Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-16
CHOKER WHITE.
He Causes a Jury to Weep
With Him
By Reading Them Couple of
Goody Letters,
But His Wife Tells the Truth About
His Violence.

Her Evidence not Shaken by Cross Exam
ination. A Sad Tale of Unheard
of Abuse.
Clayton Whites legal talents were
very much in demand, yesterday, i'll
department one. In fact, Clayton
White, ESQ.,, appeared as counsel for
plain Mr.. Clayton White, accused of
very heinous offense. Under an infor-
nation filed by the district attorney he
was charged with having, on the 22nd OF
June, attempted to murder his divorced
wife, Mrs. Susan White, at her resi-
dence in Boyle Heights. Deputy Dis
trict Attorney Jesse Hardesty, after a
jury had been secured, moved to intro
duce two letters as exhibits of the prose-
cution. These letters had been written
by Mr.. White soon after his alleged
Offense. The court allowed their intro
duction, but their reading was bigger
task than the prosecuting attorney had
anticipated. In consequence, Mr.. White
offered to read them himself. And here
occurred one OF the most remarkable
scenes ever enacted in the criminal
departments of our superior court.
emotional when reading the pleadings
of his facile pencil to his wronged wife,
is not extraordinary, but that he should
have managed, while weeping copiously
over about ten closely written pages of
his own appeals to her, to get
the whole jury box a-crying, is
something that can only be compared to
the action of Panurges sheep when
they jumped into the sea, after the ram.
AS matter of fact the jurors did shed
tears, much to Mr.. Hardesty's disgust,
who had not calculated that the letters
would have ZACH rymal effect upon the
twelve good men and true. The commun-
ications were Addressed to "dear Sue,"
were apologies|from beginning to end, and
rather selfish in their tenor. He had
not intended to hurt his dear Sue and
he found no time to tell her he meant
her no harm because she ran away
screaming. He was grieved when she
struck the sidewalk, He had lost his
head when he was trying to stop her,
etc, etc. This was signed respectfully
and truly, G. White" In the next letter
he requested her for Gods sake to quit
talking to other people about what had
occurred.
Mrs. White, dressed entirely in black
and looking still weak, was placed
on the stand. She had been married
to White about twelve years and they
had had three children.
On Sunday, June %, White called at
home. She and her ex-husband met in
the dining room. White was nervous
and asked a great many questions. Mrs.
White objected to discussing matters
with him, and told him that she did
fN boua hin, ~, ha houco
The flow of language was rapid on both
sides. White was very angry, and had
fits of rolling off the sofa to the floor
laughing, crying, and making himself
very obnoxious. He accused his wife of
being the cause OF all their troubles,
etc. Mrs. White urged him to leave
and remain away. The past was to be
regretted, but it was too late to renew
old relations White said he would not
go, and asked her why she did not
leave, She replied that she had no
means and had children to care for
There was great deal of other CONVEX
sation similar in character-all bearing
on their domestic relations and the ex-
listing state OF things. Finally, to es
cape this annoyance, Mrs. White left
the room and went upon the frontporch.
White soon asked her to return into the
house that he meant her no harm.
But when she came in he told her that
she must tell who had made reports
about him. He wanted to know who
had said that he could not build up
law practice in Los Angeles because he
was insane. Then he drew pistol,
brandished it and threatened to kill her.
His rage became uncomfortable and a
desperate struggle ensued. He struck
the poor woman in the face and dislo-
Gated finger. He forced her into the
yard, grabbed her by the throat and
choked her until she was nearly lnsens-
ible. The terrorized woman did what
she could to defend herself. She thought
she was about to be murdered,
and begged for her life.
The enraged brute once more choked
her and told her that if she did not want
to be shot he would strangle her. Then
he threw her to the ground. In a
Frustrated position she was subjected to
still further ill treatment. One of the
children, boy of about II years, struck
his father in the face and forced him to
let 60 his hold on her. Neighbors,
attracted by the noise, now interfered,
and Mrs. White was carried to neigh
boris house, where it was found
that her shoulder blade was
fractured, one finger was dislocated and
that she had sustained other injuries.
DR.. Worthington testified as to the
extent of Mrs. Whitess wounds and that
she had been under t1eatmentby him for
two years for nervous disease. The
case will be resumed today.