The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-22
Mrs. John Martin Creates
Many Scenes.
MR.. DELMAs HER OLD ENEMY
She Refuses to Be Examined as
to Her Past History.
RELATIONS WITH HENRY MARTIN
Mrs John Refuses to Draw the Line
of Definition Between Pro-
priety and the Reverse.

The big Martin will contest was remark
able in It's proceedings yesterday for the
defiant attitude taken by Mrs. John Mar
tin, mother of lhe little fellow who says
his uncle made a second will.
Mrs. John is as a stag al bay, Driven to
the water she has turned upon her pursu-
ers and has at last made the dingy walls
e of Judge Coffey's courtroom ring with her
notes of defiance. She established the ex-
traordinRry precedent yesterday of an
swering just such questions as seemed to
her passing fancy to be strictly in accord
ance with the rules Of evidence in rebuff
tai and The limits laid down by the law in
section q 66 of the Code of Civil Proceed
ure. In this strange proceeding Mrs. Mar
tin, was her own judge and jury. and
needed not the advice of her counsel.
1t was an UNEXPECTED turn that the trial
took. Matters had been pretty dull for
~ some days but at the eleventh hour Mrs
John Martin came TO the rescue, and as if
~ in opposition to the all-pervading sensa-
tiOn surrounding the Democratic State
convention. She succeeded in making
things 60 for an hour or TWO in a way that
satisfied even the NEST rapacious seekers
after gore.
Apart from that, her manner on the
witness-stand was rather calculated to
fav0rably impress jury. Instead of, as
was eXpec ed, being over willing to hlacken
the character OF the old miner now long
since laid TO rest, she was 10th to diVulge
matters upon which the questions OF Mr..
Delmas touched with a view 10 ascertain
ing the relations that existed between her
self and Henry Martin, friendly or other
wise.
When the last notes of the oLeuing
chorus had died away, and it was found
that there were twelve men In the jury
box, Professor WenZell, expert on inks,
was recalled 10 the witness-stand, and the
arguments Of the counsel were commenced
upon the question as TO whether or not
chemical test should be applied to some of
the disputed writings of Henry Martin
with view TO ascertain the different
qualities Of ink used in the composition
thereof.
Grove Johnson objected with his accus-
toned vlgOr TO the mutilatiOD of dOcu-
ments by this process. He said that was
beyond all rules Of law and evidence, and
that while the contestants of this second
Will had been allowed every latitude in
their attempts TO prove this document and
its attendant letters TO be fOrgeres, yet
there was one step beyond which they
could not go. This, urged the willy Mr..
johnson, was the step.
On the other hand il was claimed by
Mr.. Delmas that no stone should be left
untuTned i'm the search for truth. The
least little drop of the chemical prepara-
ton used BY the expert would reveal all
that 1t was desired to know. and there
= would be no mutiiatlon worked upon any
paper, however precious. Mr. Delmas
. said: These documents will be returned
intact. The extent of the alteration of a
document by this process is so Insignificant
as compared with the accuracy of the test
Vlza s.-f,,
render an adverse decision unfair"
Judge COffey didn't want TO allow the
test, but he did want to witness an expert
ment thereof. SO he permitted Professor
=. Wenzell TO address letter to himself, and,
by means of his mystic fluid, to reveal the
composition of the various inks used This
was done and the prismatic hues Of early
dawn wers nothing to the Kaleidoscope
effect produced by the professor One
drop OF the sacred oil changed various inks
from their apparently black condition to
ali co!ors of the ranbOw-orange, green,
blue, brown. salmon, sprimp pink, eseh-
scholtscia yellow. etc.
Would that test make any material alter.
alton in any paper?' asked Mr.. Delmas.
Not in the least" was the experts
answer.
But having once satisfied his thirst for
scientific research, Judge Coffey once more
-bethought himself of the legal aspect of
the case and spoiled what might have put
Expert Breckenfeld's stereopticon lecture
: In the shade by refusing to allow the dis
pnted letters TO be put TO the test.
Judge, jury, witnesses and some few for
tunate spectators having lunched it was
the pleasure of Mr.. DelmaS to recall Mr.
Thomas Il. Jones of the Elite Photograph
gallery. de was produced 10 refute the
charges made by Grove johnson the other
day to the effect that the Dear BeIle''
= letter OF February d. 1892, had been al
teTed In some way since It's first introduce
:tIOn In evidence. This the witness did
without any tro able, merely saying that
piece of tie paper had been torn off at the
corner. lie was asked to produce the
plate from which photograph of the letter
had been made. This, however was
found to be In tie possession Of Mrs. John
=, Martin and she was instructed to produce
1T AT the next session o court.
Mrs. John Martini" was the next call
and the spectators pricked up their ears
Mrs. Martin, as though anticipating tron.
bic, was becOmingly attired for the coca
sion, and very well she looked in tight
fitting gov OF green and black, with wide
sleeves. and neat hat with a modest veil
Her features could hardly be seen, but let
it be recorded that she smiled sweetIv
upon her jDterlocutOr, Mr. Delmas.
Having ascertained the precise point at
which he left of in his previous examina-
ton of the witness, Mr.. Delmas asked for
the courts ruling upon his right to
. cross-eXar1ine, or to ask leading questions,
Grove johnson Immediately said that Del.
mas had no such right, but the Judge de-
cided that Mrs. Martin being an adverse
witness, reasonable latitude ought to be
given TO 1er examiner, and that within
certain limits ,cross-Questions might be
put.
What is your age?" thnndered Mr.
Delmas.
The witness looked faint and Grove
johnson got In another objection. Than
Mrs Martin recovered and took hand in
the hight: She addressed the jury. Gen
tlemen," she said, 'Mr. Delmas took this
case from me and then went over to lhe
other SIDE, the same as Judge Williams
9lo: oDlect TO be cross-examlned by MT.
Delmas." ~ -Ai'
However, Judge Coffey remindad Iob,
son mat ne had asked a similar ouestion
Oh Mrs. henry Martin and the opiection
was overruled. Then the witness gave