The Alaska citizen., 1917-04-23
SOLDIER DESCRIBES
 STABDING

A k A A@S 1S A &A
 simply and .a -ratchtsorward manner, leaving his auditors with the impression that he had told the truth az far az u- Wa able. Stefan Tremba told the story os his life and of the incidents leading up 10 his srabbing ot Ernoz, Hauta, on tho wit ness stand in his own defense yes terday afternoon. When he came to that part of his story relating to the deed the young man was plainly moved. beue forced to wipe the tears from his eyes a. he told the jury that he and his victim had been friends and that he was forced to stab Bonta on the night Of March r, in the road in front of the North ern saloon at TanYa, in order to protect himself accYdtng to his be. lief
 No testimony other than that given by Tromba was offered by the de Gense in the case Tremba was on the stand approximately half an hour, as he was not questioned by Dis trict Attorney Roth The govern mont. after Trembas testimony was given, offered little testimony in rebuttal. closing the case except for the arguments of the attorneys, which are to take place today. Just how long they will argue is not known, but it is presumed that Trem- ba, who was indicted for first de gree murder will know his probable fate by this evening at the latest.
 On the stand yesterday Tremba stated that he was born in 1892 near Tarnapol GaGcla, and that he came to this country in 1907 He worked as a brass moulder in Chi cago. he said, for several months after arriving there, going to Spring field. Ohio. later, at which place he attended school for two years. He then went back to Chicago, where he enlisted in the army, and was sworn in at Jefferson Barracks, Mis- souri, about three years ago. Cues toned regarding his army record, Tremba said that it was excellent, and that he had never been in trou- ble before. He said that he and Bonta had become good friends while the company to which they both be longed was stationed at Fort Wright Washington, and that they had con tnued to be such QntII the trouble which cost BontaH hfA~life and which caused Tremba to be indicted for murder in the first degree.
 Tremba said that he and Bonta had always been in the habit of call ing each other ntcknames. Tremba himself was known as the wop' or the bohunk," while the playful epi- thet applied to Bonta was Mexican Greaser." There had never been any trouble between them and they had often gone about together at the posts where stationed, always as the best of friends, he said,
 On the night that the trouble took place at Panama. or March r, Trem- ba went down town and procured bottle of port wine. The next day was Sunday and it was his turn to do cooks police" He wanted bot tie of wine with which to while away the long hours, so went down to the Northern bar to get it about S:45 o'clock, returning immediately thereafter to the post.
 Arriving at the post, he and two soldier friends drank up the bottle of wine, so he went down to the Northern bar about 11:3O o'clock to procure another bottle, and it was there and then that the events lead ing up to the stabbing of Bonta took place. Bonta and another soldier, named Mat Nicxus, were in the place Tremba, after purchasing his bottle of wine, went back to the stove to warm his hands, according to his testimony, and the trouble started by the passing of pleasant ries between himself and Nickus and Bonta, who were there. Ntckus, he said, asked him to buy a drink and Bonta asked him if he had been to the picture show He said he had not seen the show, at the same time calling Bonta a Mexican greaser, as he had done many times before, ac- cording to his statement. His tes- timony at this junCture indicated that it was Nickus who stirred up the trouble when he called Bonta |