The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-21

confidence for him to reveal the facts as
to its contents. He suggested that Major
Donneil would perhaps make public the
DR.. Dryer, who was for fourteen months
the physician attending Ada Faulkner, and
who was present when she made her aft
davit, was seen at his office on Fourth
street, Santa Ana.
DR.. Dryer is an elderly gentleman, with
kind face and manner, and has for thirty
years practiced his profession of medicine
To The HERALD representative DR.. Dryer
said:
"Of all the sad experiences have ever
run across in my thirty years of practice
that of Ada Faulkner was the saddest.
Oh sir, 1 tell you that she died a most
miserable death. The suffering that that
poor girl endured could never be described
by tongue or pen. During all the weary
greater portion of the time. Many of her
old friends and acqusintances did not care
to come to see her. Death was great re-
lief.
"Yes. | was present when her dying
declaration was taken. I read it afterward.
1t was rs strong statement as any human
being could make as to who had commit
ted the criminal act that led up to her
death. She was in full knowledge of the
fact that she was in the presence of death,
but she was perfectly sane and in COM
plete possession of her mental. powers.
She related every detail of the operation
which she said was performed by the
Smith woman. She told how almost every
day for three weeks the woman had used
metal instruments without having admin
istered any anesthetic. She told of her
frightful suffering every day while she
was at the woman's house. She told how
she came to go there; how she first came
here to Santa Ana to have the operation
performed. but could find no one to do it,
In fact, the statement was complete in
every way and fixed fully the responsible
ity for the commission of the crime.
Judging from the statement made by
Ada and from what have learned corrob-
orative of it there is no punishment too
severe that should be inflicted upon the
person who performed that operation upon
her. 1t was most bungling piece of ur-
heared of brutality. The poor girl was lit
orally torn to pieces. The operation was
not even scientifically performed. On No
vember IA, 1894, DR.. Stewart of Los An
geles performed an operation upon Ada
here in Santa Ana, thinking that, perhaps,
by this we might save her life, but while
this operation was successfully performed
1t failed of the result we had hoped for.
mo post mortem examination was held
and at this | was somewhat surprised.
However it was not absolutely essential to
the prosecution of the Smith woman. Any
evidence or assistance that can give in
onvicting her would most cheerfully do
nate.
ada Faulkner was % years old. She
was beautiful in form and feature. She
was of bright, sunny disposition, always
looking on the gay side of life. Anybody
that knew her could not help but like her
1.-THE funeral occurred on Sunday last
Many people in Santa Ana knew her from
childhood and were present at the services.
The Rev. Isaac Jewell of the Methodist
pressively beautiful and touching. There
were quite number of floral tributes.
"Young man, if God forgives the truly
penitent-and believe that he does-he
forgave Ada Faulkner when she entered
on her long rest; for she was ponitent and
had asked him to forgive her."
The only copy of the dying declaration
of Ada Faulkner that is extant is in the
possession of District Attorney j. A. Don.
nell, and he declines to make it public.
Assistant District Attorney McComas, to
whom the paper was delivered, was inter-
viewed yesterday afternoon. He said:
"Yes, we have the statement of the girl,
but Major Donnell will not make it public.
He will not, under any circumstances, give
1t to the newspaper reporters. Just what
use we can make of the statement we do
not know yet. fear that we cannot use it
against the Smith woman. We can find
no au horities which will help us to secure
the admission of dying declaration in
other than murder trial. We have not
yet found out whether we can get the dying
declaration in on a prosecution.
I'VE do not desire to push case where
there is no show of securing q conviction,
as that would put the county to great and
unnecessary expense. This we do not de-
sire to do"
The apprehension of Judge McComas in
the matter of performing his duties with
regard to saving expense to the taxpayers
does not appear to be consistent. The
Chinese prosecutions that are annually
brought in the courts of this county cost
thousands of dollars. The convictions that
accrue are rare. The cases are for the
most part the result of factional wars in
Chinatown. A member of one Chinese fac.
ton secures the arrest of Monaghan who
belongs to the opposing faction. There 10
no great issue at stake. 1t is simply q war
between Chinese factions. The testimony
of the Chinese is nearly all manufactured.
The district attorneys Office will take
those cases and push the prosecution with
great vigor.
But here is a case where white girl has
died as the result of criminal operation
which she has sworn was performed by
Catherine G. Smith. She was arrested
over year ago for producing it. Her case
has dragged its weary way through the
tiresome and intricate detail of legal
to whether she will he tried. The victim OF
the operation is dead. The woman who 10
charged with performing it is still in Los