Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-18
INTERESTING EVENTS
Sensational Charges Against
a Young Man.
THE HOLLINGsWORTH ROBBERY.
The Mystery Solved at Last-Wil-
liams Held to Answer for
Forgery.

Three complaints were fled in Justice
Lockwood's court yesterday charging 8
young man named James Edgecomt
with the crimes of rape, seduction and
attempting to procure an abortion upon
two girls aged respectively II and IS
years. Upon these complaints, warrants
we're issued and Edgecomb was arrested
by Constable Fred. G. Smith about
o'clock yesterday afternoon at bis
shop on South Main street. He was
taken to the County Jail and turned over
to the custody of Captain Darcy until
this morning.
The complaints in question are sworn
to by F. M. Garrett, who during the
Baldwin administration was employed
in the Street Superintendent's Office of
this city, and he alleges that Edgecomb
on the 18th day of March last seduced
Miss Malta Garrett, the eighteen-year-old
daughter of complainant t. On the 10th
day of the same month the defendant is
further alleged to have committed rape
upon his first victims little sister Ella,
dR6u IL ytdIb. 1uo Oucubo Is
alleged to have been committed on the
25th day of May, upon Miss Malta. 1t
is alleged that Edgecomb became &C.
quainted with the Garrett family during
the T. onth of February last, when they
we're residing upon Hill street; and as
Mr.. Garrett, who is widower, was fire.
quently absent from home during the
evening, the young fellow became an
almost daily visitor at the house. Miss
Malta, who is a remarkably pretty young
woman, had only been acquainted with
Edgecomb about three weeks, when he,
according to Mr.. Garrett's version OF the
distressing story, took advantage of her
motherless and unprotected condition,
during the absence of her father and
little sister. and, overcoming her scruples,
seduced her. The young lady was
reticent about the affair on her
fathers return, and nothing would
probably have been heard of it had not
Edgecomb opened his victims eyes to
his true nature by assaulting her sister.
Five days after accomplishing the ruin
of Malta, Edgecomb ia alleged to have
again called at the house, to find that
the little girl Ella had been left alone by
her father and sister, who had gone out
to pay a visit. He went in under the
pretense of keeping the child company
until the return of her relatives, and he
is alleged to have committed rape ON the
younger daughter, Ella, who is but IL
years of age. Edgecomb still continued
his visits to the house for few days and
it was not until the elder girl had
discovered that she was in delicate
condition, and had informed her seducer
of it, that he stopped calling on the
CARROTS; and on the 25th of May
last he is said to have attempted the
third offense. This, however, instead of
having the desired result, only compli-
Gated matters, and finally, about ten
days ago. Miss Malta confessed to her
father that she was ruined. In the
meantime the younger child had been
taken sick, and, on examination, it was
found that she, too, had been
assaulted, and the father was in
formed of this also. For several
days in state verging on inssn-
ity, the parent of the two girls hunted
round town for Edgecomb, fully intend
ing to kill him on sight; but as the
painter kept out cf sight, Mr.. Garrett
finally concluded to put the matter into
the hands of the law, and yesterday he
swore to the complaint as stated.
The defendant, who is 26 years of age,
stated to a reporter yesterday that
Miss Malta was young woman
of easy virtue and that she voluntarily
came to his room On the night of the
10Th of March; and that she solicited
money from him. AS to the other
charges, he denies them absolutely; and
beyond these statements, refuses to have
anything to say until the matter is
brought into court.