The Northern Hotel Shooting: A Gambler’s Self-Defense Trial

Testimony in the trial of Paul J. Page for killing Harry Fraser was full of incidents yesterday. The defense is trying to show that Page found Fraser among a gang of gamblers who were trying to rob him, and that he fired the fatal shot in self-defense. The trial, predicted to last four days, will run into a week; about half the state's testimony is in.

Two of the most important actors told their stories: William Ireton, an ex-barkeeper and friend of Fraser, and E. C. Marden, barkeeper on duty at the Northern Hotel. Frank Johnson, not yet called, is supposed to be another eyewitness. The most sensational incident was the defense's use of the past lives of witnesses. Attorneys had typewritten records of crimes the witnesses were supposed to have committed, to show the jury the kind of men who were eyewitnesses and to support the theory that they tried to rob Page and that he pulled his pistol and shot in self-defense.

There was a long fight over testimony. Col. Lindsay asked a witness whether, while living at Portsmouth, he had beaten a man and then rifled his pockets under the guise of a policeman. R. H. Lindsay objected; James Hamilton Lewis, for the defense, said he asked the question to test credibility. The court sustained the objection.

Judge Humes let the jury go down to the Northern Hotel to examine the barroom, the table where the shooting occurred, and the billiard rooms. Page, in custody of a deputy sheriff, looked around with great interest. The jury was told that what they saw would not be used as evidence, but was simply to give them a correct idea of the place.

One of the most dramatic incidents came when Lewis, cross-examining Marden about the alleged drugging and beating of a man named Duggins at Lowell, opened a satchel and shoved loaded dice, bottles of quicksilver, a small vise and other articles under the witness's nose. Marden recoiled, saying he had never seen them. The crowd laughed; the judge told them to step outside if they felt mirthful.

Mrs. Fraser, in deep mourning, sat close to the attorneys for the prosecution and listened attentively. When Lewis pressed Marden about Honolulu, she could not repress a slight smile. On leaving the courtroom at the noon recess she looked Page full in the face; he met her gaze with a steady eye. Page's sister was with him, accompanied by Maj. and Mrs. W. M. Moore of Mount Vernon and Mrs. Yandell.

T. J. D. Peeones, the auctioneer, testified that on the evening of April 22 he saw Page in the barroom of the Northern Hotel. He was there twice; the first time he saw Page, but did not know what he was doing. The first he saw of Page was at a table throwing dice. Peeones watched for about a minute, then left at about 11 o'clock. Page, Peeones and Marden were the only ones in the room when he left. Page threw the dice out one and two at a time, and someone said, 'Throw them out all together.' That was all that happened while he was there.

Peeones was next called by the state. He said Page came to the barroom at 8 o'clock on the evening of April 22 and asked him to join a game of dice. Witness refused, and Page then asked him to play for drinks. They played; Page drank two cocktails. After the game began Page offered to play for money, but Peeones refused and left. Page then played casino for 10 cents.

Marden testified that Page invited anyone in the room to play casino, shake dice or play seven-up. Ireton accepted and played Page two or three games of seven-up. Page then asked Marden to play casino; he did until Fraser arrived, when he went behind the bar and told Johnson to play his hand. After the raffle at the Horseshoe, Fraser returned and Page asked him to shake dice for a dollar. Fraser agreed. He lost, went to the cash register for more money, and lost again. He laid a $10 bill on the table; Page shoved two chips toward him and took the bill. Fraser said, 'Give me my change.' Page said, 'There's your change,' pointing to the two chips. Fraser said, 'Give me my change.' Page would not. Fraser said, 'Put the bill down and I will explain.' Page put the bill down. Fraser started to pick it up; Page reached for it at the same time. Fraser got the money, and Page pulled his gun. Fraser reached for it but missed. Page placed the muzzle to Fraser's left side and fired.

Ireton testified that when he saw the gun he jumped to his feet; after the shot he caught Page's wrist and held it down while Johnson wrenched the pistol away. Marden choked Page. Someone telephoned police headquarters, and an officer searched Page and took him to headquarters.

On cross-examination, Marden was questioned about his past: a police officer in Maine, a prize fighter in San Francisco, a driver in Honolulu, and a friend of Fraser. Lewis asked if he had drugged and beaten Duggins at Lowell. Marden admitted he was a witness at Lowell and that he ran away from Duggins. Lewis produced a valise filled with loaded dice and other gambling tools; Marden denied seeing any of them. Questions about drugging drinks for a chambermaid were objected to.

At 5 p.m. the court adjourned until 9:15 this morning.