El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-21
EI4 PASO HERALD
Recites Incidents Leading to
the Tragedy in the East
ern Grill.

Policeman Henry C. Bernauer gave his
reasons for killing corporal Frank
Richard when he took the stand in his
own behalf in the 34th district court
! this morning.
Bernauer, who was on the stand but
a short time, stated that he found evi-
l dences of improper relations between
| Richard and his wife when he returned
to their rooms He also said that he
! had found his wife in the booth with
Richard in the Eastern Grill restaurant
and she had her left arm about his right
shoulder when he shot
Bernauer told his story clearly and
distinctly and never once faItered in
making his direct statement or replying
10 the cross questions of the prosecution
| his testimony follows:
Bernauer's Testimony.
''The first time [ saw Richard he
came to me at the transfer station and
said that he had met my wife at a
dance and she told him who | was Nv
wife and baby and occupied rooms ri.
l: and on the third floor over the
First National bank
On the night of the 18th, nv wife was
giving a dance at the Fraternal Brother
mood nall, she being the retiring officer
l.
the company of Richard at our rooms
together, and once. or twice they came to
the transfer station to see me-
hlchard gave her a cane which was
made from the bone of a Philippine fish.
L did not object to him giving her the
present at that time. Ny wife also had
picture OF nude Philippine woman,
winch she had taken from Richard and
She said that she had stolen it from him.
=
ting pretty familiar with that man and
do not like it,
Saw Richard With Wife.
My first recollection of seeing |
Richard on the night of the 18th was in |
our rooms with my wife and Mr.. Davis. |
MY wife spoke of the dance and told |
her | did not like her going out with |
TINS man so much. When | came I'D at
o'clock, she said if / did not want her
to go she would not. but | saw that she
wanted to 60 and l could not act the |
brute, so told her to go. / understood |
she was going with Mrs. Belt. cornoraI /
Richard and Mr.. Davis. / thought they
would be with the crowd there and sup
posed they would all come home to-
gether.
Il told my wife to be back at IL
o'clock and she returned at about 10 |
minutes to II. | went to the house a
little before II and as I came along the
street noticed the lights in our rooms.
W men L arrived there, corporal Richard
was IN my room A Mexican woman and
ner daughter who had been left to take
care OF the baby, occupied another room.
ne door was open when / went in.
richard had some beer. I took a drink
with nm and asked my wife if she
wanted something to eat, but she said
mat she was too tired to 90 downstairs
Richard and / left the rooms together.
but in the hall he made an excuse to 90
10 the toilet and | went down and re-
turned TO my beat at the plaza II
waited there for about % minutes for
my partner policeman, R. B. Parsons.
Then L decided to go to lunch and
started to the Orndorff where 1 had
been in the habit Of eating my midnight
lunch Then on the way 1 remembered
that my wife had said she was hungry.
and l told the clerk at the hotel I would
not eat my lunch there Instead.
went to the Florence cafe and got some
sandwiches.
His Return to His Home.
"A shor- distance from home. no.
ticed that our blinds were pulled down.
I went into the house and looked
through the rooms for my wife, but she +
was not there The room in which. the
Mexican woman and girl and my baby
were. was locked from the outside.
In passing through one of the
rooms, kicked my wife's hose support
ers and thought it odd that she should
have gone out after taking them off. |
Then 1 noticed that the sofa pillows on
he sofa had all been placed in a pile !
md the cover was rumpled up. There
vas a wet cigar butt on the window I
sill found a rumpled towel behind ]
he stove.
The Shooting
Il started out TO find them and went I
20 the Club House cafe but they were I
lot there. Then I went to the Eastern s
irill and found them in the third booth
they were sitting side by side and my
wife had her left arm about Richards
leck. I did not say anything but shot
Intil l thought all the cartridges in my
'istol had been fired. Ny wife ducked
Inder the table. Then telephoned to
he police station for them to come and
ret me-"
CrOss-Examination.
On examination Bernauer said:
II knew that Richard used to go to
ur rooms, but I never had suspected ,
nything wrong. Richard had invited
Is to go to the post, but 1 had written )
i'm note stating that l could not go =
nd asked him to call at our home if
e came to town That was Sunday. I
now that he was at the rooms Monday
nd Tuesday. Tuesday my wife had the Z
oothache and I met Richard, gave him II
0 cents and asked him to get some q
7hisky and take it to my wife. 1 knew :,
hat Richard had been to our rooms q
everal times. but sometimes I would =
OF know that he had been there until =,
fterward, when my wife would tell me
bout it. =
st did not mean my wife was init L
late with him when. I told her
bought she was getting familiar at
ne time of the picture incident, which
'as at Christmas time"
Private Davis Testifies.
Private Dorsey c. Davis testified: o
Richard and I came to town together D
Wednesday night. At the plaza we saw
ernauer and he asked us if we were
DING to take his wife to the dance
re said yes and he said all right
Te went there and Mrs. Bernauer was
OF dressed. so we went back later
hen Bernauer came up with Fred !,
iefer and we all took drink except -
ichard, who did not drink.
Mrs. Bernauer and Mrs Belt had | =
cd ha re rl-c NJ