New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-06
MR. MARsH's MYSTIFIERS
THE pIss DEBAss' TRIAL BEGUN.
THE GENERALS REAL WIFE TAREs THE STAND
TO TIE SURPRISE OF NEARLY EVERYBODY.

r,,r crxrp.r,s PEAL WIFE TAREs THE STAND
TO TIE SURPRISE OF NEARLY EVERYBODY.
Tho fortunes of Ann o'DclIs Solomon, alias Edtha
L. Dlss Dcbar, being followed 10 the n'sner VIZ
bunal with no less nteres; than they attracted IN n
Tombs Police Court. The room In which judge rii
derscevc presides over General sessions r"' -
was crowded yesterday when the case for the pcopo
against the medium and her General joseph IL
Mss pebar was opened and the first evidence pre-
sented In the audience wcrc many OF tho oid Ia
mar faces that were day after day at the pro-
coeeings before Justice Kl5rcfh
The Jury box was satisfactorily filed early IN tne
forenoon ruling by Judge Gildcrsleeve that mans
religious belief or his lack OF 1t should not be prom
ncnt element in deciding his eligibility to try spirit
uallst materially expcditing the work OF choosing
Jurors William {. Root, who occupied tho FOREMAN
seat was excused BY mutual consent JACOB a,
Lewis. Hebrew who deals In clothing az NO. az
Madson-st, was accepted as Mr.. Roots SUCCESSOR
and william G. Kcllcher, produce merchant. of No.
119 East Forty sixthst elected TO the fifth seat
AL the jurymcn took the OATH
Assistant District Attorney Dos Passos made tho
opening speech for the prosecution. lie rc'ieweu
all the outstanding points OF tho oaso'
anticipated the stand that would be taken by the ae
fence, and indicated that John l. osuliivan' eA,Mh-
lister to Portugal might be implicated In the charge
of conspiracy before all was over O'Sullivan' VINO
was in court sitting near by Madame Dss Depar'
was apparently somewhat surprised. The Leading
lady smiled and nodded TO him sympatheucany.
TIE FIRST WITNESS SURPRISE"
Assistant DisrlctAttorney Davis acted as exam
Iner He called first for Mrs. Diss Debar Inc
medium started from her seat nut inc ue'ieia'
pulled her back, and the true wearer OF the name
walked ouietly past her and took her place on the
stand Mrs Diss Debar is quiet, plain old lady
strong contrast land she is not by any means the
loser BY the copaison to the Generals sham spouse
That she was called was genuine surprise ior every
body but although the defence was Wiling 10 con-
cedc and would probably have conceded, that Ammo
o'Dclia is not tho wife OF hcr re-
nnted husband the DstrictAttorney wants
TO emphasize their profession Of that relationship
to Mr. Marsh as one Of the false prctcnces by which
they gained his confidence Mrs. Diss Dollar said
that her first name Amelia and that she hved IN
Philadelphia and had borne three children to Dss
Icbar whom she identified with outStreichcd hnscr'
She had been divorced from him.
John d. Townsend began to cross-examine her. lie
asked her If her children were married yes she
said Mr. Townsend wanted to hear their names, but
the poor little woman said she didn't want their names
brought the case, and became so tmid ana ner-
yous that the runaway husband asked his counsel 10
let her of. and he dcsstcd-
The afternoon was occupied with amiable Mr..
Narshs story which Is, for the defendants, so damag
ingly Straightforward and ingenious fairy tale
reclted by child could not be told with more bellev-
ing uncon or more instructed carncStness' MT
Marshs simple, childlke faith in the powers OF MS
frcslde medium seems to be too firm to be ever dis-
turbed Like the sleeper Awakened in The Arabian
Nights story he refuses to rub the dreams out OF bis
opened eyes.
Mr.. MARsUS TESTIMONY.
IIc said he had been introduced 70 Madame In 1854
bv John L O'snlllvan. The long, detailed nature
OF the examination Of Mr. Marsh will DO understood
when It is stated that at O'Clock, the hour OF al
jourrmcnt, the course Of the narrative had not YET
brought the consplring couple into No lG6 Madison
AVE. and nothing regard to the transfer OF that prop
rty or s mortgage the vital points in tho Indictment
lad been brought ont. The time was all taken up
in recounting the experiments which led TO thar, oy
making Mr.. Marsh an nnqnestonlng adnlrcr OF inc
medium and her abilities. Mr. Marsh with sheet oil
moner showed tho court how the spoOk pictures
came and illustrated the slate-wrtng.
Judge Glderseeve-Do 1 understand you to say that
when these pictures you felt tie smell of the paint
Mr.. MaTsh--Yes sir.
Judge Gilderseeve-Beforc you saw Q mannestaaon'
Mn Marsh-Yes, sir
Davis-Up to this time. that is to say before she
had you paid Madame Tor any OF hef
manifestations
Mr.. Marsh-i gave her money from time to tme'