Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-16
A FALSE MARRIAGE.
An Interesting Case Tried at
Santa Monica.
The Escapade of a Thirteen
Year-Old Girl.
Anna Caskey Deceived by Pretended
Minister.
She Ran Away From Home and Was Mar
ried at Washington Gardens-The
Defendants Dismissed.

At II O'Clock yesterday morning two
brothers, named Seward and Saul
Smith, who recently took part at the
Los Angeles Athletic Club in ten-round
boxing contest, appeared before Justice
c.. G. Twichell, of Santa Monica, for
preliminary examination upon the
charge of conspiracy. The case attracted
considerable attention on account of the
sensational features in connection with
it, but on motion of the Deputy District
Attorney the hearing was held within
closed doors. The defendants were
charged with having, ON April 1st, con-
spired together for the purpose of COM
mitting rape upon thirteen-year-old
girl named Anna Caskey.
The complainant, Anna Casker, was
first called to the stand. She testified
that on Friday evening, April 1st, she
left her mothers residence and visited
the house of a friend named Agnes Col
Inns, and remained there for some time.
At 80 O'Clock, according to a precon-
certed arrangement, she met young
man named Tom A. Brooks, and was
driven by him to Los Angeles in buggy
A halt was made at Washington gar
dens, and it being a moonlight night
they sat in one OF the summer houses,
where they were joined by Seward
Smith, or some one who looked like
him, and a young man named Rockford,
whom she supposed to be clergyman.
In few moments She and Brooks were
declared to be married, and they soon
afterwards drove into town and took
room at a lodging house on New High
street. In the morning they took the
early train to Santa Barbara and rented
room there, as man and wife; but
shortly after they were arrested by Con-
stable Dexter and brought back.
On crOss-eXamination the witness
stated that she did not know where
Brooks was now; but supposed him to
be in the county Jail. The marriage
was conducted and consummated with
her consent. She was born in 1877, or
at least SO her mother had told her; but
there was no record of her birth or
batism whereby it could be proven.
Mrs. E. Caskey, the mother of the
girl stated that her daughter was born
on December 25, 1877, and had not
given her consent to the marriage of her
daughter, who had gone out on April 1st
and left home. On cross-examinatiOn
she said she was married in Gainsboro,
Pa, and had lived in this State about
eighteen months. Her husband was an
inmate of Ogden hospital at present and
knew nothing OF the trouble. The girl
was never baptised in any church and
there was no record of her birth, but she
was quite sure of the date.
Constable G. B. Dexter testified to
having arrested the girl and Brooks at
Santa Barbara, and as to having had
conversations with each of them on the
return journey, all of which was OBJ
jected to by the defense as Brooks was
not a co-defendant. The prosecution
rested at this juncture, and on motion
the defendant Saul Smith was dis
charged, as there was no evidence con-
Meeting him with the crime alleged
Anna Caskey being called for further
cross-examination, was unable to
positively identity Seward Smith as one
of the parties present at the pretended
wedding, whereupon the defense moved
the court for the dismissal of the other
defendant, but the court preferred hear
ing the defendants testimony before
ruling.
Eva Allen said she was waitress at
the @. P. saloon on Main street. On the
night of April 1st the Smith boys were
in the saloon drinking from O'Clock
until 2 a. M, when the place closed, and
they then accompanied her home.
Kitty Clifford, "a years of age, was
also waitress at the same place, and
fully corroborated everything said by the
previous witness. She added further
that late at night a youth in dark suit
and stovepipe hat came into the saloon
carrying a Bible. He got very full and
smashed his hat all to pieces, and joked
about having married "two little green
people" from Santa Monica, and when
he reeled out he left behind him small
pocket Bible, which the witness pro-
duced. She did not know who he was,
but he seemed to be having lots of fun.
On cross-examination both girls were
quite confident OF the date, because they
had been ''joshed" a good deal about
April FOOLS day.
At the close of their testimony the de-
fendants' attorney renewed his motion
to dismiss, and the court sustaining it
both were discharged.
He Tapped the PactOlean Stream.
E. Dussey came before the United
States CircIit Court Yesterday on a writ