Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-08
THE PARSONS SCANDAL.
commencement oil The Investigation
Before Commissioner Pratt.
ANNIE PRISDLE's TESTIMONY.
Her Allegations of Misconduct Against
Tie Marshal.-rhe Witness
Cross-ESamined
ANNIE PRISpLE's TESTIMONY.

Three O'Clock yesterday afternoon
was the hour set for the investigation
by U. =. Commissioner Pratt into the
charges preferred by u. .. District At
torncy varian lat the request Of Chiei
Justice Zane) against u. ). Marshal
Parsons. The complaint, as filed, mp
pearcd In full In yesterdays NEWS
TIE healing Is taking place In the
Commissioners Court room, In the
Hooper block. Among the iirst to ar
rive on The scene yesterday af,er-
noon were District Attorney Varian
and his assistant, Mr.. +. Il. Ste
phens, by whom the prosecution
IN being conducted. Next came
Marshal Parsons, the defendant, who
until his attorneys put In an appear.
ance, some twenty minutes later,
passed the time In walking restlessly
to aud fro, and occasionally converting
with others present. His manner
showed unmistskably the anxiety
which he feels In the proceedings In
which he is called upon TO play 30
prominent part. It was nesrly $3.50
when the defendants counsel, Messrs.
Rawlins and Critchlow ami Judge
Henderson came In. They at once
expressed u desire 10 peruse the doposi
ions OF the two women, Prlndle and
Faulkner, which had been taken
during the morning, u request u
which the commissioner Ut OHce
hcceded. Accompanied by the marshnl,
the three attorneys proceeded TO u
private apartment TO pefuse them, and
were absent nearly half an hour. Upon
their return the inquiry began, 1t be.
Ing now after I o'clock. The witness
Annie prlndle was then called 10 the
stand. She was extremely pale and
nervous, hut gave her answers, on the
whole, i.ia clear and strnig htforward
manner, though her voice was 30 low
at times ~ to be almost inaudible,
neccssltatlng the call for her 10 "spcak
up"
Mr. RawlIns first asked that all wit.
neHes bc excluded from the court
room; aud the commissioner so or
dered.
Miss Prindle was then called 10y Mr.
VRrian. On being sworn she said her
Rge was twenly-iour, and she Was born
IN Minnesota. She was "A trained nurse
by profession and had been 10 engaged
about four Year,. She came to Utah
year ago last May. She had been In
the penitentiafy since September .2nd,
having been sentenced by Judge Zane
10 six months imprisonment Tor a.
sault with n deadly weapon, 20 which
she pleaded guilty. On this dsy,of sen.
tence she was taken 10 the peniten,iary
late Ia tue afternoon. From the court
room she went " Judge Powers office
anu from thence was taken Into Mar
sinai Parsons private Office, where sbe
had n conversation with the marshal,
having been Introduced 10 him by
Warden NandercoOk. She remained
In the maishhl'H office about an hour
and hall. The marshal remarked
CONTINUED the wituess) that he was
sorry to see me go 10 the lrniientiary,
hut promised he would do what hu
could 10 make the confinement there
pleasant. lie also said he wished Il
was optional for him 10 send me 10 IN.
IenitentiATy or keep me In town,
where lac could look after me. lie then
ordered his horse and buggy aud start.
ed to drive me out. lie said that he
had relatives living near the peniten.
tiary, aud my attorney having asked |
him TO do what he could for me, lac |
would let me stay with them. lilo |
stated that he wanted ~ be friend 10 !
mo after my term had expired, aud |
more than friend 10 me during my |
imprisonment. lie then took liberties |
with me, which | regarded rs very im.
proper.
MIR. Varian-Woll, what did he do?
Witnets-He kissed mo ana en-.
braceu me.
Mr.. varlan-What did you DO?
Witness--l pushed him away. He |
took me TO Mr.. Geysey'- house that
night and the next day went to the
penitentiary. On the sunday follow
Ing he camu 10 the pcnitcntiary and |
stopped me rs | was coming out Of tho
wnrdcn's office He said he had wanted
10 see ms but was too busy 10 come out.
lie then kissed me aud embraced me,
acted rudely, anu said he wanted 10
get AT me M soon NJ possible. The next
time ] saw him he came 10 MIR. Gey.
tey's house. | was In the kitchen, aud
he served me In the same manner "A
at the penitentlary. Ho said ne knew
when the Geysey's were away from
home, aud he Intended 10 come out
on such nm occasion aud have me stay
with him. told him not TO do II or
there would "sure be trouble" A week
or two later | came to town with the
marshaPs permission TO see my mother
aud have some work done bymy dentist.
After Attending TO this, went TO the
marshal'a private office. There were
number OF people going In and out.
When there was no one there he took
me on his knee and held me 10 him.
kissed and caressed me, and again
acted rudely. Mr.. Geysey came In and
the marshal sent him out GU an errand.
Then | went across the room and sat
on the lounge. He then came up To
me, exposed himself, disarranged my
clothing aud made grossly Indecent pro.
P0snls. As soon as could, | left his
oflice, aud went out into the corridor,
where | remained for some time, aud
then went out 10 the penitentlnry with
Mr.. Geysey. Afterwards | told the
warden OF the assaults made upon me
by the marshal. Later the warden
told me that he had positive order for
me 10 20 to Geysey's. | said that
rather than 20 there | would be locked
up, aud | went into cell and was
locked H.. About week later, was
taken quite sick, and was confined 10
my bed for week. During that time
the marshal came In with Or. Smith
hnd remained In my cell until the
doctor went out. Then he put his
hand under the bed clothes, kissed me
aud eaid he was sorry to see me sick.
This rpDeutpu miscuuduct Of Marshal