The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-01
THE JOHN CORT CASE
Bringing Ont Further Details
Last Night.
IMPORTANT MAnDAMus SUIT.
~-..1 Alleged in . Civil suit-Men Seek
s.r IN. sevsrine Of Matrimonial
ries-rhs BIettsr.
IMPORTANT MANDAMus SUIT.

sensation loving court hangerson got their
an sr.in last at the hearing in the Cort habeas
co-rns case before Judge uchtenberg. The
80 royt,op of evening was occupied in the
-. rr~.r,,rstinn OF Charles Thorndyke by
800. .s,o,nev Mr. Gilman was pushing the
vitnss. quite hard. was twisting him on the
vsrt and having considerable fun at Thorn
AVE-. erpenee. Finally Mr.. Fishback, OF coun-
Tel for Ma cort, interposed an objection, and
charged his opponent with making play to
the gallery.
nj, brouxhs Mr. Gilman to his feet, and shak-
a.. ~ 6uesr ct the opposing lawyers, he ex-
.,str.ed. sIs ID not true that am making a
-, q the gallery. viii not allow myself to
g insulted. am entitled to the protection of
shis court, and should not be unfairly treated
- suv man In this court who calls himself q
lawyer and gentleman"
Matters looked little squally for q moment,
Int his honor poured little oil on the troubled
IersI waters. and the examination proceeded.
Thorndyke was severely cross-examined,
especially by counsel for John Cort. Said he in
subssance: al got three letters from Mrs Cort
and wrote one 10 her II was a friendly letter.
such q no one would be ashamed of. called
Ct Mrs. Cort's when Ida Myers was there, but
was never left alone with Mrs. Cort was in
vited in one night TO lunch. objected, but the
ladies' insisted. / went in and left about I
o'clock. The ladies told me not to hurry. /
went across the street to the grocery and saw .
man whom thought to be drunk or q burglar
went back and informed Mrs. Oort to bolt the
house. / never called when Cort was at home
On the night OF the expose I did not know
whether Cort would or would not be at home"
The witness admitted that there was no light in
the perlor but said that he could see Mrs. Cort
and she him. The night of the expose he did
not leave the house early because
Mrs. Cort was afraid to be left alone.
The witness admitted that he knew Cort, but
never thought 1t necessary to speak to the hus-
band about bis (Thorndyke's) visits. Witness
then detailed the occurrence of the night when
Cort and Baker surprised him, and by painful
stages the old nauseating story was extracted
about Cort's treatment of the Witness his blows
and threats, aud his being thrown out into the
street.
l1 Thorndyke, mother OF Charles, who has
ben living in Seattle most of the time since
lSd2. was next put on the stand. She Is very
lepectable looking woman, and gave her testi-
nony In modest and genteel manner. She tes-
died that she knew the Corts quite well, had
gotten acquainted with Mrs. Cort by doing sew
ing for her. Mrs. Cort gave witness three pict-
ures Of herself.
At this stage Mr. Deverchere, father of Mrs.
Cort, was recalled and testified that he called to
zee Mrs. Thorndyke but denied that he stated to
an. Thorndyke that Mrs. Cort had never been
married TO Cort He said that he told Mrs.
fhorndyke that he knew Mrs. Cort was married,
Ind II he though t she was not that Cort should
De made to marry her or he would kin cort.
Witness said that Mrs. Thorndyke had stated
hat the intimacy was Mrs. Corts, and not her
ION Charles fault.
Mra vhnruHyka ~aonltoS Or. .+.&~A A. "A
Deverchere called TO see her and wanted to
NOW about the trouble, and that the old man
had said that Mrs. Cort was not married to Cort
Mrs. Cort never came to the house after Charlie
Mrs. Cort told her that abe and Cort
were not married before the second
.hild was born. She thought Mrs. Cort
has been most excellent mother,
10 the children. On cross-examination stated
hat she was intimate and friendly with Mrs.
cort. despite the fact that she knew she was the
mistress, and not the wife, of John Cort Wit
hess admitted that she had told Deverchere that
she blamed Mrs. Cort for allowing Charlie to
all. Witness stated that her son was not often
'ut late at night. She knew of Charles habits,
because she sleeps in same room with him.
Charlie is about p years of age, and has given
her all his wages for the last seven. years.
Mrs. White, John Cort's mother, test ifiedthat
Mrs. Cort had been a good mother TO the chill
she cited an instance where
Mrs. Cort had inflicted corporal punishment on
,ne Of the children. The child had done nothing,
,nly Mrs. Cort was mad. She did not think Cort
would be good man TO care for children, As he
aid not know anything about it. Mrs. White
Daid her husband was q Presbyterian minister
knd they had always tried to get Cort to go out
Of the theatrical business. She said that she saw
Mr.. Cort give Eddie beer. and always objected.
Gf,x& Nod 1t.1 h.
that they could desire. Mrs. Cort ruled the
house. No matter what Cort would say, Mrs.
Cort always had her own way. In reply to the
question, a. TO who between Mr.. and Mrs. Cort
should have the custody of the children, the
witness was puzzled. She admitted Cort could
not care properly for them.
Mrs. Cort was called and testified that on the
night OF the expose she wore e tea gown sewed
MP all the way in front and that the dress could
not have been opened in front. The judge de-
eided TO have Mrs. Cort put on the dress in
curt this morning and explain it that way.
Witness continued that she never addressed
fhorndyke in any Of the three letters as "Dear
The reason she wrote was to find
out how badly Thorudyke was hurt She never
thought of or said anything about poisoning
Cort or anybody else. In regard TO the beer she
had allowed the bow to sip drop or two of beer
ont OF the fathers glass Cort treated
tne Cnliufeu wei Wneu IN u good nnfnor ana
not fun He came home in that condition FREE
puently. One time he came home and tore her
dress off He mado q practice of drinking in the
evening. The witness used To ask him why he
had 10 make q swill-barrel of himself 10 make
money. He said il was the quickest and
easiest way Mrs. Cort then gave pretty thor
ough explanation as 10 the science of box
rustling. and stated that Cort brought her out
10 rustic boxes for him, and make money for
him to be n manager. Mrs. Cort said that she
made poor success as a box-rustler. Cort was
! variety performer when the witness first met
him. The witness saw Cort's wife at Chicago.
cort said he was not married but Others said he
was
The hour of IL having arrived. the court
over until $50 o'clock this morning
His honor said that the case must be finished by
tonight at the latest
Thorndyke escorted his mother home after she
had been relieved, and then returned to his seat
hear Mrs. Cort ana her attorneys. lie seemed in
excellent spirits. He smiled boldly on his
friends. and seemed proud OF the unenviable
aotorlety into which the Cort case has
thrust him.
THE AUSTIN MANDAMUS CASE.