Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-29
THE MOORE CASE.
Testimony Introduced for the
Defense.

DefCnScs
Before resuming the trial of th,
Moore case yesterday Judge Chene,
instructed the Sheriff to exclude al
boys from the courtroom, stating
that he had noticed several in the au
dience on Friday, and that while the
defendant was entitled to a public
trial, yet the courtroom was no place
for boys, and especially during the
trial of a case of the character of that
before the court.
Laura Moore was the first witness
introduced. She testified: l was
born in the State OF Georgia. / have
always been called Laura Moore,
but my true name is Laura Gilbert.
When two years old, my mother, a
widow, married Mr.. Moore, and |
have since lived with Mr.. Moore and
his mother in Georgia, Texas, and in
Los Angeles. My mother died when
was four years old. l lived under
the Denison hotel in October last.
Papa kept fruit store there. l gen.
orally staid in the store and waited on
customers. l have lived with Mr.
Moore about three years altogether
since my mother died. He married
again after my mother died, but did
not live with them. We used to sleep
on a three-quarter bed and cot
which was at night unfolded and
placed behind the bed. / occupied
the cot and papa the bed. In the day
time the cot was always folded up.
/ never had improper relations with
Mr.. Moore.
Cross-examination- When we re-
tired the cot and bed We're placed
side by side. The room was small,
and very little longer than the bed.
Mr.. Moore's last wife died about two
years ago, after which time went to
live with him. We moved from
Texas to Los Angeles. Mrs. Watson
came to my room the day papa was
arrested. | took her to my room and
showed her our sleeping apartments,
the bed and the cot. She asked me
if Mr.. Moore was my father and | told
her yes.
H. G. Moore was next called, and
on his own behalf said: | was en-
gagged in the fruit business at 3l4
South Main street at the time i was
arrested. | had been there about
three months. Prior to that | was
engaged in business near the South
ern Pacific Railroad depot. La>lra
and myself slept in the room back OF
the store. When we first went there
she used the bed and | the cot, but
we afterwards changed, for the reason
that the cot was too short for me-
We never did. occupy the same bed.
l never had any improper relations
with Laura. | have been married
twice. My first wife's name was Gil
bert. Laura is her daughter and was
about 2 years old when L married her.
She is not my daughter; [ never had
any children. Laura lived with my
mother after my first wife died. /
afterwards married a second time and
moved to GAINESVILLE, Tex.
Cross examination The cot was
folded up every morning and the bed
pushed against the wall. | did not
know what | was arrested for at the
time Smith read the charge. He told
me it was incest, but l did not know
what that meant. l asked him sew
eral times what the word meant, but
he said he did not know.
A. J.Vincent testified: l was called
to examine the room where the de-
fendant lived, after his arrest. | |
found a three-quarter bed on one side
of the room and cot folded up and |
standing behind it. There was some
bed-clothing on the bed and roll of |
double blankets lying on the foot.
The defense here rested their case.
Fred Smith being called in rebuttal |
testified: l read the warrant to the
defendant in his stand at the time OF
the arrest. He asked me what incest |
meant, and told him did not know
myself. On the way to the police
station told him what it meant. He
asked me several times to explain.
After l told him what the charge was
1 asked him if the girl was his daugh-
ter, and he said yes.
Cross-examination: l had an un-
derstanding with Mrs. Watson that
after should arrest Moore she would
60 in and work up evidence by con-
versing with Laura. looked back
when we got to the Howard house
and nodded to Mrs. Watson to go in.
She was in shop near Moore's store.
Mrs. Watson, being recalled, testi-
fed: was at Moore's place Of busi-
ness some days before the arrest, and
directly afterwards, as soon as Con-
stable Smith took Mr.. Moore away, | |
went in and remained with his daugh |
ter until Smith returned and arrested |
her. | asked if the charge againt her
father was true, and she stated it was
not. In reply to my question as to
whether Mr.. Moore was her real |
father, she replied Indignantly, "Cer-
tainly he isl explained the nature
of the charge.
Cross examination: @. Did you
explain to the girl what the nature of
the charge was. A. Well, did not
really myself, but the lady living at
the New Dennison did in my presence.
i was told by some OF the police
officers to 60 there and ascertain
whether the girl was Moore's
daughter.
1 make it my business to look after
fallen and homeless young women
and boys.
After argument, the case was sub
mitted to the jury which up to mid
night had not agreed upon verdict.
BIRTHDAY PARTY.
A Pleasant Gathering Mt MIR.