The morning call., 1894-10-10
tenn pit to commit suicide in Golden Gate

tenn pit to commit suicide in Golden Gate
Park?"
at protest." exclaimed Mrs. Foltz
"Many better man than any in this court
roum'-with whitening scorn-"has found
misfortunes crowd upon him and has been
tempted to shuttle off this mortal"
Il ask you." quietly interrupted Martin
Stevens. Ibid not you one day in May last
at empt to commit suicide in the park?"
Mrs. FoltZ again to the rescue. This is
most improper What if he did? What
if. knowing that there remained to him
but little of all on earth that mankind
holds most"
Il ask you again, sir" inquired Stevens.
did you OF take an overdose Of laudanum
one day in July iastp"
THE counsel has no right to ask the
question:" again interrupted Mrs. Foltz
II ask the court are there not hundreds
and hundreds of cases where"
Madam" calmly interposed the Judge.
Il deem it my right to be informed of all
the surroundings of this home you propose
for your client. and her child. shall in-
Quire fully into the character of all parties
concerned"
Martin Stevens repeated his question,
and the witness at first denied vigorously
that he had been guilty of any such rash
act 1t was true, he said, that he had
taken a dose of what he thought was
cough mixture from the top shelf in the
closet of his mothers room, had afterward
wandered out h Golden Gate Park, and
remembered no more till he woke up in
the Receiving Hospital All that was
true: but as to attempting to poison him.
self-why, no. never; certainly not
During the delivery of this testimony
Martha Stevens and Mrs. Foltz had several
passages Of arms. put peace prevailed on
the whole. Finally Mrs. Foltz said she
had no more evidence to offer.
Stevens then put Cole on the stand. Cole
said that his wiie'S departure from the
house was a mystery 10 him.
''But there was some friction, was there
nOt?" asked the Judge.
"Oh. yes. Not more than usual though.
never knew three women to live together
without quarreling."
Cole said he was timer by trade, and
had resided for many years IT San Miguel,
San Luis Obispo county. He had sold
out there recently and came to San Fran
cisco, intending to take up his trade
mere. he Hdu uOuo llkilo vi EO Wulk IOI
three months. In the summer he took his
wife up to Yosemite. but they quarreled.
Didn't you abuse her there? asked
Mrs. Foltz.
'She began IT," was the laconic reply.
Finally Judge Hebbard concluded that
it was hard to determine on which side
right lay. Martin Stevens said he was
PREPARED to offer that Cole should take his
wife back to live with him and provide a
home away from the disturbing influences
Of his mother and sister. Then both
parties would equally share the child's
society.
"AIl right; but choose my own house.. -
said Cole
Hero was another difficulty. But finally
Cole had his own way. de promised not
to get drunk, not to abuse his wife. and
not to irfiict upon her the society of his
mother and sister. So, on the understand
ing that this was to be done forthwith, the
parties broke up the contes, and Cole left
the courtroom with his child and his newly
united wife.
''1he child belongs to both, mind" called
out Judge Hebbard.
When all was over Martin Stevens ap-
preached Mrs.. Fol'Z. Ppm sure it's a
pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Foltz' he said.
tits peculiar that. although both practic.
ing sc long here, we have never met be-
fore. isn't ?"
"Ah, yes, Mr. What did you say your
name WASP" asked California's falresi
a