The herald., 1897-07-21
DEVILTRY
AT .DOWNEY
The Girl, Lee Mayne, Tells
Her Story
IDENTIFIED HER ASSAlLANT
IDENTIFIED HER ASSAILANT
rs CERTAIN THAT FOSTER WAS
THE MAN
Little Confirmatory Testimony as Yet,
Except That of Her Ten-Year-
Old Sister

The examination of John Foster on
| charge OF having abducted Miss Lee
Mayne, 14-year-old girl at Downey, on
June %. was begun before Justice Owens
yesterday morning. The case presents
some very peculiar features and some in
| teresting features are looked for before
the examination is over.
The morning after the alleged abduc-
ton occurred the girl was questioned as
to who had carried her away and al first
she claimed that II was a man who is
we'll known about Dpwney. When he
was brought into her presence she ad-
mitted that she had been mistaken and
that it was someone else. Later she
claimed to identify Foster as the man..
The prosecution is represented by As
sistant District Attorney Joe Cham bers,
while J. II. Ards and J. C. Rives APP
peared for Foster. Miss Lee Wayne was
the first witness called. She is a comely
child and her answers to questions evil
denced a sharp intellect, Her testimony
was to the effect that she had been
awakened during the night by man at
her bedside whom she felt pulling the
cover away. She did not understand his
presence but was very much frightened.
She tried to scream but the man grabbed
her by the throat and choked her. He
picked her up In his arms and carried her
out of the room and out of the house,
then across several fields. Finally he
placed her upon the ground in a clump
of trees and attempted to assault her
but failed.
Mr.. Chambers asked the girl if she
could remember the man who carried her
away if she should see him, She replied
in the Affirmative and pointing to Fos-
ter said that he was the man
After failing to accomplish his purpose
Miss Lee said that the man brought her
back to the railroad track and set her
down, leaving her there. She got up and
tried to find her way home. After wan
dering about for long time she finally
reached the house at 3 a. m.
Dr. Hasson testified to having exam
ined the child whom he found consider
ably bruised. Her throat showed evil
dences of the girl having been choked.
Mrs E. A. Patton, the grandmother.
said that she had been awakened during
the night by hearing a choking noise
| which was occupied by Lee and her
younger sister Katie. aged ten years.
She had got out of bed to see what was
the matter and discovered that her
grandchild was gone. The family was
notified and search was at once begun.
The little sister, Katie Wayne. was
placed upon the stand and told very
straight story. She said that she was
awakened when her sister was lifted out
Of bed and saw man standing near by.
He had threatened to kill her II she
screamed and so she had kept quiet
The father C. l.. Mayne. told Of having
followed a mans tracks from his house
through several fields. but the tracks
were finally lost. On the way ribbon
was found which he recognized as one
that his daughter had worn. The case
was adjourned until afternoon, when it
was again called.
Several witnesses went upon the stand
but little evidence of Importance was in
troduced.
Deputy Constable H. c. Roemer, of
Downey, said that he had followed the
tracks from Mayne's house for quarter
of mile, where they were lost. At that
time the tracks indicated that whoever
made them was walking in the opposite
direction from Fosters house. On losing
the tracks he had gone after some blood
hounds. but they had been unable to fol-
low the trail The examination was not
finished and will be continued today.