The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-12
Clara'S
Fate Is
Pending
Case May Go to
j u ry Tonight;
Both State and
Defense Close
BY Bob Bermann


Clara sharin. alleged murder
eSs Of Ferdinand Hochbrunn.
may know her late before an
other sun rises.
With startling suddcnness.
the taking OF testimony In her
trial before Superior judge
Mitchell Gillian was concluded
at noon Friday.
When court convened nt . .. m
Judge Gillian was to read his instruc-
tons. and argument by state and
defense was TO begin Immediately
afterwsrd. IL was thought possible
that tho argument might bc com
pleted during tho afternoon. and that
the case would go TO the pury before
adjournment. n seemed more like
ly. however. that the argument
would last over for an hour or 40
into Saturday mornings session
The state confined It's evidence In
rebuttnl to a desens, OF Edward Won
Tobel. who Miss skarin accuses an
an accessory after the fact. and 20
an attempt TO impeach the defend
ants testimony.
Recalled 20 tho stand. Won Tobel
denied the statement made by Miss
skarsn that he had met her In San
Francisco on February .. 1919. whom
shc WINS n fugitive from justice. but
admitted that he had been In the
southern city on that day.
What name did you register un-
derT' John r. Dorc. chief counsel
for the defense. asked him
.sWhy---why---'s the witness hesi-
tmted. my own name. I think"
You ars sure you did not register
under an assumed Manner Dore pur-
sued. II don't think So" Won Tobei
replied.
Won Toh,ei injected BIT OF comedy
In the proceedings when he attempt
ed TO establish an abb for himself
for the night Of the killing. October
"a. 1894. He said he had been at the
Eika' lodge at the time when Miss
sksrin alleged that he was In tho
death house. and declared that John
j. Sullivan. associate defense counsel.
had been present at the same time.
Sullivan. smiling broadly. was
called to the stand as n states wit
ness and admitted that he had been
at the lodge on the night in ques-
ton. but stipulated that Won Tobel
had arrived after o'clock. which
was after the hour set by Mise Ska
rim for his alleged visit to tho Hoch.
brunn home.
There was n draamtic incident
shortly before his testimony. when
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John
ID. carmody FLASHED sharply with
Defense Attorney Dore. Dore had
objected TO the introduction of evi.
dencs to show that Won Tobei had
actually made Investigations with
view to finding Hochbrunn before
his body was discovered
Won Tobei isn't on trial." Dore
protested.
HE lsnr7" was carrnody's ironio
comment. This testimony goes 10
rebut the whole story In which the
defendant seeks 10 impiicate him."
The Investigations mentioned was
testified to by Miss Eva l.. Arrey.
Won Tobel's stenographer. and by
Mrs. Mabel Harris. Of Portland. who
made the inquiry. Other witnesses
called In rebuttai were Deputy Coro-
ner II. w. Johnson. who testified as
TO the condition of Hochbrunn's
clothes when his body was found:
w. -. Kent. lieutenant OF detectives,
who was asked some further ques-
tons as TO his Investigations mt the
time that he went South to bring
Miss Sksrin: Charles Murphy. the
court reporter. who took down Miss
skarin's confession, and Owen Gay
Tor, vault manager for the w. ID.
Perkins company.
Gayior was called TO testify that
Won Tobel had not opened his safety
deposit box in the Perkins vault be.
tween October 10 and November IL.
1921. The state brought this out In
an attempt to show that tho gold
which Won Tobel had In his ssfety
deposit box was not part OF the for.
tune stolen from Hochbrunn's trunk
at the time of the killing. October 10.
Ferdinand Hochbrunn was
menace TO the women and chill
dren Of the entire community,
according to expert testimony
introduced Friday morning In the
trial of Clara Skarin before SUI
perior Judge Mitchell Gillian on
the charge Of numbering Hoch-
brunn.
The expert was DIR. Alexander II.
Robinson. a former college professor
at Harvard. and an eminent author
ity on pathology. Using stories of
attacks made upon them. as related
by numerous women witnesses
called by the defense, John J. Sulli.
van, associate defense attorney. pro-
pounded a long hypothetical ques-
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