Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-02
v|OLA'S DAMAGING TESTIMONY,
vlUlH y UHlvlHulNu ILOIlWIUM II
Serious Evidence Against Two
Alleged Highwaymen.
Two Interesting Foreclosure Suits
from La Canada Valley.
Proceedings Yesterday in the Various
Tribunals New Cases Filed.
Court NOtes-Marriage
Licenses.

Two young men, Louis Etting and
Burt Hadley, were on trial before Judge
Smith in department one OF the superior
court yesterday, charged with knocking
down and robbing Louis Boron, mid
dle-aged Frenchman, the night of Sep
tember 9Th, on Alameda street.
Considerable interest attaches to the
case from the unusual efforts being
made in the defense of the boys, and
the sensational testimony of young
woman. which, if unimpeached. will be
bound to convict them.
When the case was called at 10 o'clock,
ex-District Attorney J. R. Dupuy ap.
peared for both defendants. and Judge
Rowell of San Bernardino, who was re-
tanned by Hadley's relatives in that city.
Deputy District Attorney Blades ap-
peared for the prosecution. A jury was
impaneled by noon and the prosecution
had not finished its testimony at the
time of adjournment in the afternoon.
Louis Boron was first called by the
prosecution, and through an interpreter
| lOldJCu UuO 6IOIy VI Uuc IOUUGIy, WHICH
was quite a simple affair. He was
walking along Alameda street between
II and IL O'Clock of the night in ques-
ton, and had reached Jackson street,
when he was knocked down by blow
on the head, which somebody struck
him from behind. He was partially
stunned, and when he got to his feet
again found his gold watch, chain and
locket missing, which he swore were on
his person just before he was assaulted.
He did not see his assailants and could
not identity the defendants when
brought before him. He said he had
had several drinks during the evening
but was not drunk.
The defense developed upon the cross
examination of the Frenchman. Mr..
Dupuy asked him his business on Ala
media street. Mr.. Boron said that he
had tried to see French woman named
Julie Conteau, whose house is near the
fcene of the robbery. He had rented q
room from her in house at Santa Mon
lea, which he had given up, and had
called at her place on Alameda street
that evening to see her, but she was out.
He had just come from there when be
was robbed, as he had to leave the CITY
at O'Clock in the morning and wanted
to see her.
The defense evidently is expecting to
be able to show that Boron was robbed
before the time which he alleges that
painful experience occurred.
Police Officer McClain was near the
scene of the robbery when he heard
some one shout, There 60 the men who
robbed the Frenchmen." He saw three
men running out Jackson street, and
leaving the depot night watchman in
charge of Boron, ran after them. He
chased them clear to First street, where
he caught them and marched them back
to Alameda street, where Boron was un-
able to identify them. Nevertheless,
they were held on suspicion.
On cross-examination Mr.. Dupuy in
quired very minutely into the distance
from Julie Conteau's place and the scene
of the robbery, which was distant about
60 feet. He also inquired into other To-
cations and distances in the Alameda
street section of the city.
When the name of Viola Mendenhall
was called, rather good-looking young
woman with flushed cheeks came for
ward and the defendants and their
friends betrayed unusual interest in her.
She responded to the preliminary ques-
tions in voice go low that the reporter
was obliged to repeat every answer, and
did not appear to relish her situation at
all. She testified
81 am living at the New Orleans hotel,
and know both the defendants. I saw
them both at the Denver house on
Main street near First, September 6th."
Mr.. Blades produceda gold watch and
chain and the witness identified them.
II have seen them BEFORE" she said
unwillingly. "Mr. Hadley told me it
was taken, in conversation the same
day he gave me the watch to keep for
him. Mr.. Etting was present at the
time"
"They gave me the watch to keep un-
til they asked me for it, Hadley told
me-"
"Told you what?"
"Told me they got it from party that
he and Mr.. Etting had robbed. They
had taken it away from him. Burt Had
ley produced the watch. They did not
Say who they took it from. Etting told
me something about getting the watch
the same as Mr.. Hadley said. Hadley
said they knocked him down and took
the watch from him. They told me that
when they took it from him they broke
piece from the chain. They said it
happened Tuesday night, the night be-
fore this conversation. They said an
officer tried to catch them and they ran
away. Etting told me he had the watch
In his pocket at the time they met the
policeman"
Mr.. Dupuy went after the young
woman on severe cross-examination,
inquiring into her private history
minutely until stopped by the court.
She admitted that she is not living with
her husband, and was very reluctant to
tell where she has lived in the city, say
ing she had resided at her present place
OF abode, at the Denver house and vari-
GUS other places. She finally admitted
that she had also been for week at the
Home for Fallen Women, and from
there went to the county hospital. She
had lived in the city three years as q