San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-07
Majority of State Witnesses
Admit Membership in
Khan.
DEPUTY Is ACCUSED
Acebo Said to Have Fired
Into Victims
Car.

son of Nueces county, Joe Abeco, Lee
Petzel and Cleve Golf, charged with the
murder of Fred Roberts, the state I'M
expectedly rested its case at 4 20 o'clock
Saturday. A number of witnesses,
however, will be placed IN the stand in
rebuttal. Court adjourned until .
o clock Monday morning when the de-
Tense will begin its testimony.
The first testimony to connect Joe
Acebo directly with The shooting OF
Roberts was introduced during the at
ternoon when three witnesses testified
that they had seen AceEy shooting at
the dead man after Sheriff Robinson
had fired. One witness also corrobo-
rated testimony given Saturday morn
ing that Roberts had evidently reached
out TO shake hands with the tormei
sheriff when Robinson fired on him.
No Weapon In Sight.
Testimony by three eye witnesses
that Former Sheriff frank Robinson of
Nueces county and Joe Acebo had shot
Fred Roberts while the latter was sit
ting in his automobile, with no weapon
in sight, on the afternoon of October
Il last, was introduced by the state IN
the trial of these two men and Lee
pctzel and Cleve Golf in the Forty
District Court Saturday afternoon. The
state rested its case after the tenth wit
ness had been examined. Court adj
journed until 8 o'clock Monday when
the defense will begin the introduction
of its testimony. The state also is ex-
pected to introduce a number of wit
nesses in rebuttal. No prediction has yet
been made as to when the case will pos
sibly be concluded.
Howard Grant, one of the star wit
nesses for the state, was the first to
testify that he had seen ,Acebo shooting
at the dead man. Grant testified that
he was sitting on a barrel just across
the street and saw Robinson, Petzel and
Acebo in conference. Roberts then came
out of the Warren grocery store and
started toward his automobile. The
sheriff motioned TO him to wait. Roberts
had gotten in his car. the witness said,
when the sheriff reached it.
Sheriff Robinson, the witness said,
reached in and shut off Roberts motor.
Roberts at the time, he said. had his
left hand on the steering wheel and his
right hand on the back of the seat.
Robinson after shutting off the engine,
the witness said. stepped back and fired
three times. The sheriff then came
across the street, whereupon
Acebo approached the car. and
shot one time.
At the time Grant said, Petzel.
W as standing on the sidewalk
shooting into the Warren store.
Cleve Golf, he said, was stand
ng at a side door with his gun in his
side door and fired one shot.
Missed Every Shot.
PetZel then fired three shots and
came out. The witness testified he
then ran up and asked Petzel if he had
gotten any one" and Petzel replied.
"No, I missed every shot" Attempts
by defense counsel to impeaCh the testi-
mony Of Grant on cross-examination
failed to change it in the main. He
denied emphatically that he had at
tempted to get money from the defend
ants on the plea that he would leave
town. Grant testified that Petzel had
told him to "stick around. Frank is go.
ing TO whip Roberts" This was before
the tragedy.
c. T. Archer, business man Of Corpus
Christi, and J. II. HollOman, were the
other witnesses who testified to having
seen Acebo shoot at the dead man.
G.. Il. Warren, resumed the stand
when court convened at 2 o'clock. Judge
Pope, for the defense, read excerpts
from what was purported to be the oath
of the Ku Klux Klan. among which
was one that if a Klansman at any time
was in distress a fellow klansmar
would go 10 his aid. Warren admitted
| that it was part of the oath.
wasn't that why Roberts came when
you called for him?" Judge Pope asked
"No, he would have come anyway, be,
fore he joined the khan Warren re,
piled.
The witness denied that when Rob,
erts went TO his car that he (Warren)
was standing in the door with n rusty
rifle in his hand. adding that his rifle
was at home. Defense counsel asked
| each witness il il were not n fact that
the shooting first started from the dooI
of the grocery store. Each denied hav.
ing knowledge of it. Photographs Of
the interior and exterior of the store
were introduced and explained by War
A'h NA'tl ~ Nldh6it utINtth dANOl ufN
| on both sides.
Denies Khan Membership.
w. A. Brundlett, the next witness
] testified that he was standing across
I the street near Tom Lozano's car In
which Petzel was sitting when the
shooting commenced. Robinson. he ties
/ titled. shot Roberts three times. while
the latter sat in his car, one hand rest
ing on the steering wheel and the Other
| on the back of the seat. Roberts drop
ped forward at the first shot witness
said. after which Robinson fired two
more. Petzel, witness said. got out o
Lozano's car. ran across the street anC
started firing into the Warren store
Just prior TO the shooting. Brundlet
said, some one approached the car an,
Fetzel asked him IL he chad plenty o
ammunition" adding that you bette
get some"
BrundIett denied on cross-examina
! ton that he was n member Of the klaI
or that Sheriff Robinson had extendet
his hand to shal.n with Roberts and thel
jumped back and fired. The witnes
said he saw no such gesture. On redirec
testimony. witness said he saw nothin
in Roberts hand when he was shot.
| c. T. Archer. who wns passing III