Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-05-18
sIMMoNs-PIERcE.
A MAN COwhtded on His WAY
40 Church.

Quite an un-churchly episode took
place last Sunday morning on Spring
street, near the Vienna Theatre, about
the hour when the religious portion OF
the community are on their way to
church. At that time MFR. L. T. Pierce,
a man quite well known in the city, ac-
cording to his usual custom. was walk
ing along the sidewalk ON his way to the
Fort street M. E. Church. Just after
he passed Turnverein Hall Mrs. Lizzie
Simmons, who has recently opened a
little hat pressing shop opposite, ap'
preached him and proceeded to give him
sound casigating with a rawhide.
Pierce turned on the fair assailant and
pushed her into the gutter. Then he
crossed the street and the bystanders set
up lustS cheers OF encouragement for the
plucky woman, who, finding herself thus
backed followed Pierce and at the corner
of Third street applied the lash again in
good shape. Some of those who were
near by say he picked up stone, which
he threw at her, but some one struck
his elbow as he did so and the missile
fell wide of its mark.
A reporter of the herald interviewed
the lady, who stated in substance that
she came here and met Pierce. He
preferred his aid in various ways, and she
let him do a few little jobs for her.
Then he began to make improper ad-
vances, which she repealed. He wrote
letters to her of an obscene character and
others making love to her. He told her
he was divorced from his wife and wanted
her to get divorce from her husband
in Oregon 80 that they might get
married. ALI these advances she re.
PEELED. Last Saturday week she had
him arrested for writing threatening
letter saying he would blow up the
place He promised to let her alone,
and so the case was dismissed before
Justice Ranney. This was on Monday.
On Tuesday he put card in the papers
warning O. A. R. people to be on their
guard against her as fraud. She did
not mind this, but last Sunday she went
to Spring street restaurant to get her
breakfast, and the proprietor called her
attention to q placard on a bulletin
board near her place in which she was
mentioned in very gross and scurrilous
terms, which she showed to the reporter
but begged him not to copy it or put it
in the papers. For this she did the
hor=ewhipping. The reporter asked
how she knew it was his doings, and she
said it is on the very same paper on
which he wrote the letters to her. 1t is
his writing and it is his spelling. The
photography is certainly enough
to condemn man charged with murder.
She knew he was in the habit OF going
to church Sunday mornings, so she
watched for him and when he came
along she horsewhipped him. The re-
lady said she gave him good dressing.
Pierce had her arrested yesterday and |
arraigned before Justice Ranney. The |
case was set for next Monday at 10 A. NJ.
Mr.. Pierce called yesterday at the |
HERALD Office and the reporter told him
what he had heard. He catagorieally |
denied all the statements-that he ever
wrote improper letters or love letters to
the lady; that he asked her to marry
him or to get divorce; any knowledge
of the placard, or throwing the stone at
her. He says she did not horsewhip
him to any great extent, but claims that
''she got the worst of it," He also
handed the reporter the following let
ter, which he says is from Mrs.
Simmond's husband, up in Oregon, and
which he thinks will get his case right
in the matter.
THE LETTER.
PORTLAND, Or, May II, 1886.
Mr.. l.. T. PIERcE-Dear Sir: | re-
ceived your letter yesterday, and was
glad to get it. 1 had not heard from |
the folks for some time. | greatly ap-
preciate your kindness, and if ever an
opportunity presents itself shall be but |
too happy to return the favor. 1t pains |
me awfully to know that my children |
are amongst strangers, but cannot help |
it. My wife was disgracing us all while |
she was here and she would not leave |
without them, and further she promised |
to mend her ways and do little bust
ness in the straw works in order to help |
me out of the debts she put me into. l
would go after the children, but know |
I could never get away with them and
my life, and think the best and only |
thing to do is to let her run her length |
and when she does not want the chill. |
dren will and am anxious to take them. |
She left here February 4th with passes |
to San Francisco, and gave her all the |
money I had, which was SOB. Since |
that time / have sent her $500 more,
and do not see why she could not have |
lived on that, but she has an appetite |
for liquor which she never will conquer. |
The letter you sent here to Captain |
Pierce he gave me, and it made me feel |
so bad and hurt at her that / copied it |
and sent 1t to her, scolding her for circu-
lating such reports. You must forgive |
me for doing it, for was nearly crazy. |
Tell poor May aud Oracle to have pa. |
tience, / will have them some day with |
me. May is old enough to consult with, |
but / dare not write her as l wish for |
fear my wife will get the letter and then |
abuse the children for it. l sent $50 to |
MIR. Hutton to use for the children to |
pay their board-not to give Lizzie a
dollar, but if she as broke to pay her |
employment. l will not support her |
any longer. Will you and Mr.. Hutton
see that the children are cared for. and
that when my wife is willing to give |
them to me send them to San Francisco
by some one that is going, aud my wife's |
sister will send them to me. If Lizzie |
thinks / want them she will cling the
harder, but il she thinks don't want
them she will get tired of them. She
thinks that as long as she has them she
can get all the money she wants on
their account. When you write please
tell me what she is doing and all her ac.
tions, and will be greatly Obliged to
you for it. Give my love to May and
Oracle. and answer soon.
Yours respectfully,
SAM SIMMONS