Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-06
A SINK OF INIQUITY.

Startling Testimony in a Divorce Case
Yesterday.
A divorce suit was tried before Judge
Mckinley yesterday afternoon, in which
testimony was taken that deserves the
attention of the authorities.
1t was suit brought bv o. j. Men
denhall against his wife, Viola Menden-
hall, who gave such sensational testi-
mony in the trial of Louis Etting and
Burt Hadley the other day, who were
convicted of robbing the old French
man, Louis Boron.
Mr.. Mendenhall, who is spoken of as
q worthy young man, and who feels
very badly about the position in which
his wife placed herself by her loose con-
duct, shrinks from notoriety in the case,
and tried to manage the case go that
they could step into the court when no
reporters were about. But the testi-
mony ia of such nature that it should
be known and the proper steps taken to
wipe out such sink of iniquity as the
New Orleans house on Second street,
east of San Pedro street, is indicated to
be by the testimony in the case.
1t will be remembered that on the
trial referred to Mrs. Mendenhall, whose
husband has not been living with her
for several months, admitted that she
had gone to the home for fallen women
in this city, and before that, while liv.
ing at the Denver houee, the two boys
had given her the stolen watch to keep
for them, and told them about the rob-
berry of old Boron.
After the trial Mr.. Mendenhall insti-
tuted suit for divorce upon the ground
of adulteSy, and it has been pressed
through as quickly as possible.
There was no contest, the defendant
not being present. The first witness
called by the plaintiff was Andrew M.
Armour, one of the officers of the Home
for Fallen Women. He testified that
Mrs. Mendenhall had come to the home
and had been in his charge for 10 days
at that institution, although he had
charge of her for two weeks.
She admitted to him that she had
been intimate with men other than her
husband, that being one of the ques.
tions asked when women are admitted
to the home. She said she was sorry
for what she had done and that was
why she had come there.
In conversation with him she spoke of
the New Orleans house, on East Second
street, and said that it was the wicked
est place IN Los Angeles and that boys
and girls were ruined there. She asked
the witness to go there and see for him
self, but advised him to 60 disguised, for
there would be people there who knew
him although he might not know them,
and it would be dangerous for him.
Mrs. Mendenhall went to the county
hospital after leaving the home, said the
witness, and has since gone back to the
New Orleans house, where she is now
living under an assumed name.
Mr.. Mendenhsll testified briefly about
his wife's conduct, seeming very much
depressed at his situation. He said che
had admitted to him that she had had
amours with other men, and he did not
live with her after he aecertained that
she had been unfaithful to him.
Louis Etting was then brought from
the county jail and testified as to Mrs.
MendenhalPs conduct while at the Den
yer house, where he saw her. She lived
there with Robert Harvey. He saw her
in another room once in that house with
three men or boys, and they were all
lying on bed together, the men being
dressed and she partially undreesed.
He testified that the Denver house