The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-22
Mrs. Sarah Bichel Takes the
Stand in The Interest OF
Mrs. Parker.
TELLS ABOUT THE TESTATOR
Amusing Incidents During the Prog
ress of Her Testimony-Even
the Court Smiles.

Emma L. Parker.
After the announcement by the court
that only from Monday TO Thursday even
ing of each week would be devoted to the
case, the taking of testimony began.
The first witness for the contestant was
Mrs. Sarah Bichel. She was questioned
by Attorney Patterson. She testified she
had lived in San Jose since 1868. She first
became acquainted with the deceased,
George II. Parker, in 1886, when both par
ties were living on Second street. She
was an intimate friend of Mrs. George
P arker, the sister of Marshall and Jane
Pomeroy, and her mother. Mrs. George
Parker died Ill 1892 after which George
Parker returned from the East here and
while staying at the Nendome became
sick.
H offered Mrs. Bichel deed of gift to a
cottag on William street, provided she
would keep house for him. She at first
refused, then finally consented. She was
TO give him a deed for the cottage so in
case she died before him it would return
to him. Mrs. Bichel kept house for him
from November, 1892, until May, 1893,
when George Parker went East. He re-
turned in June, 1893, and she kept house
for him till the accident which caused his
death.
Mrs. Bichel was with George Parker in a
buggy on August IA when the collision
with runaway occurred, and desert bed
how ne was crushed, receiving injuries
which caused his death three DAYS later.
She was in the habit OF putting all letters
received by George Parker into his desk.
During his lifetime the desk was never
locked, but shortly after his death Mar
! shall Pomeroy locked the desk and few
months later took 1t from the house.
In the afternoon the "a 0f taSti "
of Mrs. Bichel was resumed. She testified /:
Mr.. Parker was continually harping in
1893 upon his will and about women. He
often asked me in regard TO women who
would make suitable wives"
"Was that an evidence of unsoundness
of mind ?" asked Mr.. Delmas.
"He was an unmarried man of means
and he asked this lady who has messages
from heaven in regard to this important
consideration of the fitness of certain
women for wives"
Now, do you know about this lady be-
ing capable of giving messages from
heaven?" asked Judge Reynolds.
II have looked into the latest dictionary
since the court adjourned and found that
out" replied MIR. Delmas with a smile,
"Splrituaiist m diums are supposed to be
able to secure MESA es from the dead"
when we were out riding and saw any
ladies, or any OF my. young lady friends
Woulu WISH Ine, resumed the witness,
"he would ask ii one and another of them
would make good wife. As regards say
ing he was engaged to different young
ladies, he said to me on various occasions
that he had spoken to such and such a girl
about marriage"
''Did he ever consult you on the propo-
sition of the feasibility of organizing a
troupe of dancing girls to tour the East ?"
asked Paterson. and the question caused
considerable amusemeDt COnrt
"4es." was the reply. "Once when he
came back from San Francisco he said he
had been with two of his dancing girls
and they had proposed to him 20 organize
a troupe OF ballet dancers to go East.
'He said he saw them dance and then
he showed them some of his steps, | said
| was SURPRISED to hear that he was a
dancer and l asked him to show me some
of his steps, but he refused to do So
AFTER the death of his wife and Mr..
Parker's return from the East he was yerv
nervous and was continually making a
will in his mind. Once he threw himself
down on sofa, and said he had been with
Attorney Joseph Patton for two and q half
hours trying to make will, but no con-
clusion had been reached.
"Once Mr.. Parker had q pair of states.
He took them East, and brought them
back with him when he returned in July.
| 1893"
Six letters that were written to the tes-
| tator by Jane and Noah Pomeroy and a
pair OF states were then handed over to
Attorney Patterson by Judge Spencer.
Upon the lnsides of the states was writ
| ten message purporting to have come
| from his deceased wife to George H Par.
ker. She stated that she was well in the
| spirit world and she hoped that her hus-
| band was happy.
The court. upon an objection being
raised UnnlH a1lnu ha -
| read 10 the jury.
Attorney Patterson stated belief that a
man who would think he could receive a
communication from his wife in heaven
was not of sound mind, and the slate mes
sages were admissible in evidence for the
purpose OF helping to sustain the allega-
ton Of unsoundness of mind
There is no direct testimony that these
messages came from heaven" said Judge
Reynolds.
This might be a privileged commune
cation under the law if it is between man
and wife," suggested Mr.. Delmas.
Judge Reynolds intimated with smile
that undoubtedly those ties could not con.
tinue after DEATH and communication of
wife to her husband after she passed
away was not privileged. 1.-The Civil
Code" remarked the court, "does not
reach beyond this life"
What is the belief OF spiritualists in
regard TO receiving communications from
the dead?" then asked Attorney Patterson
of the witness.
An object was also made to this question
and sustained.
This closed the testimony of Mrs.
Bickel, it being understood that she could
be recalled for further direct and subse-
quent cross-examination. Mr.. DeImas
stated that in the present stage of her
testimony there was nothing that it was
desired to cross-auestion her about.
Mrs. Ellen w. Law, the next witness,
was examined by Attorney Coogan for the
contestant. The witness proved to be
very deaf. and to aid her hearing she held
the edge of gutta percha fan-shaped in
strument in her teeth while the questions
were being put to her. She testified as
follows:
81 have lived in California since 1854. I
knew George M. Parker we'll during his
lifetime. / first became acquainted with
him in 1858, when I lived near Alviso. in
this county. Afterward myself and Mrs.
Parker were engaged in business together