The San Francisco call., 1896-06-23
Refused to Be Sworn Be-
fore Judge Slack Last
Evening.
MUST ANSWER TODAY.
Dramatic Bit of Play in the
Drama of the Fair
Will.
MENERY CRIES FORGERY" )"
81 Will Not Stand It." Said Mrs.
Craven. You Must" Said
the Lawyer.
MUST ANSWER TO-DAY.
MENERY CRIES FORGERY"

In answer to the subpoena served upon
them Mrs. Nettie K. Craven, her personal
attorney. Charles E. v illiams, and her
friend and adviser, Stephen Roberts, went
Before Judge Slack last evening, and, after
The most interesting bit OF play that has
vet crossed the stage in the great drama
OF the Fair will, retired again back into
the night.
Interesting as it was, it was still only
the usual play before the court, resulting
in the everlasting postponement.
Mrs. Craven and the others were re-
ouired by the subpoena to produce all the
docum ents that she may have from the
hand of and affecting the estate of James
G. Fair. She did not do it.
incidentally, in the argument against
her attorneys plea for time, she was
roasted" without reservation. She was
charged with being forger and the head
of a mandatory of spurious wills and
deeds.
This was by Garret McEnerney, done in
a manner quite unusual with him-his
name shaking with the vehemence of his
utterance and his face growing very red.
Mrs Craven became very much excited
and. rising from her chair, her white kid
gloved hand raised to attract the attention
of the court, like a democratic delegate
fearful OF being overlooked by the chair,
she cried:
'Your Honor, this is too much! This
is unwarranted and outrageous -
Mr.. McEnerney took advantage OF the
interruption to take large drink of water,
then, setting down the glass, he looked
" o
Madam, you will have to stand it, and
much more of the same before you are
through"
The court said not a word.
The setting Tor this rather strong bit of
action in the play was excellent. The
lamps were lighted, the courtroom
crowded, very many ladies being present,
most of them the school friends OF Mrs.
Craven There was almost full roster of
the attorneys in all the ramifcations OF
the case W no are in the Clty-Lloyd, Will
son, Heggerty, McEnerney, Pierson, Sulli-
van, Choynski, and all down the too
numerous-to-mentlon list.
Mrs. Craven held a conspicuous place a
little away from the table between her
counsel Choynski and Britain. Near her
sat Williams and Roberts, who were sub
penaed with her. She was dressed in
brown, with lace about her throat, a
jacket with big, white buttons and white
kid gloves.
Mr. Britain, acting for Dslmas, who was
i'll and unable to be present, made strong
and indignant protest against Mr.. Nc
Enerney's statement. lie declared that he
(McEnerney) would not have dared to say
such things had me senior counsel, Mr..
Delmas, been present.
But the court refused to rebuke Nc
Enerney, but promised to do so when it
(the court) deemed that he .(McEnerney)
was transgressing any of the legal pro-
prieries.
However, the plea for time, based upon
the illness and absence OF Mr.. DelEaas, was
effective, despite the protest of the other
side that such proceeding did not call
for counsel. The matter went over until
Wednesday evening.
Then the counsel for the petitioners, see
ing the game about to slip away for the
time, readjusted themselves and moved
that the parties subpenaed be sworn. The
purpose OF this was to bring them imme-
diately under the jurisdiction OF the CO urt.
And it was contested. For at least
seventeen hours the determination OF il
was postponed.
Mrs. Craven, when her name was called
to come forward and be sworn, fatty re-
fused. She said it politely enough, but
quite firmly: Your Honor, acting under
the advice OF counsel l refuse to be sworn ,
She sat down in a tremble. Judge Slack
leaned forward and peered under the
lights at the sides of the bench.
What is that?" he said, in something
like amazement.
Mrs. Craven had it to say all over again.
She arose. took a step forward, and, plac-
ing her white kid gloves upon the back oi
Mr.. Choynskis chair, repeated as dis
tinctly as before, with a touch of tTemolo
in her voice, Acting under the advice OF
counsel, your Honor, l refuse to be
sworn she repeated.
Looking steadily at her and not at the
counsel has Honor said, very slowly:
''Then l will have to deem you in con-
tempt OF court"
1--WE shall insist that the witness be
sworn, said Charles Heggerty, doggedly.
Mrs. Craven still refused. The court got
so far as to fix the time at twenty-fouI
hours that she should spend in jail.
F. S. Britain, acting for Mr.. Delmas,
asked a suspension of sentence until at
least tomorrow at 2 o'ciock-that is, to-
day-and sentence was reserved until that
time, at which time was Mrs. Craven
directly ordered by the court to appear.
DR.. Marc Levingston had not been served
with subpoena, was not present and did
not figure IN any way