Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-05
CAPT. GARRETT'S CASE.
Malta Repeats the story OF All Hel
wrongs.

Malta Repeats the story OF All Her
wrongs.
Yesterday was mostly taken up in
Department No. 6 Of the Superior Court,
before Judge Cheney, with the great
case of the people against Capt. F. M.
Garrett, charged with the crime of incest,
alleged to have been committed on the
person of his alleged natural daughter,
Malta Garrett, or as she is now called
since her recent marriage, Mrs. Edg-
comb. w. Williams aud Major Horace
Bell appeared for the defense, and the
State was represented by Mr.. McC omas
and s. M. Peyton. ALI the morning was
consumed in securinga jury, as follows:
w. G. McMulleL, J. r. Summers, D.
Jones, W. O. Swan, j. A. Cline, A. A.
Fall. w. A. Field, J. X. Denny, Fl. A.
Robertson. G. B. Crist, II. ]. Blee and
William Behme.
The first witness called for the State
was Malta Edgcomb. She had sat In the
courtroom ell the morning by the side of
her husband and Mrs. Daniels, the lady
who has come here from New Orleans
in order to swear that Captain Garrett lie
the father of Malta. At the outstart an
attempt was made to show the relations
of the defendant to his child at an early
period CT her life, and prior to their COM
ing to the State of California. 1t was
ruled by the Court that no inquiry
could be prosecuted as to any events
happening outside of this State and
county. This limits the story to the past
two and half years. Mrs. Edgcomb
stated who she is and that she
now lives at No. 201 Alpine
street with her husband. She stated
that she told her story of how her
father wronged her to the Mayor of st.
Louis years ago when she was only
child. When they came to Los Angeles
they lived first in rooms in house at
the corner of Fourth and Spring streets.
The house was kept by Mrs. Crittenden.
They moved from there to house on
Clay street. Then Captain Garrett went
on q visit to Detroit, and she was left at
the house of Mrs. Crittenden. On her
fathers return they went to live on Clay
street again. Garrett brought little Ella
back with him. He and Malta had come
Francisco awhile. Thenthey came here.
hIt6I hWullo buoy IcHioNOu iIouu Olhy
street and lived on Fourth street at
house kept by Mrs. Fitzgerald. They
next moved to a house on vir-
gin street, then to Spring between
Third and Fourth streets. From this
place they went to live on Hill street,
and from there to the corner of Myrtle
and Eighth streets. Malta swore posi-
lively that at each and all these places
her father at divers times had knowledge
of her. At some Of these places they oc-
cupied the same room and the same bed
for periods Of longer or shorter duration.
By her story it was common thing for
him to be with her. That is her direct
story in nutshell.
Malia's history and her story before
her arrival in Los Angeles is so we'll
known that readers of the papers are
familiar with all the details Of the revolt.
ing record.
On cross.examination Mr.. Williams
directed his efforts in the main to show
ing the inconsistency of this story
with others she told previously. Before
any one suspected that there was any.
thing wrong between the girl and her
father she had gone to the District
Attorneys Office and sworn to the COM
plaint charging Edgcomb with seduction.
The details of what she swore to then
were called to her attention. She said she
could not recall all she said in that com.
plant, but she stated generally that
whatever she swore to then was at the
dictation of her father. She alleged
that Captain Garrett told her to swear
Edecomb violated her person; that he
was the first and only one
who had touched her; that he
h ID thrown her violently to the floor and
broken a chair. Garrett said he would
swear to finding the chair broken,
and to his mending it. Garrett, she
saye, put her up TO swear Edgcomb not
only seduced her, but attempted to pro-
her to burn the bed and house; to take
duce an abortion on her that he wanted
some money and mass of other matters
che alleged "pspa" instigated her to.
When asked why she swore to such
statements against an innocent man,
she said she Was afraid of her "papa."
She expected at some future time to get
from under "papa's" influence, and
then she would tell the truth. She
brought out all this story with reluctance
and only to protect herself from
her father. She was told that if he ever
got her into his hands again he would
Hn~ xvharo mk,a ~os1Id s,ava~ bn hoard