Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-27
THE CLAY CASE.
Little Myrtle Pages Horrible
Story of Outrage.
She Claims that Rev. Daniel
Clay Committed Rape.
The Testimony Taken Yesterday Be-
fore Justice Austin.
The Aged Defendant and His Friends in
the Court ROOm-The Theory of the
Defense Is that the Charge Is
Trumped Up for the
Occasion.

| Judge Austin is now engaged In hear
ing the testimony in one of the most
disgusting cases ever ventilated in Los
Angeles court. Daniel Clay, former
minister, and over 20 years of age, is
charged with an assault to commit rape
upon the person of an 11-year-old girl
named Myrtle Page, who formerly re-
sided near San Fernando and Railroad
streets, and who during the present
month was member of the Clay house,
hold at San Pedro.
Deputy District Attorney Blades con-
Quoted the prosecution, and @. G. Ste
phens, Will Dunn and Judge Savage of
San Pedro appeared for the defense. A
number of witnesses were subponaed,
including several ladies of San Pedro.
The courtroom was crowded, but none
outside the railing could hear very
much Of the testimony.
Myrtle Page was the only witness ex-
amined. She gave her testimony in a
low voice, and the judge, lawyers and
reporters sat around the girl in circle.
The aged defendant sat directly oppo-
site the witness. Mrs. Clay was in
court, and was accompanied by three
women friends. The girl Myrtle Page
has rather pretty face, and show
ed herself possessed of more than
average intelligence for one of her age.
She related the story OF the assault
in detail. She told the same story
that she had told Mrs. Watson
and the district attorney. The witness
testified that the defendant used to
catch hold of her whenever she went in
his room and pulled up her clothes, and
that one night he came into her room
and got on the bed, The witness then
related what occurred.
The girl has submitted to several
hours of cross-examination. In answer
to questions she testified as follows:
81 told Mrs. Watson about it the first
time | met her. | am certain told my
sister, Mrs. O'Brien. She asked me if l
was telling her the truth. told her
that it was the real truth. She said
that she never knew me to tell lie. |
had nothing on but my night-dress at
the time. l washed the night-dress
myself. The Clays read all my letters,
except the last one sent to my sister.
This was the letter in which / told how
Mr.. Clay had treated me. On the night
he assaulted me he had one arm under
my body, the other one over. His face
was close to mine. and his chin was
near my chin. l was not happy at the
Clay's. / did not like my mother
turning me over to Mrs. Watson.
l wanted to live with my sister, Mrs.
O. 'Brieh. wouldn't tell story about
anybody. know that l would be pun
ished. am sure l did not fix up story
to get away from the Clays. Twas not
prepared to do anything to get away. l
was little lonesome first. did not fix
up this story to get back to my sister. l
was at the home from July 18th to Sep
tember 9th. l was at the Orphans
home twice. L will be IL years old on
the 18th of July. On the following Mon
day he again pulled me on his lap. The
first time he assaulted me | was on my
back. l tried to turn away, but was un-
able"
The case was continued until Monday
morning at $3.50 O'Clock. The attorneys
for the defense are aiming to show that
the whole story is put up job and con-
cocted by the girl to get away from the
Clay family and get back to Los Angeles.
The prosecution will, however, put on
expert medical testimony to prove that
the girl was assaulted and was very badly
injured.
Two letters written by the girl were
put in evidence. The principal one is
to her sister, In which she relates about
the assault made on her. The girl
claimed that she was unable to commu-
nicate to her sister until week after
wards, as she was unable to get the pa
per and stamp and that she wrote the
letter unknown to the Clays.