroic nature as
her life is passed largely upon crutches.
Her inflrmlty is so great that she was
unable to take the witness stand with
out assistance.
Mrs. Sammann aroused her daughter
and told her to seek the help of the
neighbors and then returned, dressed
practically only in a kimono and with
out shoes, to the little summer house
where the vocal and physical disturb
ance seemed to be increasing.
"I tried to get into the houee again" :"
said Mrs. Sammann, "hut there was
some one on the other side of the door
who prevented me from obtaining en-
trance. All that I could do was to
place my foot inside and prevent the
door from being closed entirely upon
me.
'dThrough the half-opened door, I
could see Mrs. FiRueroa lying upon her
back upon the floor. Her head was
so near me that felt her hair upon my
bare feet.
zone hand was across her breast
and the other lay upon her stomach. I
could see them both plainly and there
wa no weapon in either. Her head
was turned to the left and I could look
into her eyes, one of which showed the
effect of the blow given her only short
ly before, as she pleaded with her hus-
band.
FELT BULLET STRIKE
"Still could not see my nephew and
I cannot swear who it was who was
holding the door and preventing my
entrance. It was while everybody was
in this tense. nervous condition that
I felt the effect OF the explosion Of a
cartridge in a weapon and saw the
blood begin to flow from wound in
Mrs Figueroa's head"
Mrs. Sammann also told of how she
had removed a revolver from the sum-
mer house about ten days before the
tragedy, fearing that some evil thing
might be done with 1t. 1t also was
shown that the weapon with which
Mrs. Figueroa was killed was the prop
erty of the brother of Mrs. Pugsley,
Adelbert Pugsley.
Mrs. Sammann's evidence was not
shaken in cross-examination. She re-
mained so firm and certain in her
statements that Mrs. Glendora Pugs-
lev. mother of the dead woman, de-
clared that though the witness might
be swearing away the life of her
nephew, she was "a good Christian
woman and told the truth no matter
what 1t cost"
In cross-examination, Mr.. Seymour