Book Description

The mystery surrounding the accuser only deepended as more facts became known. In the fall of 1905, the State of California was forced to change its inheritance law. The State Legislature enacted what was being referred to then as "The Patricide Law". This book is about the young individual (20 years of age) who caused the enactment of that law. This book is about Adolph Julius Weber, who was arrested for what was considered at the time as one of the most atrocious crimes ever committed in California at the start of the 20th century. It being committed in the small town of Auburn, Calidornia, a population of 2,000. Adolph Weber had not only committed Patricide, but Matricide, Parricide and Fratricide. This book takes an in-depth look at the events that surrounded the crimes that were committed, and follows the events surrounding Adolph J. Weber as they unfolded and were followed by the newspapers. Although there was no actual proof that Adolph J. Weber committed the crime, he became the prime suspect, partly because of his own actions after the murders, thus Adolph Weber was arrested and eventually tried for the crime mostly on circumstantial evidence. the book covers the Coroner's Inquest that was held, the Preliminary Examination, the Grand Jury, the Trial itself, and the appeal to the State Supreme Court, and a number of interesting events that occurred during the time the various hearings and such were taking place. The book covers the period from 1904 through 1906 and much of what was actually said by the accused at different times as reported by the newspapers from that time period. There were more lawyers involved in this case than in any other period were different as they are now Some of what took place although considered legal at the time is not legal today. Hence, it could have been possible, following today's law standards, the accused could possibly been found innocent of the crime he was convicted of, thus it could be said was he given a fair trial? What also makes this story interesting is the different side issues that arose out of the multiple crimes he was thought to have committed.