The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-12
ACROSS THE BAY.
Scandalmongers in Attendance
ut the Pratt Case.
Looking Over New Line-An Action for
slander-Raising of School Flag.
Dedication of Church.

opened yesterday morning the curiosity
seekers and scandamOngers were in full
attendance to hear the evidence in the Pratt
divorce case. They remained until lunch
and then returned in the afternoon, but
were scarcely rewarded for their trouble in
attending or patience in waiting. except in
SO far that the defendant, Mrs. Pratt, was
in the court.
She came in before the opening of the
session, and sitting alongside her attorney,
Reddy, conversed with him in low tones
She was dressed entirely in black and wore
mourning veil. Her son and daughter,
Mrs. DIR. Aillard, and Mrs. DR.. Kenney. sat
behind her, against the lobby rail. Mrs.
Pratt sat during the examination Of the wit
nesses with her arm on the chair-arm, and
hand up to her face most of the time. Miss
Bessie Barnes was relieved from The wit
ness-stand and r. II. Lloyd was sworn.
He answered the preliminary questions OF
MIR. FOote quietly and told of visiting her at
her house as one of Pratt's attorneys on the
trial for his shooting of l.. L. Cromwell and
of having had talk of two hours with her |;
but when he as asked to tell what she told
him he declined rs an attorney to tell, un-
less ordered TO do SO by the court. He inter-
viewed her solely for the purpose of the
biltl Vi L TAIL LOT inc SNOOClHp OF DTOhWelI,
and lie would not have done thai II he had
thought he would have been compelled to
testify In any other case. Mr.. Reddy OBJ
Jected and an argument occurred between
counsel.
A CONDITIONAL RULING.
Finally the court decided that the witness
could tell what had been told him in the in
teryiew, but undrr his ruling OF the day be-
fore the defense would have the right first
to show that even the admission, II any
were made to Mr.. Lloyd, was made under
dureSs, menace, threats, etc., OF her nus
band. Under the Courts ruling Mr.. Reddy
made Mr.. Lloyd his witness and showed 10y
him that Mrs. Pratt was in bed and in
wretched condition.
she was a very sick woman" said the
witness. 1t was great effort Tor her to
talk, and she suffered continually, and so
badly that he would have to help her out OF
her sentences. Ii was distressing to him
and he several times tried TO induce her 10
allow him to go away aud come back again,
but she wanted to talk and would not let
him. He stated that what was told him dur
ing the two hours consumed III tile IN er-
view could have been told in a very few
minutes if she had been capable OF talking.
MI Lloyd vas finally excused without tell
ing any Of the supposed confession, until
further along in the case and until the
written confession is admitted or not.
Miss Barnes testified that she saw the Sc
her to write it on cards and pieces of paper.
then in a book: then to having seen DR..
Horton read il and then to having signed 1t
as Il witness. She also testified that she
heard Pratt make no threats. Pratt was
recalled and den led that he had made any
threats, but he admitted that he had in
duced Mrs. Pratt to make the so-callec con-
feSSiOn to help him In the criminal proceed
ngS against him for shooting Cromwell.
Mr.. Foote announced that lie had no
more witnesses on that branch OF the case.
Mr.. ReddY stated that the defense had
number to show that the so-called confes-
sion, IL one was made, was made under
duress. threats, etc. The case then went
over until Tuesday.
SUPERVISORS ON A SURVEY.
The County Boardtof Supervisors took a
survey yesterday with John W. Hearst and
Attorney Gibson of his proposed line around
the Oakland suburbs. The line is about
ten miles long, commencing at Smell Mound
Park, TO San Pablo avenue, down toward
Oakland few blocks, than along Forty
ii fth street. past Livermore's place, Their
NAL Vale Nursery and to ST. Mary's Catho-
lie Cemetery; thence it will curve round,
passing through LvermOre's land and DIM
gees field. to tue north of Mr.. Dingee's
residence, skirt the foothills, pass Joaquin
Miler's house and come down east OF the
Hermitage; thence along three blocks on
the old San LeandrO road in westerly d.
rection. through the Bray Tract TO San
Leaudro road. and down to Fruitvale sta
ton. The Supervisors are SAID to be favor
ably impressed.
A telegram has been received from Fresno
by Chief Of Police TonIpkns that L. b.
COvalt has been arrested there. COyalt is
wanted in Oakland on charge preferred by
the Alameda County Humane Society for
failure to provide for his three-year-old
child. Secretary Theobald of the society
started to Fresno to bring Coyalt to Oak
land.
The massive brick and concrete wall
around the County Jail has been completed
at cost of $500.
FOR LIBELoUS UTTERANCEs.
Douglas Bloom, railroad engineer, has
sued Charles NJ. Butler, fireman, to re-
cover S25, 100 damages. lie alleges that
Butler said about him: He is in the habit
of getting drunk and intoxicated while on
duty and while In charge of his locomotive,
and was so under the influence of liquor as
to be drunk on the 18th of July, 1891, while
in charge of locomotive engine, and while
he was running the same; that he fell on to
me while | was engaged in firing on said
engine" Blum states In his complaint that
the words were heard by William Mckenzie,
| Charles Wadsworth and others, and that as
a consequence Mckenzie, who is master me-
chanic OF the Southern Pacific Company,
discharged him. He alleges that the words
| of Butler are libelous.
The Fire Department has decided not to
proceed with the proposed improvements to
the engine-h0uses until it is definitely de-
eided how much the Council will allow for
| improvements. In the tax-levy ordinance
passed to print $1,000 is allowed for repairS
| to engine-houses and $1,000 for an addition
in West Oakland. The department is in
| hopes that the amount will be raised.
A man named III. Miller was brought in
on the train last evening from up the road
and taken from Sixteenth-street Depot by
| Captain Wilson in the patrol-wagon. He
was pretty badly bruised.
RAISING OF THE FLAG.
The flag-raising at the Hays District
School took place last evening amid appro-
pirate ceremonies. The flag is the hand
some large flag, 13x25 feet in size, presented
by w. j. Dingee, w. w. Camron furnishing
the pole. Mayor Chapman. Sheriff Hussey,
School Director II. T. Smith, ex-Judge Glib
son, Z. w. Corner and others were present.
A programme was carried ont and speeches
and music INDUCED in. The schO0l-nouse
is mile and quarter beyond Piedmont.
The Executive Committee of the st.
Francis de Sales Church, the new Catholic
church in course of erection on Grove and
Hobart streets, met ON Thursday evening
and arranged a programme for the cere-
monies attending the laying of the corner
stone oil the church tomorrow. pro ces-
sion with 1850 members of the Y. NJ l.,
Y. NJ. G. u. and other organizations and
members of the charge will parade. The
councils of San Francisco have all been in
vited to be present.
Peter Okersirom deserted his wife, Chris
tina, and four children three years ago and
she has concluded to have divorce from
him. The papers were filed yesterday.
LANDING OPIUM IN OAKLAND.
1t was rumored yesterday that an attempt
to land opium in Oakland on Thursday
night had been frustrated by the City
Wharfnger keeping night yigils. A hack