The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-25
SHORT TRIAL FOR
RILEY ASSURED
Alleged Murderer of Grocer
FaSSeIl Begins Fight for
His Life.
JACOBSON TELLS STORY
ONLY WITNESS TO TRAGEDY
ACCUSES THE DEFENDANT.


D. Lewis yesterday morning, when the
state, through District Attorney Fred
c. Loofbourow, outlined its case. in
which IL intends TO prove Riley guilty
Of the murder Of George w. Fassen on
the night of March 2s, 1910. After
consuming practically two weeks in
procuring a jury. the trial is likely to
last only another day before the evil
dence is submitted to the jury.
In outlining the case for the state
yesterday. District Attorney Loot
borrow introduced as evidence a map
or plan of the Fassell grocery store at
619 East Fourth South street, and ].
W. Mackey, an employe of the county
surveyors office. testified as to the
accuracy OF the plane which were ex-
hibited to the jury.
Mr.. LOofbourow related in detail
the events at the grocery store, begin
ning at the time when. at o'clock in
the evening. three men rushed into the
store and. pOking guns in the faces of
George w. Fassell and A. r. jacobson,
demanded that they throw up their
hands and turn over the cash in their
possession. The district attorney re-
viewed the case up to the capture Of
the two men by the police at the An
gelus rooming house.
jacobson Tells Story.
A. F. Jacobson. a butcher. who was
the only one, excepting Fassell. in the
store at the time the three highway
men entered, told the story of the
crime with unfaltering precision and
clearness. and persistent cross-exami-
nation on the part of James ID. Par
dee. counsel for Riley, failed to change
his testimony on any material point.
jacobson said he was standing at
the right side OF the store talking with
Fassell when Riley and two other
men rushed in and. pointing their
guns. ordered them to put up their
hands. The man known as Thorne
covered jacobson, while Riley covered
Fassel. he said.
Have you seen the man who was
known as Hays since that day." asked
the district attorney.
Yes" answered Jacobson.
rs he here in this court room -
asked Mr.. Loofbourow.
Yes. That Is the man. right
there" said Jacobson. AS the witness
said this he held a pointer which had
been used to designate the positions of
the men on the map OF the store room,
and Jacobson leaned forward and
pointed it directly at Hays. or Riley.
as he is known now.
Their eyes met and for an instant
Riley returned the gaze OF Jacobson
without flinching. He retained his
composure for only a second. however,
and then his eyes dropped and Thorn
as Riley showed the first sign OF emo
ton noted since the trial began.
Jacobson continued his story, telling
how ThOrne had backed him towards
the rear of the store, while Riley stood
I'm the middle OF the room and kept
FasSell covered. Then. he said. Thorne
went TO where Fassell was standing
and. poking him with his revolver.
commanded FasseIl to get back to-
wards the rear OF the store. The com
mand to get back was followed al
most instantly by a shot and Fassell
staggered back. At that instant
Thorne passed between Riley and ia
cobson and Jacobson lodged behind
the office partition and then out Of the
rear door. He ran to the Fassell home
and then to the next house and got a
revolver. and then returned TO the
store. where he met +. W. Boyd. a So
licitor for the store. who was coming
from the barn at the rear. Boyd at
tempted to assist Fassell while Jacob
son telephoned for the police and ran
across the street and brought DR.. G. NJ
Chandler. George W. Fassell died ten
minutes later. without regaining con-
seriousness.
F. w. Boyd corroborated the testi-
mony Of Mr.. jacobson. adding that he
had just put $40 or $40 I'm the cash
register a few minutes before, when
hen went to the barn to harness a
horse.
Fassel's Mother Testifies.
Mrs. Augusta Fassell. mother OF the
murdered man. testified that she saw
her son an hour before he was shot
and he was then in perfect health. and
she also told simply Of his death a
few minutes after she had been called.
DIR. Chandler also testified regarding
the death of Fasseil. saying he had
known him for nine years. The testi-
mony Of DR.. r. G. Odell was to the ef-
feet that the bullet which killed Fas-
sell entered through the eighth rib
under the left armpit and ranged up
ward through the left lung. cutting
the backbone and lodging just under
the skin over the right shoulder blade
The bullet and n fragment Of lead
which lodged in the backbone were
placed in evidence and examined by
the Jury.
William Bowen testified that he had
passed the Fassell store twice during
the forty minutes before the murder
and had seen three men around the
place. two Of whom he identified posi-
lively as Riley and ThOrne. Coming
downtown. Bowen said he saw n bulle-
tin IN the window Of The Herald-Re-
publican stating that George W. Fas-
sell had been shot by a highwayman.
He went to the police station and there
identified Riley and Thorne as the
men he had seen passing the store
earlier I'm the evening.
Arthur VOwles testified that in pass
ing the Fassell grocery at about sac
on the night of the murder he saw
Riley, Thorne and another man whom
he noticed particularly because he
feared they were trying to hold him
up. and he also identified Riley posi-
lively as one of the trio.
Chief Reviews Arrest.
S. NJ. Barlow. chief OF police, told Of
the arrest OF Thorne and Riley at the
Angeius rooming house, where Riley
lay on the bed and Thorne was In the
act Of counting the money when he