The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-22

this interesting answer: Pm over 81 and
i competent to be witness in this, case,
4 She was very annoyed when she learned
| that this answer did q of please.
II submit that Mr.. Delmas has no right
| 10 crnss-examlne me. You know you
| haven't, MIR. Delmas. Let MI Craig dol.
4 III answer him."
what did you say your age WASP"
sweety asked the imDerturbable MI
| Delmas.
Mrs. Martin saw she had to answer, so
gave in. Ppm in my thirty-Sixth year"
| she said.
Where were you born?"
syracuse, y. Y"
"How many times married ?"
Another fearful row. BY and by the
witness was heard to say. Twice"
WHO were your husbands ?'
Jacob hoffman and John Martin"
when and where did you marry Mr..
Hoffman,
"Elmira. n. 7. I've forgotten the year"
How old were you then ?'
II have forgotten" Then the witness,
seeing that MIR. Delmas was studying her
halt-cOmp leled deposition, waxed exceed
lngly wroth again, and appealed to the
Judge, jury and everybody else. bow
ever, Judge Coffey is an adept at handling
the far sex and he soothed Mrs. Martin
with hOneyed words.
But no sooner did Mr. Delmas repeat
his question than the witness rose from
her chair. and declining 10 be further in
terviewed walked back to her seat in the
courtroom. Then she called out: 81
won't have my first husbands name
banded about, nor mine" Grove John
son. looking the picture of despair, leaned
his high. Intellectual forehead upon his
large, white hands, and groaned aloud.
Finally. with tears starting to his dreamy
brown eyes. he persuaded the angry
guardian OF his youthful clientto return to
the stand.
"How old did you say you were when
you espoused Mr.. Hoffman? ?" again sweet
ly inquired Mr.. Delmas.
''pve forgotten"
How many children did you bear to
him?"
i've forgotten"
"How many children have you borne In
your life?"
This precipitsted more trouble. You'll
excuse. me-" said Mrs. John Martin. rising
from her chair; Il will not answer any
TO her seat, and at this juncture it was no
ticed that Bailiff White thought he ought
10 be doing something. He approached
Mrs John Martin, but after receiving one
fiery glance he thought better of il, and
placing his hands behind his back affected
TO see if the window-blinds wanted draw
Ing up.
IN 60 to Jail before I answer" sang
out Mrs. John Martin. unsolicited. you
can ask me anything you please about this
will. this trial. Outside of that leave me
and my family alone"
johnson wruDg his hands and expostu-
lated, but IN vain. Finally Judge Coffey
ordered ten minutes recess for the pur-
pose of permitting the Obdurate Mrs. Mar
tin to be won over by the Wiles of her
counsel.
On resuming, Mr.. johnson made
anaaah SON bab ~
Linforth." he said, II wish TO STATE that we
are not counsel for Mrs. Martin. We are
counsel for this little boy. say this be-
cause his Honor asked US to advise Mrs.
Martin al her counsel"
Judge Coffey blushingly apologiZed for
his error, and then johnson wen. on TO
say that, no matter whose counsel he was,
be deemed the question which Mrs. Mar
tin declined to answer extremely I'M
proper. 1t was not asked by Mr. Delmas
with due sincerity, but with Interior mo-
tiveS. At tho same time he had advised
decide the question to be proper one.
Delmas said the question was by no
means an insult. "As to the iusinuaiions
of counsel on the other side" he said, 81
shall not stoop to repel them. They are
beneath my notice. This question simply
relates to the question OF the paternity
and maternity of the proponent here"
II thought So" retorted johnson in his
most sarcastic tones. The counsel who
would not Stoop to repel my insinuaiions
has just revealed himself. He has an
Interior purpose. and l was right. He
seeks to inquire into the paternity of this
child, thing which the court has long
since ruled he could not do" However,
the objection was overruled.
"How many children did you say Won
had in your timer" sweetly inquired Mr..
Delmas.
a. Donv nc CID sort r,oU 49,. A.
chilling response.
II complain that is lot an answer" said
Delmas, but in spite of Judge Coffey's
protsstations II was the only answer Mrs.
Martin would give for a while. AT last,
however, she succumbed to his Honor's
Establishments and answered: i've had
four"
Born alive?"
There was another terrible row at this
question, Mrs. John Martin declaring
that she was tired OF insult. The Judge
seemed inclined to take her part, too, for
he said: IF L thought the question was
asked to evade the ruling of the court re-
garding the paternity Of this child Ia sus-
tain the objection"
at is"-muTmured Mrs. John, paren-
thetically.
Judge Coffey then asked TO look at the
deposition of the witness. 1t was handed
to him, and while he was perusing il Mrs.
John Martin was heard to say that the
deposition was taken while she was sick:
that T. B. Pond had engineered 1t and was
guilty of perjury, and so forth. Then she
broke in: 'Pd rather 60 to Jail than
answer, your Honor. I've been insulted
every day."
''Oh, no. you wouldn't" said the Judge.
"You might tor a day or two. but you'd
find you'd better answer. Repeat the
question"
Born alive, did you say?" asked
Delmas, sweetly.
ITS none of your business" was the
defiant retOrt. They were born in we'd
lock, and the court and law will protect
them, too.
born alive. did you say?"
Some alive, some Dead" at last an.
swered Mrs. John.
How many living. how many dead?"
"rhree were born alive. / had twins
born dead"
when was the first born ?"
An objection to this question being
sustained, MIR. Delmas said be offered 10
prove that this woman had three children,
and that this child was not one of them.
The counsel was interrupted by the wit.
ness, who said: II defy you TO prove
this. This child Is mine"
When order was restored, Mr.. Delmas
asked: Madam, you say you married
John Martin January 9, 1888. Was not
your third child born March %, 1885. at
30 S. Forty-third street, Philade phIa 2"
Away went Mrs. Martin again, back to
her seat in court. Il utterly refuse to be
their witness any longer" she said.
Grove johnson stared and looked unhaDny