Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-06
THE WEYSE CASE.
Testimony of the Defendant and His
Brothers.

in department 3 of the superior court
yesterday morning, and occupied the
attention of Judge Wade all day.
The proceedings commenced with the
examination of the defendant, O. g..
Weyse, who denied the statement made
by his wife and sister-in-law relative to
his having quarreled with the former at
Staten island, at which time they al
legged that he smeared her face with a
rotten orange and struck her at picnic.
He denied that such scene as had been
described by his wife. during a thunder
storm, had occurred between them, and
it was not true that she gave birth to a
child next morning. In short, the wit
ness denied each and every statement
made by his wife, except that in regard
to the College street trouble. He
going to the postoffice one dav
he found letter in the box, which he
at first supposed to be addressed to the
firm. He learned, however, on opening
it, that it was written to his wife by her
sister. He taxed his wife with decep-
ton when he reached home, but she dis
claimed all knowledge of the subject re-
ferred to in the letter. She subsequently
acknowledged that she had deceived
him and that she did not love him. He
lost his temper and slapped her face,
telling her she was ''no better than a
strumpet." He regretted his hasty
action immediately. and, apologizing for
it, begged her forgiveness and it was
then and there agreed that neither
should ever refer to the matter again.
That, he declared, was the first and only
time he ever struck his wife.
During the afternoon session Henry
Weyse, younger brother of the defend
ant, was examined. He stated that he
remembered the occasion of Mrs.
Weyse's sudden departure about mid
night one night in July. Hearing his
little nephew screaming he rushed up
stairs, and found the boy in bed. He
was crying bitterly and said: 'My little
mother has gone" The witness saw
note lying upon the table, but did not
open it then, as he was busily engaged
in pacifying the child. After the boy
had been taken away to his aunt he
opened the note, which was written in
pencil, and read its contents. His bro
ther and sister we're both awakened by
the noise, but Rudolph would not get
up, saying, when told OF the cause, that
it was "a pretty how'd ye-do." The
witness identified note introduced as
evidence as the one he found in the
| room.
On cross-eXamination he said that he
accompanied Mrs. Weyse to France in
1886, as her health was not very good at
that that time. She was not seasck on
the voyage, which was taken in the hot
weather, because the passage was very
calm one. She had two attacks of hys-
terra while there, but the witness was
unable to say whether these were the
result OF fatigue and exhaustion or not.
The witness admitted having had
seven interviews with Keys about the
case, and that Jones was present at each
of them, as he wanted to meet the tes-
timony which Keys was expected to
give. Jones went down to Orange
county to see Keys at the defendants
instigation, and succeeded in inducing
him to come up to Los Angeles and
make a statement of what he knew of
the case.
Speaking of the relations of the family
to Mrs. Weyse, the witness said that his
sisters, brother and himself all lived to-
gether in the same house; that his sis
ters were not on speaking terms with
Mrs. Weyse, but that he was. His
brother, Rudolph, was afraid that if
Mrs. Weyse returned she and her hus-
band would join forces land knock him
out of his rights" The witness en-
phatically stated that he never saw his
brother strike or abuse his wife at any
time.
Rudolph G. Weyse, another brother
of the defendant, testified that he had
known the plaintiff for ten or eleven
years past and was present at her mar
riage to his brother, which was done by
contract. He came to California soon
after the wedding and did not see his
brother for over year after
wards. He and his brother were
never very intimate, and in fact
had not spoken to each other for a
long time, although Mrs. Weyses sister
was his wife. He never heard of his
brother abusing his wife until he accom-
panied Mrs. Weyse to Attorney Doom
er's Office. He then interpreted her
story to the lawyer and the first COM
plant was drawn and filed. Mrs.
Weyse went to France, where she re-
malned Tor two years, until called back
on business. She and the witness and
his brother were partners in business at
IiidC ClulC, anu Ullc ldGuST uldUc an as
signment. The witness wrote to Mrs.
Weyse for a lease on some property
but she replied that she could not sign
one without her husbands consent.
Finally, however, at her suggestion he
consulted her attorney, Dooner, and
secured "cut-throat' lease. He heard
that her husband was going to take the
children, and after consulting lawyer,
learned that unless she secured divorce
she could not prevent their father from
keeping them in his custody.
When they visited Dooner at his
Office, the attorney asked Mrs. Weyse
on what grounds she wished to
secure her divorce. She stated that her
husband had slapped her once, but
Dooner said that was not sufficient, she
must make it strong if she wished to
win her suit. She then stated that her
husband had knocked her down and
dragged her by her hair. The witness
told her that it was no use lying like
that, for no one would believe that a
consumptive could do that. In spite of
the witness protests, however, the COM
plant was drawn.
M. Goldschmidt was examined as to
certain conversations he had had with
Mrs. Weyse, and Detective A. B. Law
son detailed the circumstances of his
connection with the case, after which
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