Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-24
THE JAMES TRIAL.
tcoNIEUED FROM SECOND PAGE. I
Evening session.

Evening Session.
| The evening session, which was
opened by prayer by DIR. Cobb, proved
very interesting. Mrs. James, the wife
OF the defendant, testified as follows:
Three weeks ago Mr.. James came
into my room at the parsonage and asked
me If was ready to go away with him
on the 7 80 train. | said no. We had
arranged to 60 away and get divorce,
but no time had been set for our depar-
ture. No, | was not ready. He was
disappointed and indignant at this. I
was in bed at the time and he said that
must get up and 60 with him. 1 told
him that would not. He came up and
stood by the bedside and said: "Well i.
settle it yourself, but / will kill you il
you don't" at the same time taking up a
chair and threatening to strike me.
| Then promised him that would do all
| he wished me to do. | promised this
because I vas afraid he would kill me il
didn't. There were some bottles of
medicine on top of the drawers, one con-
tanning poison. He said if he had killed
me he would have taken it SO as 60 have
killed himself also.
A letter was then shown from James to
his wife, containing protestations of love
and eliminating himself by admitting
that he had given caresses and kisses to
others, also by intimating that he had
threatened to kill her. The exact words
we're: 81 had to keep away from you, or
would have committed suicide or mur-
der"
Continuing, Mrs. James said: 'sMy
husband did not sleep in my room the
night before this happened. My sister
heard him threaten me, and called to
him to be careful. He had threatened
me several times before, but had never
gone to such extremes. He put his hands
roughly on me once before in the
kitchen"
This evidence was objected to be the
defence.
Continuing her statement, Mrs. James
said: "I went to the city with him the
day of this trouble. Mr.. James
was in such q condition that
l dared not disobey him.
was afraid of my life, and for the last
few weeks have been afraid of him. I
came down the Sunday following, and
Mr.. James was sick of nervous prostra-
tion, which he always got when he could
not have things his own way.
A. L. Fell, at whose house Mrs. James
is now staying, was the next witness
called by the prosecution. His evidence
was as follows: "I am a member of the
Long Beach Methodist Church, and one
of its official Board. In the latter part
of last February Brother James came to
my house and told me he wanted Mrs.
James to sign some paper. He said that
if she would not he would call the off
cial Board, offer his resignation, drive
her out of the house and not give her
any of the children. He further stated
that if she undertook to get any of the
children he would shoot her down. His
manner was such that she feared he
would go crazy and do her karm."
Mr.. Fell then stated that Mrs.
James is now stopping at his
house, being fearful of violence.
He gave as an instance: "Laet night
when he was ont playing croquet, her
husband called and wanted to see his
children. She was putting them to bed
at that time, and sent word that Brother
Pollard was her adviser, and that she
would be guided by his Instructions.
Brother Pollard told her not to let James
see them. whereupon James told him that
they were as much his children as they
were hers. She saw him through the
WlAuOWy 6hu AuOW Wy LIS hOtlOAo tuat
he meant to do harm to her. She knew
this because she was well-acquainted
with his habits.n
AT this stage the Rev. Mr.. Bovard, the
Prosecuting Attorney, said he would rest
his case, believing that the evidence al
ready adduced, was sufficient to cause
James to be suspended until the meeting
of the annual Conference.
The President then adjourned the
meeting until o'clock this morning,
when the testimony for the defense will
probably begin.
Mr.. Bovard stated that he withdrew
the prosecution at this stage, because he
did not wish to enter into the salacious
details, too filthy for mention.
He considered the case strong enough as
it stood. 1t is expected that the testi-
mony for the defense will be concluded
this afternoon. The general impression
is that James will be suspended. The
proceedings were kept very secret. Dur
ing the evening session, patrolmen
walked around the room where the COM
mite was holding the examination, to
keep away all newspaper men and out
siders who desired to hear the testimony.
the HERALD reporter, however, sue
eeeded in obtaining the above report.