Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-11
DONA DELFINA.
THE RESPONDENTS HAVE THEIR
INNING. 4
A Number of Prominent Citizens Testify.
The Evidence Given-The Defendants
Attorneys After Miss Meyers.

Dofia Del6na, the contestant for the
the estate of the late B. Cohn, closed
her case yesterday morning, and with
the opening of the afternoon session the
respondents to the action commenced
their effort to prove that the contest
ant is not entitled to a share in the es-
tate for the reason that she was not a
wife OF the deceased.
Sam Prayer and Mr.. Broderick were
called and questioned about a certain
paper which the contestant claims they
witnessed and which was will of the
deceased. The witnesses knew nothing
about such an instrument.
Ralph Dominguez swore that he fre-
ouently heard discussions about the re-
lationship OF Delfina and the deceased.
The general opinion seemed to be that
they were not married.
On cross examination the witness
stated that he had hunted up witnesses
in the case and had taken quite an in
terest in it. He denied that he referred
to Delfina as a prostitute, or that he
threatened witnesses in the case.
w. G. Reavis testified that in con-
versation between himself and Joe
Sepulveda the latter said Delfna was
to give him $50 for testiiying for her.
Col. G. Wiley Wells was called to tes-
tify as to the relationship between the
contestant and Cohn. He testified that
Delfna consulted him professionally
since Cohn's death, and he would not
betray the confidence placed in him.
He was B. Cohn's attorney for some
time and never heard him refer to the
contestant as his wife, In fact, Cohn
denied the report OF their marriage.
Witness said he heard prominent per-
sons discuss the relationship and men,
toned a number who referred to the
contestant as Cohn's mistress.
Placentino Leon was good witness
for the respondents. He was primed with
information cleaned from the neighbor-
hood in.which the contestantalived. He
heard the relationship discussed al a
blacksmith shop as Cohn would 60 by
on his way to the house. Those about
the shop said he was going to visit
his mistress. He couldn't remember
the names of the persons who made the
remark, neither could he tell the name
of the street on which the shop is located,
but it was within sixty feet of Buena
Vista. He heard the remarks seven or
eight years ago. When they saw Cohn
he was on his way down Buena Vista
street.
The attorneys for the respondents are
after Miss Henrietta Meyers. an i'm
portant witness for the contestant, and
introduced impeaching testimony.
Leon stated Miss Meyers was at his
house frequently, and apparently had
no other business than to discuss
Delfna. She made it habit to talk
about her. She put in all her time that
way. Witness said he picked up
Spanish paper some years ago and read
an article concerning Cohn and Del
tina. He was at Jose Sanchez's house
one night. Miss Meyers was there, as
we'll as several neighbors, men and
women. Miss Meyers insisted that wit
ness read the article aloud. He did so.
The paper related how Cohn had taken
an interest in Delfna, and recited the
relationship up to tile time she first
made claim for share in the estate.
Miss Meyers was the only person to
comment on the article. She called
Delfina all the vile names in the calen-
dar.
Another witness, at whose house Miss
Meyers lived during portion of October
and the entire month of November, 1886,
testified that her lodger told her that
she had quarrel with Delfna.
Miss Meyers said that she left Del
fna's house because the latter objected
to her relations with certain man, but
she could not see why Delfna could
have anything to say on that score.
She was angry at Delfna and referred to
her as "Cohn's woman" The witness
stated she lived on New High street for
five years, and that the contestant was
reputed to be Cohn's mistress.
On cross-examination witness swore
that she never saw Cohn go to Delphina's
house. She also testified to a converse
ton between herself, Jose Sanchez and
Henrietta Meyers regarding their
knowledge OF the relationship. She
said she had not been promised any
money as an inducement to testify. She
never talked with any one about Cohn
and Delphina as husband and wife. She
didn't hear the question discussed about
the neighborhood while Delphina lived
on Buena Vista street. She said she
heard of them living together long be-
fore Delphina moved to the Buena
Vista street house.
When the cross-eXamination was FIN
ished, court adjourned until this morn