Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-12
THE STORKE CASE.
Tommy Denies the Old Hen
With Whiskers Story.
A Remarkable Letter Offered
in Evidence.
All Of the Evidence In and the Case
Submitted.
The Pena Letter and Its Peculiar State
ments-Tommy on the Witness
Stand-The Case Submit
ted on Briefs.

The divorce case that has been on
trial before the superior court all last
week and is about ended, has about this
status, says the Santa Barbara Press OF
Sunday:
Yda Adds Storke has brought suit
against G. A. Storke for separate main
tenance on the ground that she cannot
live with him because of his bad treat
ment OF her, etc. In answer G. A. Storke
files cross complaint asking for divorce
on the ground OF cruel treatment and in
sanity prior to marriage. If the testi-
mony bears out his allegations the laws
Of this state will permit snch separa-
tion and leave the parties in the same
relative positions they stood in before
marriage. If tie judgment OF the court
should be in the plaintiffs favor, it will
also decree that she receive separate
maintenance.
The trial proceeded as usual yesterday
with none present but the parties in in
terest. A letter written to Mrs. Pefla,
at Alameda, by Yda Adds Storke on
December oath was offered in evidence
the following is nearly complete copy
of the letter:
When in San Francisco in the spring
of 1890 learned that some time previ-
GUS to Mr.. Pefia's embarking in the i'll
fated Sonora he had deserted you and
that you had followed him and prevailed
ON him to return. This confirmed my
belief that he was not dead that he
only pretended to 60 in the Sonora in
order to gain the time to get away dur
ing the days of her absence, and that he
had taken advantage of the loss of the
ship to escape from you under the cover
of apparent loss at sea. My love for
you led me to investigate the matter,
which did with infinite patience and
at no little expense. Mr.. Storke knew
of my doing 30, and when we met in
San Francisco urged me to tell you,
which I refused to do, fearing to arouse
false hopes which might not be sus-
tanned. Now see how carefully Provi-
dence adjusts details for us. Only day
or two after l had written you telling
how unwilling l was to bring you into
my trouble. yet how imperative it was
that should do 90, received the final
returns from the last money had been
able to expend for you. This told me
that Francis Pefia is alive, we'll and
prosperous, living with a handsome
woman and beautiful child, boy.
have been aided in the research by re-
membering the whereabouts of people
who knew him when he was studying at
Vallejo or Benicia, forget which. Thus
God Furnishes you for your treachery
toward me. After all that you have
said concerning Mr.. Storke's monstrous
behavior to me al the Lick house, you
swear that his conduct was rational,
Il rx,I al
profess to be Christian woman l will
not INQUIRE whether in this you were ac-
tuated by motives of spite against me
''for dragging you into it," or by more
sordid considerations offered you by Mr..
Storke. believe l could have you con-
victed of perjury, but-you were once
my friend-I will leave you to lie down
and rise and eat and live and die-for
you must remember that you have to
die-with the memory of your false wit
ness ever resting upon you. If should
die, you would be in part my murderer.
I shall not die. | shall live and keep
the secret of Francis Pena's wherea-
bouts. -.
The letter was written few days after
Mrs. Peila's deposition had been filed
here. Mrs. Pefla is the lady referred to
as being present at the time OF the
scene at the Lick House in San Fran
cisco, and in her deposition denies that
any such scene as described by plaintiff
took place. Defendant Storke says en-
phatically that the allegations and in
situations in the foregoing letter are
utterly false.
Mr.. Burson testified to the incident at
the shoe store which was practically the
same as Vance's.
&C. Hunt testified that Mrs. Storke
had unlimited credit at his store:
I Mr.. Newman testified to the morphine
poisoning incident at the drug store, al
ready related. Dr. Cassel, who relieved
plaintiffs stomach at that time, testified
that he saw no signs of poison.
DR.. Knox testified to the effect that il
the case, as presented by defense, be
true, plaintiff is subject to hysterical in
sanity.
Tommy, "the naughty boy" declared
that he never referred to plaintiffs aunt
as the old hen with whiskers; always
obeyed her wishes; never disregarded
her will.
Defendant Storke denied that he had
ever said he would rather have snake
touch him than her.
Among the witnesses who testified in
the afternoon was Rev. Mr.. Thatcher,
who stated that when he acted as peace
commissioner between the parties, de-
fendant spoke kindly of his wife; said
she could come home whenever che
wanted to; plaintiff insisted that Tommy
should be sent out of town; never saw
anything irrational about her before her
marriage. Piaintiffin rebuttal; said she
sent for Mr.. Boyce during the Lawrence
trial because her husband wanted her
to find out what Boyce knew about the
defense
The defendant was placed on the
stand and denied this.
A letter written by plaintiff to B. F.
Thomas, stating that her husband would
not supply her with necessary means OF
support and asking for help as daugh-
ter of Mason, was introduced.