The morning call., 1893-11-05
MELTED IN TEARS.
Mrs. Webb Testifies in
Her Own Defense.
DENIES ALL MISCONDUCT.
Explanation of Her Relations
With DR.. Dean.
HE WAS SIMPLY HER PHYSICIAN.
The Plaintiff Husband Also on the
Stand - That Little Hole in
the Ceiling.
He WAS SIMPLY HER PHYSICIAN.

plaintiff and defendant were on the
stand during the day.
Mr. Webb was recalled when court
opened in the morning and was interro-
gated very closely by Mr.. Davis as to the
moneys paid the detectives for watching
DR.. Dean and Mrs. Webb.
The witness said that he had paid
Detective Mason S7O4 so for his services.
The money was paid in checks on the
Haywards Bank. He also paid Detective
Cher 1920, or at the rate of $40 per day.
He was employed twenty-five days. These
two men are the supposed tramps who
were seen skulking about the Webb hay
stack on several occasions. The money TO
pay these men was furnished by Webb's
mother.
MIR. Webb said he never objected to
Mrs. Webb's mother or the family coming
to the house, and indeed was never con-
suited in the matter.
He was now Questione ed at considerable
length regarding his financial standing
and his prospective wealth from the estate
of his father He said he has at present
$500 in the Haywardss Bank. He has 100
acres in his Hay wards ranch, but 80 acres
of which are good, the balance Is hlllV.
He was never offered $4,000 for the ranch.
and would consider $50. 600 good price.
There is no one holding any property for
witness at the present time. Mr.. WEBB
said he had q sixth interest in his fathers
estate of S125,000. which estate was sub
ject to a mortgage of $4,000. The mother.
who is "a, has life interest, and at her
death his interest will be one-third, pro-
viding she leaves her half 10 the three
children, himself and the other two.
The witness testified that when he mar
red his wife had lot in Oakland which
was sold for 5000 and some Lake County
property which brought $1,000. He did not
know what became of the money from this
property, aud was not aware that any OF 1t
went into the Haywards properly, which
had been gift from his father.
Here witness was questioned as to the
hole in the ceiling Of his wlfe's bedroom
and how it was made. He carried key 10
his wife's room, and from the inside pune
tured the ceiling over her bed In the brown
border with an iron pin as large as lead
pencil. He made the hole from the inside
and enlarged it after going into the garret.
Regarding his visit to Mrs. Straube In
San j Sc the mutual friend who violated
Mrs. Webb's confidence by showing Der
letters, the witness said he called on her
on May 2, when she told him she had re-
ceived some letters from Mrs. Webb. On
later visit, about June II, he got the
letters from her. four or i've In all. 1t
.
of the mi sconduct of his wife and DR.. Dean.
Ii appears that these letters came from
Mrs, Straubs at different times, and Mr..
Webb was asked whether she was not
holding them back for money considera-
ton. The witness said no, and that she
had never asked him for money, and that
he lad never paid her anything excepting
the $40 given her once for fare, and which
Mrs. Straube referred to in her testimony.
The witness stated that he had paid out
altogether in the case $500. $500 Of which,
he said, "went to you, Mr.. DAVIS"
At this point Mr.. Davis handed witness
a letter, which he identified. 1t was as
follows:
SAN LUIS OBIsPo, April 27.
Mu Dear Florence: Your kind letter was
duly received; also the boots. Sorry TO hear
that you have got TO change COOKS again Hope
you Will be more successful next tlm+. 90 you
think II is lonesome at home. Well. you can
lust think OF me down here in this country so
lar from home Have met but one man whom
| was acquainted with-a Mr.. johnson from
Fred Franks store ln the city, Sorry
to hear that you were feeling so badly. Did you
have the doctor do anything for you? Has he
used the tents yet? When are you going over
TO see EllenwoOd? Write me aud tell me all
about il. You say you want some money. Go
to the Haywards Bank and get blank check.
| will fill 1t out and send 1t 10 you. l. expect
they had fine time at the hall last night DC
you go? send me down paper. VIII EDDIE
come down this week? | hOpe everything Is
going on nicely at home. don't know as have
ANYTHING in particular TO write. With love to
mother, Eddie and yourself am y your Wr anec-
tionate husband, l.. U. WEBB.
The witness was put through severe
cross-questioning regarding this letter and
asked how he could reconcile his language
in it and his action at home.
Mr.. Davis-You knew at the time you
wrote that letter that you had detectives
watching your wife, did you not?
7 strr,
out all right.
Davis-Did you not hear from Mason
that he had seen your wife with Dr. Dean
on the 18th of April, and your letter is
dated on the 9th?
Webb-I did not.
Davis-Did he not tell you that she had
done wrong?
Webb-He did not He told me that
everything was all right.
''Was not your expression of love in that
letter to lull your wife's suspconsp
1T was not"
Ibid you love your wife?"
81 did then"
Witness then explained that he knew
nothing of his wife's infdelity as to special
acts until told OF them on May 3.
Regarding his Indebtedness witness said
he owed about $4,000, of which S2500 was
money borrowed from l.. Z. Morehouse,
and he also owed Andrew Stone $1,000. He
owed a butcher $500 and S17O0 to his
mother.
The GOODNESS between himself and wife,
he said, was started Dy the indifference
with which his wife treated his mother
and friends.
Detective Mason was recalled and testi-
fed as to how himself and Detective Cher
had got some 5000 out of the Webb case.
II. A. Bruner testified TO having taken
measurements of the wife's bed from the
hole in the ceiling.
Captain William Roberts, Henry Mein-
niger. Mrs. Rebecca Hill and Mrs. Helen
r. Ladd each testified as to the good cnar-
acter of Mrs. Webb previous to these di-
vorce proceedings. The latter stated tina,
she had known Mrs. Webb a great many
years, and that she had been twice mar
ried before her marriage to Mr.. Webb.
| The first time she married man named
Barnes and resided in Haywards; next
she married a man named Madden and
went to live in Solano County. Madden
| lived less than year.
The defendant here took the stand
Mrs. Webb is large woman of over 2O(
pounds weight. quite tall, and gave hel
age as "A years. In answer to questions
by Mr.. Davis, Mrs. Webb denied that or
April Is she said to any one at her bed
room door, Come in" She was not in
the habit of undressing in the daytime
and was not in Dr.. Deans presence in tha
condition on that day.