The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-06-17
COTOnefs Jury Hears Testimony
. In GuGnO Case; AdjOuIns, To
Meet Again Monday Afternoon
Several Witnesses Heard
During Session Held Late
Yesterday Afternoon In
Court House

No verdict was reached in the
coroner's inquest called to order
yesterday afternoon at o'clock
in the court of Franklin Aren-
berg. coroner ex-officio. to inves-
tigate the shooting and death of
Frank Guerro by Leland Robert
Sawyer. which occurred late
Thursday night.
However. half of the witnesses
in the case had been called up TO
~ o'clock. and the inquest was
adjourned to 4 o'clock Monday
afternoon. at which time J. Lance
lot Lester. assistant states at
torneY. assisting in the case. win
interroqate the rest of the wit
nesses at the scene of the shoot
ing.
Witnesses appearing yesterday
were: DR.. Edwin Saunders and
DIR. S. N. Goldson of the u. S.
Marine Hospital staff, DR.. Saun-
ders testified that he attended
Guerro when he was brought to
the hospital and was present
when the victim died. DR.. Gold
son related of the autopsy held
yesterday morning during which
it was determined that Guerro
had died "from hemorhages
caused by gun shot wound"
Other witnesses included Will
lard Wells, gateman at the, Naval
Station entrance; Arthur, Baeza,
Mrs. Annie Laurie Bethel,. Mrs
Eloise Sawyer. estranged wife of
Leland Sawyer, who is held with
out bail in the county Jail await
ing verdict of the jury; Eugene
Spencer, Armand Roberts and
Robert Leland Sawyer, son of the
defendant.
Baeza and Mrs. Bethel both
testified to extreme nervousness
and inability to construct a CO.
herent story of the happenings
preceding the shooting. Both
were present on the bench with
Mrs. Sawyer and Guerro when
the car drove up in which the
Sawyers. senior and junior, to-
gether with young Roberts and
Spencer, were seated. They both.
however. recalled that Sawyer
approached the bench and order
ed all occupants to rise land 60
home.
Mrs. Sawyer appeared quite
composed. She stated that she
had been estranged from her
husband for two weeks and had
been living at the home of her
mother. She blamed her son
Robert for "the whole affair,
relating of a conversation fol-
lowing the shooting she accused
her son of "going for his father
when she had been seen on the
bench with Guerro".
Robert Sawyer admitted that
he did do just that. He had been
out riding with two chums.
Eugene Spencer and Armand
Roberts. owner and driver of the
car when they espied the two
couples sitting on the bench in
front of the old postoffice. His
| testimony to the effect that "he
drove home to get his daddy to
beat Frank up" was substantiated
by both of his chums in their APP
pearance at the inquest. Cues
toned as to why he wanted his
daddy to beat Frank up" by Mr..
Lester, Robert stated that che
didn't think it was right for his
mother to go around with
Guerro".
Testimony by several of the
witnesses brought out the in
cidents prior to and following
the shooting. Sawyer and his
son got out of the car and told
Guerro ito stand up and fight"
Guerro then grabbed young Saw
yer for a shield, but Robert
broke loose, following which
Guerro started to run. At that
point, and not before, Sawyer
drew pistol from his right
trousers pocket and shot the
fleeing Guerro, who stumbled,
fCnufinuad an pace Thraal