The record-union., 1896-05-15
TIE GREGORY EXAMINATION.
How Mrs. B. B. Lee Came to Invest Her
Money.
Mr.. Gregory's Letters to Her-He Says
He Has a Batch Also
to Put In.

The preliminary examination Oh Eu-
gene ]. Gregory, whom Mrs. Mary +. Lee
(widow of the late Bruce b. Lee) has
charged with obtaining money from
her by false pretenses, was begun be-
fore Justice Henry yesterday AFTER
noon. The case was hardly well under
way, however, when 1t was postponed
until to-day. The prosecution is being
conducted by Assistant District Attor-
ney J. Charles Jones, and Mr.. Gregory
is represented by Alvin j. Bruner.
The allegation is that Gregory OBJ
tanned three separate loans of money
from Mrs. Lee aggregating S9,OOO,
when the firm of Gregory Bros. was
insolvent, though he represented it to
be otherwise The first loan was $4,000,
made in January, 1898; the second,
$1,000, made in May, 1884, and the
third, $1,000, in August of the same
year.
Mrs. Lee was called as the first wit
ness. After the usual preliminary
questions had been answered she said
she first met Mr.. Gregory at the State
Fair in 1892, and a couple of months
later she wrote to him in relation to
money matters.
Mr. Bruner objected to the introduc-
tion of the letters that passed between
the parties except such as related to
matters Of business, but the prosecu-
tion said it would be impossible to
segregate their contents, as sentiment
and business were hopelessly inter-
mingled all through them Besides,
said Mr. Jones, it was proposed to be-
gin with the matter from the very first.
Mr.. Bruner said that if some letters
were to be admitted all should be. His
side had nothing to conceal in this
transaction, and for every letter the
prosecution might introduce he would
offer four or five. These letters would
show the trials and tribulations his
client had passed through.
In response to Mr. Jones' statement
that the prosecution proposed to show
that Mrs. Lee had been induced to loan
the firm of Gregory Bros. $4,000 under
false pretenses-pretenses that the
house was in a solvent condition-Mr.
Bruner said the letters from Mrs. Lee
would show that she knew of his f1nan-
cial troubles, but was willing to marry
him and cancel the Indebtedness. Let
ters written by her up to the time the
Grand Jury adjourned a few days ago
would be produced to show that Mr..
Gregory had been prosecuted.
The court ruled that the prosecution
might introduce its letters, and a couple
were read. Mrs. Lee was permitted to
testify regarding her responses thereto,
to the best of her recollection. She had
written to Mr.. Gregory in the latter
part of 1892, while residing at Red
Bluff, asking him to aid her in invest
ing some money in Sacramento. She
knew him as a member of an old COM
mercial family and as Mayor of the
city.
In response to this letter Mr.. Gregory
wrote that he would cheerfully assist
her in the matter. She replied to this
that she had $4,000 which she desired
to invest so that it would return her
an income.
Subsequently Mr.. Gregory visited Red
Pluff and called on her, and they dis
cussed the subject, which was to be
resumed in the evening when he called
again. That evening, however, was
devoted to other topics and a wedding
party, from which Mr.. Gregory escorted
her to her home. She said he seemed
to be more interested in herself that
evening than in the money.
The defense objected to this kind of
testimony, Mr.. Bruner declaring that
the proceeding was lot to illustrate
love story.
Mr. Jones said they were simply Show
ing it to have been the scheme of
crafty man to secure woman's money.
Mr. Bruner said that the craftlness
and the wiles were all on the other side,
ard that if the whole affair were writ
ten up it would constitute a most fas-
cinating romance.
When the lawyers concluded their
suat Mrs. Lee resumed her testimony,
saying that Mr.. Gregory's attentions to
her were of an affectionate nature. He
seemed to take deep interest in her and
did not act like one whose chief thought
was ON money matters.
Then more cross Stirring broke out be-
tween the attorneys, and Mr.. Bruner
said Mrs Lee had assured his client
that she loved him, while now she was
trying to send him to the penitentiary.
To the first part of this assertion Mr.
Jones entered a denial.
After Mr.. Gregory had left Red Bluff,
said Mrs Lee she wrote and told him
OF some local gossip that had been in
dulged in about themselves which had
caused her some annoyance.
Mr. Gregory's letter in response to
this was quite long. He advised her