The San Francisco call., 1896-07-07
A Young Girls Pitiful Story of
Betrayal and Perse-
cution.
LIVING FOR YEARS IN DUREss
Judge Campbell Orders the Defendant
Into Custody Until To.
morrow Morning.

DR.. Arthur Marten, physician and
philosopher, appeared in Judge Camp
BELLS court yesterday afternoon to an
swer the charge of threats to kill. He
conducted his own defense, and Colonel
Eddy was special prosecutor.
DR.. Marten showed that he had been
carefully studying the legal aspect of the
case and skillfully handled it. He asked
for continuance, but it was refused.
Alma Josselyn, the complaining wit
ness, was called to the stand. and DR..
Marten at once interposed an objection on
the ground that wife could not testify
against her husband. He quoted deci-
sion of the Supreme Court on the point
and also referred the Judge to section 1922
of the Penal Code. The Judge overruled
his objection, and the doctor still fought
hard to exclude the young woman's evil
dence. He said if she wanted divorce
from him she could have 1t, as he would
not oppose it, and he would swear never
to molesr her again. "She is my dear
wife" said he, land the mother of my
children, and how could L threaten to take
her life?''
This appeal had no effect upon the Judge.
"If you loved this young girl and had
her honor at heart" said the Judge
sternly, "why did you not marry her
legally. Why did you not get license
and be married to her by clergyman or
other proper person?''
"There were legal reasons" said the
doctor, (which made it necessary that we
should not let the whole world know that
we were man and wife ?'
That's boshv' retorted the Judge.
proceed with the case.''
Then in answer to questions the young
woman, who looked as if she were dying
from consumption, told her pitiful story,
keeping her eyes away from the defendant
as if she were afraid of being hypnotized
by him.
She said she was born in 1876 and first
met the defendant about three and a half
years ago in the house of her step-grand-
father, George Staacke. At that time he
became criminally intimate with her by
presenting pistol at her head and threat
ening to kill her unless she submitted.
She had been under duress since then and
was constantly in fear of her life.
At this point the doctor said, "Now, my
lovey, how can you say that of me?''
THAT will do" shouted Colonel Eddy,
''none of your Svengai tricks here"
The witness continued, saying she had
borne him two children. one is months
old and the other about months Once
be kept her locked up in room in his
office for nine months and would not allow
her to see any one.
Couldn't you have got out and gone to
your friends ?" asked the Judge
"Where was 1 to go?" replied the wit
ness. IL was then without friends, and
was completely in the power of that man. u
She detailed how the defendant had
made her swear falsely to affidavits in the
case against George Staacke for $50, 0OC
damages for betrayal, and how he had
conspired to get himself appointed legal
guardian to her younger sister, Lulu, to
use her as witness against Staacke. He
had repeatedly threatened to kill her il
she told any one about these things. He
had threatened to kill her and her two
babies within the past week or two.
The defendant cross-examined the wit