The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-06
FULL OF EXCITEMENT.
Marie Wilson Asks for Fifty
Thousand Dollars
Damages.
ASKS AS HER OWN ATTORNEY.
Documents Introduced by Plain
tiff Alleged to Be Gross
Forgeries.

SAN JOSE, CAL, Aug. 5.-Marie Wilson
who is acting as her own attorney IN her
suit against P J. Burroughs for $o0oOO Tor
breach OF promise, was in court this morn
ing when the case was called for the de-
fendant's attorney to show cause why his
answer to the suit should not be stricken
out.
Saturday Mrs. G. N. Wilson, Marie's
mother. sprang a sensation on Attorney
Morehouse, counsel OF Burroughs, out II
sank into insignificance with the sensation
Marie caused this morning by reading a
demurrer to the complaint and several
letters from Burroughs that she presented.
Mrs. G. NJ. Wilson last Friday filed an
affidavit in which she said she had known
Burroughs from his boyhood and was per-
fectlv familiar with his writing, and that
the letter attached was his writing and that
the signature was his. The letter she pre-
scented was dated Stockton, June u and
had a seal of a notary and a picture of
Burroughs attached. The letter was adj
dressed to the Superior Court and asked
that his answer be stricken from the files
of the court, as he had never verified it,
and that judgment be entered against him.
Attorney Morehouse waxed wroth and
pronounced the letter forgery.
Judge Reynolds remarked that the sig
nature appeared genuine, and set this
morning at 10 O'Clock as the time for
Attorney Morehouse to show cause why
the answer should not be stricken out.
When the case was called this morning
Attorney Morehouse went on the stand.
u j
engaged him to represent him, and ex-
hibited letters and kilograms from the de-
PENDANT to show his authority to act. He
also produced proof that Burroughs veri-
fed his answers before notary public in
Chicago He also said Burroughs had
paid him 500 when he engaged his SER
vices, and later had sent him check for
$3.50. He also presented the deposition of
II. A. de Lacy, who was present at the time
Burroughs engaged him. The various let
tiers and kilograms exhibited by Attorney
Morehouse were filed as exhibits in the
case
Attorney W G. Zeigler of San Francisco
was next put on the stand. He said he
had Just returned from Chicago. Between
June 81 and July 1 he had seen Burroughs
in Fremont. Ohio. He stated positively
that Mr.. Burroughs was not in Stockton
at the time he was supposed to have writ
ten the letter asking that judgment be en-
tered against him, and that Burroughs
had not been in California since March or
April last.
At this part of the proceedings Miss Bur-
roughs interrupted Zeigler and subjected
him to a rigid cross-examination as to the
J L,
Attorney Morehouse presented another
telegram he had just received from Bur
roughs, dated Chicago, August 5. In it
Burroughs denied that he had been in
Stockton at the time mentioned, and de-
MED the authorship Of the letter filed by
Marie's mother last Friday.
Miss Wilson then read and filed an
affidavit in which she claimed that More
house had no authority to act for Bur
roughs, and was not the counsel of record
in the case. She also said she had gone to
Morehouse to engage his services in the
case, but he had refused to act as her at
torney, but had gone to Burroughs and
had offered his services. This she con-
sidered unprofessional conduct, and the
most of her affidavit was devoted to "roast-
ing" the attorney.
Judge Reynolds continued the hearing
of the matter until tomorrow.
P. J. Burroughs, who is a travelling
.jewelry auctioneer, became acquainted
with Marie Burroughs in Los Angeles about
two years ago. She claims they were en-
gagged and the marriage day set Later
Burroughs tired OF Marie's company and
left Los Angeles and came here. While
conducting an auction sale here Miss VIII
son appeared and demanded that he fulfill
his promise This he refused to do, and
Miss Wilson Immediately commenced suit
for $50 900 for breach of promise. She has
acted as er own attorney throughout the
proceedings.