The herald., 1893-12-20
OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
Where Has Mrs. Anpie Pratt's
Money Gone?
Highly Sensational Evidence in the
Mansfield -Go0dspeed Case.
Mrs. Gross on the Witness stand-she
Says She Had Charge of Mrs.
Pratts Bank Book.
Her Testimony.

guardianship case were characterized
yesterday by evidence OF the most start
ling and sensational description.
1t was shown, as far as the evidence
given goes, that over 100000 income OF
the estate of Mrs. Pratt had been
drawn by General Mansfield and his
sister, Mrs. Louisa Gross, under the
most peculiar of circumstances.
General Mansfield took the witness
stand yesterday morning, and stated
that he desired to correct statement
made by himself at the commencement
of the proceedings last September.
At that time, when questioned by
Attorney Harmon as to the disposal of
10000 check sent to him by Banker
Grew, one of the executors OF the es-
tate, General Mansfield declared that
he placed the check in Mrs. Pratt's lap,
and had neither seen nor heard OF 1T
sioce. Yesterday General Mansfield
stated that he had since found out that
Mrs. Pratt had endorsed the check to
his wife he had only been aware OF
this fact Tor short time.
The witness was confounded when At
torney Harmon, touching his breast
pocket, said, "Genersl, have that
check in my pocket; will you swear that
1t does not bear you own endorsement r"
The witness would not swear it did
not, and hesitatingly said he was not
sure.
This concluded General ManHfeld's
examination for the present. and DR..
Roberts was called and testified to Mrs.
Pratt's mental and physical infirmities.
She was mentally entirely unfit to trans
act business.
Mrs. Louisa Gross then was called and
her examination by Attorney Harmon
elicted facts of highly startling nature.
The lady passed an exceedingly uncom-
Portable afternoon and several times re-
fused to answer questions, which she
was afterwards forced to reply to under
order OF the court.
Before cross-examining her, however,
several letters were read by the defense
from the deceased Judge Pratt, concern
ing the authorship of several anonymous
letters which were sent to Mrs. Pratt.
In these letters the most slanderous
statements were made against both the
deceased and his wife.
1t was charged that these letters were
written by Mrs. Goodspeed but the
court refused to allow them in evidence
huO tuo untbok WAC uEOppcus
Mrs. Cross ordeal then began. She
denied ever having any of her sisters,
Mrs. Prstt's, property assessed in her
name. Her sister had banking ac-
count in San Francisco.
Ibid you draw out money from that
account?" demanded Attorney Harmon.
After pause the witness replied that
she had.
Then after being hard pressed by the
cross-examining attorney Mrs. Cross
acknowledged that she kept the insane
woman's bank book and for years had
drawn out Gums of money ranging up to
5000 and $4,000 month.
"Did you make any accounting to
General Mansfield, your brother?" asked
Harmon.
The witness replied that she had not.
Attorney Harmon then exploded q
bombshell on Mrs. Cross, which made
that lady, plainly extremely uncomfort-
able, and caused both the opposing
attorneys to rise to their feet, overflow
ing with vehement objections
"Did you," queried Harmon, "author-
ixe anyone last Saturday to approach
us with q proposition to theteffect that
II we would give you a quit claim deed
to the monies drawn by you from Mrs.
Pratt's estate, you would allow Mrs.
Goodspeed's claim as guardian, and
would testify in her favor?"
Judge Silent objected strenuouslv, de-
claring that such proceedings if ever
made should be kept secret.
II DESIRE" said Harmon, speaking
with marked earnestness, and shaking
his finger at the witness who sat ner-
vousy twitching at her handkerchief,
II desire to show that this woman, who
came into court expressly to blacken
and defame the character of pure
woman, attempted last Saturday to
cover up her embezzlement of over $70,-
600 by attempting to compromise case
in which she is only Witness
The court allowed the question, and it
was repeated to Mrs. Cross, who replied
In low tone, II did,"
At Mondays hearing Mrs. Cross testi-
fed to Mrs. Goodspeed's keeping COM
pany with fast women. Attorney Han
non proceeded to question the witness
as to her authority for so testifying, and
the following interesting dialogue took
place between the attorney and the wit
ness:
Name me one disreputable woman
whom Mrs. Goodspeed associates with"
"Mrs. Catlow of Van Ness avenue,
San Francisco"
"What do you mean by disrepu.
table?"
II mean she is woman OF easy vir.
tue."
Are you aware that Mr.. and Mrs.
Catlow are both wealthy and respectable
members of society, and have grown
children?"
II don't know"
"Who told you Mrs. Cstlow was dis.
reputable"
mrs. Goodspeed."
"Anyone else ?'
"Mrs. DR.. Trask."
"How did Mrs. Trask know"
"She heard it from q Mrs. Sissons.
Mrs. Trask is east"
Attorney Harmon then informed the
court that Mrs. Catlow had been tele-
graphed for and was ON her way to re.
fute the statements concerning her.
"You say Mrs. Goodspeed was in the
habit OF telling vulgar stories?" con-
tinued Harmon.
81 do"
"Tell us some OF those stories.''
The opposition attorneys objected
seriously, the court bluBhed and the
stories were not told.
"How many of these stories have YOU
heard her ,tell?"
"Perhaps Dozen"
ibid you attempt to stop her?'
81 told her she ought to be asheued