The San Francisco call., 1896-06-11
SAN JOSE'S GAY WIDOW.
Mrs. Parker's Record as Mrs.
Brown" While in the
East.
Claimed to Be a Woman of Wealth
and Captured a Rich Young
Husband.

SAN JOSE, CAL, June 10.-There was
an increased attendance al the trial of the
Parker will case to-day, and the beginning
of the taking of testimony for the re-
spondents increased the interest.
During the arg ument for non-suit the
contestant had foretaste of the exposure
of her reputed career that was in store,
and in the afternoon she did not remain
in the courtroom long after the reading of
the deposition of Jane Pomeroy was begun.
Juuge Reynolds rendered his decision
upon the motion for a non-suIt. He said
there was some testimony that seemed to
have a tendency to prove some of the
allegations in the petition, and for this
reason the court had no right to take the
case from the jury.
The testimony for the respondents was
opened with the reading of the deposition
OF Mary Jane Pomeroy of Hartford, Conn,
known in the evidence as Jane Pomeroy.
During this reading Attorney Coogan,
for the contestant, said he understood
that Jane Pomeroy was in the State, and
it was urged that she should be present
herself and give her testimony.
MRS. Pomeroy is now in San Fran
CISCO" responded Burchard, "but she is
there at the side OF her dead husband, who
passed away Yesterday"
The deposition was then allowed with
out further question. 1t said:
"In 1870 Edwards father set him up in
business in the hat and furnishing line in
Hartford.
He did not pay his board or lodging
at our house. We intended to give him a
portion of our property. l first knew of
Edwards intention to marry Emma
Hough two weeks before the marriage
Edward came to US and said he wanted
to get married to a rich widow from Cali
fornia.
"We told him he had better be careful
and investigate as to her, but he said he
had to marry her right away, as she
wanted to return 10 California. He seemed
to think from something she said that if
he did not marry her Immediately she
would return to California and he would
lose her.
The woman did not, he said, tell him
how much she was worth, but that she
had real estate and stocks and bonds. He
said she was the widow of George l..
Brown. He died at the Occidental Hotel
and was buried at Lone Mountain, beside
the Broderick monument.
"After their marriage we received them
as members of our family in our house
hold. We had heard through some one
that Edwards wife was not what she pre-
tended to be, that she had lived IN one
day for an explanation.
This was shortly after she came to us.
She said her first husband, Brown, had
been very kind 10 her. He had taken her
on drives, and every morning he threw all
the money she wanted into her lap. She
said he died suddenly one day at the hotel
She told about a diamond breastpin that
showed IN picture of her first husband
that she exhibited.
Edwards wife soon began to make de-
mands for money for dresses. etc. then
knew that her claim of being wealthy was
false, and l wrote q letter to Edward s
father in regard to the matter.
In the letter to my brother l advised
him to Investigate as to whe ther or not
such man as g. l.. Brown had died in
San Francisco and as to whether or not
his widow had any property on Powell
street, as she claimed. / also sent to my
brother the picture that Emma Parker
had said was a photograph of ber first
husband, Mr.. Brown
The writer said the picture sent on pur-
porting 20 be that of Brown was found to
be that of man named Tiliinghast, who
was at that time alive and well. He was a
wealthy Englishman and was well known
III San francisco as clubman.
The opinion was expressed that Edward
had been caught in trap, and that his
wife had uttered falsehoods in all the
statements she had made. She never
owned any property on Powell street.
The man Mitchell had also been seen. and
he said he did not know of any husband
that she had ever had.
This letter was read to Edward Parker.
There was then loud talk between Edward
and his wife.
Objections were then made to the read
ing OF testimony about the conversation
between Edward Parker and his wife. on
the ground that such communications
were privileged, and pending the argu-
ment upon this point the case was con-
tinued until tomorrow morning at 10
O'clock.