The San Francisco call., 1896-06-27

minutes passed and the witness, the
figure around which ali the interest cen-
tered, had not appeared.
No one could explain it. Mr.. Delmas,
who had taken his place at the table for
the first time in this proceeding as the
leading counsel for the witness, shook his
head-he did not know. W. W. Foote
said be had just come from Oakland, had
not seen Mrs. Craven since the court ad-
journed the evening before, and he did
not know.
The court grew mpatient-demanded
that the business proceed.
George A. knight said mo; this witness
is the soul of the proceeding. I want to
examine her at length. I prefer an ad-
iournment rather than the intervening of
any other witness"
He sat down and there ensued an awk.
ward pause, which was broken into by the
unannounced entrance of the witness her
self The crowd made wav for her, and
as she came through the gate from the
lobby it became quite apparent why she
had kept the court waiting. She was very
pale. Just behind her came her daughter
Margaret and her constant friend, Mrs.
Haskins.
They took the seats reserved for them
near their counsel. There was brief con-
sultation, and then Mr.. Foote rose and
explained that Mrs. Craven, on her way to
the courtroom, had become so i'll that she
was taken to her physician. Mr.. Foote
held and read certificate from him stat
ing that Mrs Craven was suffering from
an ailment such as would endanger her
life were she subjected to the excitem ent
incident to an examination upon the wit
ness-stand.
With this little speech the hopes of the
crowd for some repetition of the sensa-
tionaI scenes of the night before died out
Mr.. knight said, 1--WE will abide by the
Judgment of the court"
Mr.. Delmas said, "There is no court
sitting here"
To this thrust no answer was made.
Mr.. Knight called for the production of
the deeds recorded by Mrs. Craven, and
they were promptly produced-the deeds
to the Pine and Mission street property
already described. The deeds are written
in lead pencil.
After an inspection by the attorneys for
the Fair children Mr. Knight asked that
the court take charge of them.
The court had no desire to assume the
responsibility and, besides, the attorneys
for Mrs. Craven objected to having the
papers taken out of their possession.
They promised to have them ready upon
anv proper demand for inspection and the
matter was allowed to stand at that.
A call was made for the marriage con-
tract also. Mr.. Foote said he had advised
the lady to send for that to her friends in
Iowa and she would do so.
'And the etters2" insisted Knight.
"They will be forthcoming-aH the
papers will. l speak for myself" !" said
Foote. "Mr. Delmas is now here. He can
answer for them finally"
every letter and paper purportlng to
be written by the hand of James G. Fair
now in the possession or under control Of
Mrs Craven will be produced here. We
have no reservations"
This was said in such quietly convlnc-
ing fashion that questioning ceased.
Then the cipher book promised the
night before was called for and Margaret
Craven passed it over. George R. Williams
went on the stand and identified the little
red leather-covered book as containing a
cipher which has been used between him
self and Mrs. Craven for communicating
on business matters by wire for the past