Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-28
IS WILLING TO MARRY THE GIRL.
Young Norris Charged With
Seducing Rose HOldridge.
A Visit to q Pomona Hotel Which
Has Caused Trouble.
Proceedings Yesterday In the ICourts.
"A Supreme Court Decision.
Court Notes-New
Suits.

The trial of Thomas r. Norris on q
criminal charge of seduction drew q
cloud Of witnesses from Pomona, Onta-
rio, Spadra and Riverside yesterday in
Judge Smiths court, and the trial de-
veloped considerable racy testimony.
The defendant is young man who
had been working in that section Of the
county for some time at farming princi-
pally, and the case has caused good
deal of feeling, number Of people tax
ing the girls part and others being in
his favor.
1t did not take long to impanel a jury,
and the testimony was all taken during
the day. The adopted father OF
the girl in the case, Mr.. Holdridge
of Ontario, sat by the prosecuting attor-
ney and took lively interest in the
prosecution.
Rose E. Holdridge, the complainin
witness, was first called to the stand
and was put through quite lons ex-
animation. She is homely looking
young woman, slim and small of stature.
She said that she first met Norris at her
adopted fathers house, and not long
after meeting him they became engaged
to be married. The old folks did not
like the match and Norris left the en-
ployment of Mr.. Holdridge. She kept
up correspondence with him and be
told her that If she got into any trouble
at home to come to him and he would
look out for her. Her adopted parents
finally told her that she must give Norris
up If she expected to live attheir home.
Her answer to this was sudden de-
parture from her home, October 10th
last, and flight to seek her lover, who
was working at the Currier ranch, near
Spadra. She went out there and found
him, and he came with her to Pomona,
where they went to Kings hotel and
registered as man and wife, he telling
her that as they were practically man
and wife, they would be married the
next day. They did 60 to Riverside,
but the marriage never came off. She
found out that he was not what she
thought him to be-. and would not
marry him, and would not at the pres
ent time.
On cross-examination the defense laid
the foundation for proving bad repu-
tatiou for the witness by asking her if
she had not first been intimate with the
defendant az far back as last spring, but
she denied it, and also questions which
were directed to showing that she had
been intimate with other men before
she was with the defendant.
Her adopted mother, Mrs. Mary Hol-
bridge, testified that Rose Holdridge had
always been q good girl and borne a
good reputation before October 10th, the
date of her running away, and that the
people generally in the neighborhood
thought her good girl.
Charles Morris, clerk at Kings ho-
tel, produced the hotel register and
proved the registration by the defendant
at the hotel as man and wife.
The prosecution closed after recalling
the prosecuting witness for few ques-
tions, and then the defense began to
pile up testimony tending to show that
the girl had not been all that her
adopted mother thought she was. The
witnesses were principally young men,
who seemed to be exceeding loath to
testify, and some of them grew very red
in the face over the questions pro-
pounded to them. Generally they did
not give Miss Rose fattering send-off,
months before October 10th she had
been talked about among the young
folks, and that she did not bear good
reputation for virtuous conduct during
that time.
One of these witnesses, E. J. Peters,
showed himself in anything but an en-
viable light by his testimony. When
the runaway girl was trying to 60 out
from Spadra to find her lover. he drove
her out there. The witness said he was
friend OF the defendant. but testified
that while in the buggy he
kissed and caressed the girl,
and was only deferred from TAX
ing further liberties because of his
knowledge that his friend was soon to
marry his companion. He also testified
that during this drive she told him that
she had been intimate with defendant
way back in the spring, at her fathers
house.
The remaining testimony for the de-
fense was much of the same character,
detailing conversations with both the
defendant and the girl by parties in
Spadra and Riverside.
The defendant finally took the stand
and swore that he had grown very inti-
mate with Rose Holdridge last June.
They became engaged, and matters went
along until October 10th, when she came
to him. He admitted that they went to
the Pomona hotel, as alleged, but said
that he intended to marry the girl the
next day. She, however, then would
not marry him until she got some
clothes. He bought some for her, but
she then refused to marry him at all,
and has ever since, although he has
never retracted any promise he made,
and is ready now to carry out the en-.
gagement.
On cross examination the defendant
said he came to California from Arizona
and that he is a deserter from the army
Arguments were partially made, and
the case went over until today.
A REscISsloN CASE.
An Opinion by Judge Wade In q Land
Case-An Interesting Point.
H. l. -