The morning call., 1891-09-26
ACROSS THE BAY.
A Respite in The Pratt Divorce
Case Until Tuesday.
Suicide Of Fred Bsntley-Mrs, Crews Demand
for Homestead -Centerville Will Have
the Union High School.

for omestead-Centerville Will Have
the Union High School.
The testimony with reference to the al
legged written admission or confession of
Mrs. Pratt was closed on both sides shortly
after noon yesterday and the case went
over then until Tuesday morning, when tue
question of the admission of the document
will be argued by the attorneys. The usual
crowd was in the lobby as on other days.
Miss Ziliah Barnes accompanied her sister,
Bessie and sat alongside of her, except
wnen the latter was testifyiug. Mrs Pratt
was rot in court, but her son, Howard, was.
w. II. l.. Barnes was there and consulted
with Mr.. Reddy.
Messrs. de Cola and V. H. MetcalI, who
visited the Pratt mansion, the former as a
notary and the latter as the attorney of the
purchaser, testified with reference to the
deed from Mr.. and Mrs. Pratt Of the home
on Harrison street, and, folio them,
Miss Bessie Barnes REORGANIZATION was
continued, and it was ascertained that she
had spent two weeks of her vacation in Los
Angeles recently while Mr.. Pratt was in
that city. She had been teaching at Tustin,
about two miles from Santa Ana. Mr.. Pratt
wrote to her from Los Angeles and she went
down. She went there to do some shopping
and to while away the time. She met MIR.
Pratt at the Hollenbeck, where he was stop
ping, though she did not stop at the Hollen-
beck. She stopped at a clearinghouse
while, and the remainder OF the time at
private house.
During the progress of the examination
hot hod yiyTnT
her Christmas presents, and she IN return
done likewise He had given her silver
pin years ago. and this called to mind the
silver butt0n-hook given to Mr.. Br0mweil
by Mrs. Pratt, and the lobby smiled audlbly
The witness also smiled. She did not know
where the pin is now, as She had lost II long
ago. She admitted having gone TO lunch and
to the theater with Mr. Pratt, but did not
know how many times she had gone to the
theater. She had sat on his knee three
times that she remembered at his house, and
in the presence Of Mrs Pratt. Mr.. Pratt
had kissed her. she could not remember bow
many times, but never while she had sat on
his knee, answering Mr.. ReddY as to how
many times at sitting. She had not had
so many kisses as one day. Her answers
to Mr.. Reddy's questions many times pro-
voked merriment, and there was even
humorous twinkle several times In the eyes
of the Court.
John f. Connors, a reporter for the Trib-
une, testified to having taken clipping OF
the Chronicle of January 26th, TWO DAYS
after the shooting, to Mr.. Pratt on that day
and asked him whether the purpOrted In
terview as published was correct, and he
denlei that he had had any such Interview
4 card Of L. l.. Reckard of the Enquirer,
which he testified was identical and was
printed at the same time the one he handed
to Miss Bessie Barnes the day he had the
interview with Pratt, was admitted IN evil
denee.
HoMEsICK AND DEsPoNDENT.
At little before $50 o'clock yesterday
morning Frederick Bentley, who had been
Tooming at 227 LeavenN ORTIZ street 10 San
Francisco. jumped in front Of the San Jose
train on its way to the city, about half a
mile south OF Mount Eden, on the narrow
gauge road, and was killed Otto Guy, pro-
prietor Of the Mount Eden House. states
that the man stopped at his house on
Thursday night. He seemed respondent
and he went 10 bed at 10 O'Clock and arose
Yesterday morning about ten minutes before
he jumped in front Of the train. lie swaI-
lowed breakfast in a hurry, paid his bill
and walked down the track toward Ava
RADIO. He asked for paper and an envelope
on Thursday evening and wrote letter to
Mr.. Crowther at the California Hotel, San
Francisco, which Guy sent to tue city that
night by freight-train brakeman. A let
ter was found Oh his person from his
father, Seth Bentley. Bradford Road, Ship
ley, England, dated August I'd, telling
about the hard times in England on account
Of the Mckinley bill. IL advised him to re-
main in America if he was doing well. The
letter stated that the family was making
about go per week. but that the expenses OF
the business, which could not be
understood from the letter, left only
'about 81 per week to the good" They
would be glad to see MIN at home. as we'll as
a sister, who was also away, but it Will
make the living that much harder. At the
outset the father stated he was glad that
the son had done so well to get out OF debt
in SO short time. They feared he would
not be able to do SO, but would have been
more in debt. The suicide was about % or
80 years of age. Ills lead was badly
crushed and one arm was broken. I. w.
Crowlher called at tile Morgue last evening.
He was roommate OF Bentley, at 22I LedY-
enwOrth street. and stated that Bentley was
photographer, working Tor Dlckmann ~
Jones, but was Respondent on account Of
inconsistencies and had been away from home
about one year.
THE CREED HOMESTEAD.
Mrs. George II. E. Greed, widow of Will
lam II. Creed, the railroad attorney, has
asked the court to set aside the family home
as a homestead for herself aud children. II
is valued at S6000 but 1t cannot be admeas-
ured in such manner as to reduce it to the
$1,000 value allowed without material In
jury. The total estate is appraised at
sos, 900, and she thinks her petition should
be granted The home is on Hobart street,
near San Pablo avenue, and the house was
erected abodt two years ago.
L. X. Hughes, recently manager for j.
Meredith Davies at the THbbs Hotel, is in
Oakland and says that he intends to remain,
but he will not 20 back to tho hotel. He
declares that Davies owes him $500 and
many favor done.
Frederick lie Grand Hanford, the young
est son of J. NJ Hanford, died at the resi-
dence of his parents in West Oak land yeSter
day OF typhoid fever. He was II years old.
Hundreds Of children could not gain ad-
mittance to the Piedmont Baths yesterday,
The occasion was the Tribune's day.
TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL.
At meeting yesterday of the School
Trustees of the school districts OF Washing
ton Township, at which thifty-ive Trustees
were present, it was decided by the follow
ing vote that Centerville should have the
Union High School for the township: Cen
ierville Is, Mics 10, Iryington /.
Mrs. b. Cahil and Carrie Ryan were cited
yesterday afternoon to appear before Judge
utnshaw on Monday morning to answer
for'contempt of court in forcibly taking Mrs.
Ryan's child, Willie, aged 1, from Mrs.
Finnegin'S house on Sunday, III dls0bed!ence
OF the order Of the court.
John Shea, the stenOgrapher who was
found dying in Golden Gate Park from car
bolIc-scid poisoning, was the official re-
porter of Judge 4. NJ. Gibson's department
up to the time the Judge lett the bench.
Ray Gibson has improved so much that he
is now able to sit up. The Christian Scien-
lists are much elated over his recovery.
Alameda.
William hummer, the assistant of City
Engineer Poyzer, is suffering from severe
attack OF poison oak.
Mrs. Louder back, President of the Ala
media Flower Mission, is still very i'll at her
residence ON Walnnt street