Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-11
THE FIRST AIRING.
Mrs. EdgcOmb Tells of Her
Life of Shame.
THE GARRETT CASE IN COURT
Malta EdgcOmb Examined in Justice
LOckwood's COurt-Payt0n AS
sists the District Attorney.

shocked the good people of Los Angeles
the Social Purity League, deploring the
state of morals existing in the city, came
up for its first public airing in Justice
Lockwood's court yesterday morning
On the arraignment there had been a
seuabble between the attorneys over the
attempt of outside counsel to assist in the
prosecution. District Attorney Kelly
had made the statement that he believed
the charges trumped up, and Attorney
S. NJ. Payton, retained by Mr.. and Mrs,
Edgcomb, was bent upon pushing the
case against Garrett vigorously. No de-
cision had been reached as to Mr. Pay
toms right to prosecute, and when the
case was called yesterday that question
bobbed up, and occupied the entire fore
noon session.
w. T. Williams appeared for Garrett,
and Captain McComss represented the
District Attorneys office. Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Edgcomb we're in court.
Captain McComss opened by stating
that be understood that there had been
an application made by Mr.. Payton to
assist IN the prosecution; that the case
had not been instituted by the District
| Attorneys office, out by outside
parties. Assistant District Attorney
| Marble did not see how as
sociate counsel could be allowed to
assist the District Attorney to prosecute
without his consent, in a criminal case.
There was no personal objection to Mr..
,E1,, h,,F ha rot hxy EA,,
comb, whom Garrett was prosecuting for
count. Captain McComas thought that
the case was instituted to enable Edg.
| comb to escape; that Garrett was being
persecuted, and not prosecuted.
MIR. Payton claimed the right 10
prosecute without the District Attorney e
consent. He was possessed of the facts
of the case, and the District Attorney
was not Mr.. Kelly had taken no pains
to investigate. He did not want the case
against Garrett pushed, for reasons
which he did not care 10 state.
AD adjournment was here taken till
half past !, and shortly after that hour,
Mrs Edgcomb, nee Malta Garrett, the
prosecuting witness, was put on the
stand. Mrs. Edgcomb was dressed very
becomipgly in light silk gown, and
wore black gauze bonnet, with red
roses. She looked pretty but sad as she
took the stand, and che seemed much
relieved when Justice Lock wood ordered
the court cleared of all but attorneys
and reporters. Captain McComas and
Mr.. Payton soon bridged over their diff.
culties, and he Court agreed to recog'
nize both. 1t was arranged that Captain
McComas should conduct the examina
ton and consult with Mr.. Payton.
After generalities as to when hei
alleged criminal intercourse with hel
father began, the counsel confined his
questions to her residence in Los hhse
les and to those instances of the crime
alleged to have been committed re-
Gently.
Mrs. Garrett repeated the story of hsr
fathers first brutality, which occurred
in st. Louis while Garrett was living
with Susie Sheridan, and of which che
informed the Mayor. She had lived in
Los Angeles with Garrett about two and
a half years. They had lived first on
Clay street, then on Court street, and
finally on Hill street. In 1887, in No.
vember. they had lived with q Mrs.
Quiglan on Clay street. They re.
manned there from one to three months,
and had occupied the came bed. Dur.
ing this time they stayed a week in q
room in the Breed block, sleeping in the
same bed. During this time Garrett
bad always int oduced her as his daugh.
ter, and she had never heard
anything to the contrary. In the
month of January of this year, and
at all times up TO that date, Garrett had
had criminal intercourse with her, and
/ had frequently visited her in her bed at
night While she was sleeping with her
/ little sister Z la.
! She had been criminally intimate with
Edgcomb for four months previous to
their msrriage-how many times she
/ did not know. Garrett had stopped
visiting her last April because she had
contracted venereal disease from Edg-
comb. Garrett had been angry when he
heard of this, ard said that sit was her
own fault" She had visited DR.. Rover
for relief from the disease.
Captain McComas attempted to intro.
duce the letter written by Malta to Edg-
comb while at Mrs. Watson's q year ago.
but it was ruled out by the Justice.
Captain McComas-Why didn't YOU
expose your father during the time he
Was having this intercourse with you?
Winess-Becau l wasn't strong and
couldn't work. / didn't have anyone
to take care OF me then; now l have.
would ra'her die than lead a life of
shame, and had no other course than
to make the best of it.
| Captain McComas-State what threats
your father used when you said you we're
| going to tell.
Witne-s-He said "Yes, go and tell.
What will you do? You can't be kept
woman; you amt that kind, and YOU
can't be woman of the town, for you
would soon die" When said I'd have
him punished, he said that he yonld
prove that he wasn't my father. That
wasn't very long ago. He told me that
when we were out walking. asked him
why he treated me as he did, and he said
to let me know that l wouldn't have to
go TO other men.
Captain McComas here turned the
witness over to the defense, but Mr.. Paw
| ton jumped to his feet and said that he
| was not through yet. He wanted To
ask other questions. Captain M,Co-
mas retorted that he was conducting the
examination, and hot words follovad
thick and fast. The lawyers were oni.
eted finally by the Court, who i'm posed a
| fine Of $40 each upon them, and the ex-
| animation continued.
The witness repeated the story of the
abortion performed upon her by Garrett
If the methods used to procure miscar.