The herald., 1897-01-28
PREJUDICED JURORS SCORED
A Conspiracy Charged In the AIanlz VIII
Contest Case
Signed Under the Impression That II Was q
Receipt
Leander Griffen Charged With Having
Stolen a House-The Divorce
Mill Grinds Out-Miscel-
laneous Notes.

Her voice was like a snap shot"
That is the way Ronaldson R. Hunt
esq, known to his familiars as "Ronny,'
described the tones of Mrs. Anna Spen-
Ger.
The witness gave his testimony ap-
parently in spirit of semi-facetious-
ness that. while not leaving himself open
! to criticism on the part of counsel, some
what enlivened the details of his evil
| dence.
After testifying that he came to Los
Angeles from San Francisco about four
teen years ago. he was asked what he
was there.
II was a capitalist there" he answered
! in a somewhat regretful tone, and then
adding, in order that there might be no
misconception or the point, I'm an ac-
countant here
Witness testified that upon coming to
Los Angeles he occupied a room in the
Rose building Immediately adjacent to
those occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Spencer.
He knew them very well, and not in
frequently he had heard, while in his
room, the voice of Mrs. Spencer raised
in dictatorial manner.
Mr.. Lamme objected to the witness
using such term, it being a conclusion
of his own. "Ronny'' Hunt, In reply to
counsel, defined the lady's voice in his
own peculiar fashion.
Her voice was like snapshot" and
he snapped his fingers in illustration.
But that answer was scarcely salts
factory, for the court wanted enlighten-
ment as to the particular attributes of
a snapshot voice.
ooh, 1t was a voice having tones Of
command"
Might it not have been somebody
else's voice?" insinuatingly suggested
counsel.
1T was hers all right"
How did you know?'
by it's tone" adding in a confidential
aside you know I'm an old singer, and
necessarily can recognize the tones of
a voice.
The court desired to know how one per-
son could have such conversation or
wrangle. as indicated by witness, and
the witness explained that such a thing
is as easy as falling off log.
If the other person can't talk back it
would be quite easy" said witness, and
thereupon he was excused after having
in non-legal fashion, perhaps, but very
effectively described the attitude of Mrs.
Spencer and the old man who at that
time was her husband.
Mrs. Robinson, who is a very prepos-
sessing young lady, blessed with an
abundance of the hair of the color
that Titan is supposed to have
loved to paint, gave an amount
of testimony strongly corroborat-
ing that given by Mrs. Newton pre-
viously. In the fall of 1893 she and her
~ |, teI Io1f l, j
on Broadway that the Newtons had pre-
viously occupied and remained there un-
til June, 1894. They had the fullest op-
portunities for seeing the Spencers in
their own home. and Mrs. Spencer, also,
frequently came into their own half OF
the house.
Witness told how old man Spencer
cooked the lunches and dinners, did the
chamber work, attended to wedding and
watering the garden, and then at night
crept into his cubby hole as represented
by small room which opened off the
kitchen. This retreat was lily furnished
and had no carpet upon the floor
Did you ever see Mr.. Spencer's room? ?"
queried counsel
Yes, sir"
How was it?"
1T was very nice room running the
length of the house. 1t had a velvet
carpet, folding bed and everything very
nice"
Did you ever see her do any of the
domestic work?''
I've seen her sweep sometimes"
After telling about Mr.. Spencer in his
capacity as hostler, witness was asked
what the manner of Mrs Spencer was
toward her husband, and replied that it
was very dicta torial. Being asked to
more clearly define this. witness said:
When he was sprinkling the lawn I
heard her tell him that he was not doing
1t right, and jerk the hose out of his
hands. l remember, too, her losing pa
tience with him once when he was sweep
ing the leaves under the orange tree and
showing him aside
Witness further stated that Mrs. Spen-
Ger would drive off in the buggy and
sometimes not return until late at night
When she was going to the ranch her
husband would sometimes accompany
her. Newton frequently came to lunch
and dinner, but witness denied that she
ever knew that he was foreman of the
ranch. Nor had she ever seen Mrs.
Spencer in calico gown and sunbonnet
going away early to the ranch. or known
that she did a mans work there day in
and day out
Asked as to the personal appearance
of Mr.. Spencer, the witness said he was
very kind and gentle in manner and
very feeble" adding: II never heard
him complain at all"
When witness sometimes took the old
man soup or other food he seemed very
grateful, and once remarked: IF Mrs.
spencer was only half as thoughtful as
you are"
Mrs. Spencer explained the daily visits
OF Newton to the house by saying he
was private detective engaged to at
fn hlv 81 pr...x