The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-02-07
SAW ACCUSED WITH
BLOODY SCISSORS
Russian Girl Gives Testimony IN
Galmendez Murder Case -
Attorneys Clash.
lrrom wendne.day AdyertIlerl

|
"'Daro you intimate that am at.
tempting to lead this witness on to
answer questionsi" shrilly shouted
Leon NJ. straus, attorney for Benito
Galmendez, during the eross-examina.
ton Of tho Territory's most important
witness in Judge Robinson s depart
ment of the circuit court yesterday
morning. The witness was Efdakia
Gregorefakaja, a Russian girl, who,
speaking through an interpreter, de-
scribed in graphic manner seeing the
almost lifeless form of Private Bostic
lying across the threshold of Carmel
Ia s apartment, Galmendez in the back
ground, pair of blood soaked scissors
in his hand.
This is the most direct testimony the
prosecution has yet presented and
Straus kept the witness on the stand
for more than an hour in n strong effort
, to break down her statement or dis
credit her evidence.
City Attorney Cathcart, who made
no strong effort to prevent the line of
eross-examination, finally came in with
an objection, protesting against the
line of questioning. 1t was at this point
that Straus took offense and for time
| it looked as if the court might be called
upon to bring the attorney to order.
Prosecutor Cathcart fastened to assure
Straus that no offense was intended
and in a few moments the examination
was proceeding in n routine way.
The Russian girl proved a good wit
ness for the people in that she was
| anp1 nd Aal NJ oil f,y,n an,,1I
not be shaken on the material points
of her direct testimony. She told of
how Galmendez was in the rear of the
room, how he threw the scissors across
the bed and how he finally said:
eff YOU tell what you have seen here
you will get the same as this man got. -
Feared For Her Life.
This threat, said the witness, is what
kept her for three days from telling
the police She admitted she had been
in cell during this time, that she was
fed on prison fare and was visited fire.
| quently by the matron as well as police
officials. 1t developed that during this
time. however, her cell had not been
locked
Why did you wait all this time to
tell the story You now recite here3''
asked Attorney Straus.
"That man said he would kill me;
that is why 1 did not" replied the
witness. She was then excused and
court adjourned until eight.thirty
o clock this morning.
Slept in Bloody Room.
Carmella, the handsome Porto Rican
sweetheart of Galmendez, was the first
witness called by the prosecution yes
terday morning. Carmella, apparently
did not make any effort to shield hel
lover She said she was not in hei
room when the killing took place. She
arrived soon after and found Galmen
dez drunk. He denied knowledge OF
who committed the crime, she said
She observed fresh blood stains on the
floor of their room and on the bed
GalmendeZ and Carmella occupied the
room that night. She awoke early the
following morning to hear Galmendei
engaged apparently in cleaning some
article outside. The woman then de
scribed aiding Detective Kellett in I
search for the scissors, finally fndin!
the weapons hidden beneath plate il
her room. The scissors were still damp
she said, as if they had been recent,
cleaned. Both points were also broker
Off The previous time she had seel
them only one point was missing. Car
mella, her face framed in bright
colored mantilla, sat directly in from
of the accused murderer throughout tn
examination, but seldom looked up t
meet the penetrating gaze he kept upo
her.
Not once throughout the examination
of the Russian girl or of Carmella di
the prisoner show the least sign of in
terest.
1t is understood that the prosecutio
will close its case today, but this
problematical.
Attorney Straus intimated just bt
fore adjournment yesterday that ne wi
attempt to break down the testimon
of the Russian girl. He drew diagram
having her point out the incidents sh
described after coming upon Galmende
in Carmella s room on the night of tn
murder. He kept this diagram an
stated he might be detained today b,
yond the time of the opening of coul
because of his search for witnesses.
NOVELETTE,.
Outside, the sheets of rain were con