Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-26
A SINGULAR WITNESS.
mrs. Culver Changes Her MIND
About Her Husbands Guilt.

About Her Husbands Guilt.
Willard Culver, of Compton, was ex-
amined before Justice Lockwood yester-
day on the charge of attempting to pro-
duce an abortion. The case against him
has been continued several times, for the
reason that the complaining witness, who
is his wife, could not be found. The
examination was held with closed doors.
The testimony for the prosecution was
taken under very peculiar circumstances
The only witnesses were Culver's wife
and her sister, Miss May Stevens. The
case practically rested on the evidence
which was given by Mrs. Culver alone
She could not be compelled to testify
and as she has experienced a considera
BILE change of heart since the complaint
was sworn out, it was very difficult to get
any testimony from her. The complaint
included the name of DIR. Downs, who was
concerned in the affair, and who, it would
appear from the direct testimony of Mrs.
Culver and the indirect of several other
people, is guilty of a more serious crime
than the one charged. The authorities
were unable to capture him, and he is
supposed to have left the State.
Mrs. Culver began her testimony with
the assertion that she would not say one
word which would tend to criminate her
husband. She was very mad, she said
whenshe had the complaint sworn out
but she had forgiven Culver now and
they were reconciled. The District At.
torney asked few general questions
to which she replied saying that she had
resided at Compton for seven years, and
had been married to the defendant three
years.
When the District Attorney began tc
ask about the circumstance OF the crime
the woman broke down and began to cry
and declared that she would not say any
thing at all about her husbands connec
with the affair. DIR. Downs had giver
her some drugs in the shape of pills
Her husband had induced her tc
take them and she did 80, with nc
particular result. Some days later the
doctor undertook, by surgical operation
with some instruments, to produce the
desired result. The husband was moi
present, but he had advised that she al
low the attempt to be made.
Mrs. Culver persisted in the statement
that her husband was not to blame, but
she admitted his completely in the affair.
When she left the stand she had given
enough testimony to justify the Court in
ordering the defendant held. The sister,
Miss May Stevens, did not add much
that had bearing on the case. She had
had conversation with the defendant in
which he admitted that he and his wife
had talked the matter over and decided
that the operation had better be per-
formed, as the children were both so
young. This witness testified with regard
to the outrage which DR.. Downs was &C.
cused of committing upon her sister. In
a number of particulars her testimony
served to corroborate that of Mrs. Culver.
Mr.. PeytoD, attorney for the defense,
moved to dismiss the complaint on the
ground that it had not been proven, but
the Court denied the motion. The de-
tense offered no testimony. Justice
Lockwood ordered that Culver should be
held to answer to the charge to the Su-
perior Court and his bail was fixed at
$500. He also remarked that it was
evident the nature of the case was such
that the complaining witness might be
induced to leave the country. He there
fore also ordered that she should file a
bond of $400.