Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-26
THE FLAG COTTAGE.
The Trial Commenced Before JUS
tfce Austin.

| The Trial Commenced Before JUS
ttce Austin.
| The case OF the people against Charles
and Maud Mccormack, charged with
keeping a house of i'll fame, known as
the Flag Cottage, occupied the attention
of Justice Austin all day yesterday.
Forty jurymen had been summoned by
the constable of the court, and these,
with the numerous witnesses, and the
spectators, filed the courtroom to such
an extent that many were obliged to
stand. The selection of jurors satistac-
tory to both sides of the case was not
concluded until 2 O'Clock in the after
noon. Shortly before noon it was discov-
cred that the complaint, which charged
that the house had been kept by defend
ants between April 20, 1888, and April
10, 1889, was endorsed filed April 22d,
when in reality it was filed April 10,
1889, thus bringing it within the statute
OF limitations. The Deputy District At
torney moved to have the endorsement
corrected, and this was objected to by
the attorney for the defense. After con-
sidering the matter during the noon re-
cess, Justice Austin allowed the motion
to correct.
The first witness for the prosecution
was D. w. Sexton, who testified as fol-
lows 81 am farmer, and know both
defendants, I had conversation about
March LIST, with Mr.. Mccormack, who
occupied the Flag Cottage for two years.
Mr.. Mccormack came to me and asked
me to buy lot. did not want the lot,
and he said that he kept the Flag Cot
tage. 1t was a first class house OF its
kind, he said. asked him if there were
not a good many bad characters who
visited there, and he said that the house
was visited by business men, travelling
men, railroad men and sporting men,
who brought other mems wives with
them and had of good time. l
asked him if they did not have anything
else than a good time, and he replied
that they had good time. 1 said that
men don't 90 to such places for a good
time alone, and in reply he said that
when they went to their rooms he did
not 90 in to see what they did. He said
it was profitable business, and that his
house was good of its kind, but he adj
mitted that it might have bad influence
on young people. l hoped he would dis
continue it,"
An objection vas made to testimony as
to the general reputation of the house.
The objection was overruled and the
witness, continuing, said: The reputation
of the Flag Cottage is bad. 1t has the
name of being house OF illfame.
Cross examined: Am not preacher,
but have tried once or twice to exhort.
1t was back in 1864 or 1865. did not
make inquiries about the house. Two
young men took me to see some lots,
and they pointed out the Flag Cottage,
and l asked them what the character OF
the house was, and they told me. This
was when l first came here. l did not
know what they meant when they said
the house was the Flag Cottage, 30 l
asked them. They said it was bad
place, and that men and women went
there to drink and have good time. 1t
is the general opinion in the neigbbor
hood that it is house of ill-fame. l
went to the Flag Cottage once to look for
a young lady who was running from the
university. went with some other
parties. 1t was about II O'Clock
at night. rang the bell. Mr..
Mccormack came to the door and said
she was not there. The father was sat
isfied and we went away. We saw no
one except Mr.. Mccormack. He pro-
posed that We search the house to see if
| she was there. l saw nothing there to
indicate that it was house of ill-fame.
l saw no women there. 1 have had
three or four talks with Mccormack
about the matter. l thought the place
should be abated and am in favor of
closing such places down. would not
have such places licensed. l have a
family living a quarter of mile away
from the cottage and it is not very pleas
ant for my daughter to have parties pass
along the road singing their vulgar songs.
l never heard of my son proposing to a
young man named Warner, in butcher
shop, to get man to take lot of prosti-
tutes there in order to prove it to be a
house Of ill-fame. l did not inquire
whose wives we're taken to the Flag Cot
tage by the drummers."
Upon the conclusion of the evidence of
this witness, the case was continued un-
til tomorrow morning.