The herald., 1897-09-12

The third OF this trio Of similar cases
was the trial of Hattie Woolstein in this
city on the charge Of having murdered
doc" Harlan, dentist-gambler whose
character was such that the community
could bear up under the loss of his re-
moval with Christian resignation. How
Harlan was murdered, where he was
murdered and when he was murdered
are questions enveloped in as much mys-
terry today as at the time of the trial.
The fact remained, however, that the
charred remains of a man were found
in the hot ashes of the ruins Of the Bar
bey barn at Compton on the afternoon
Of October Z, 1887. OF the body burned to
a cinder there remained a portion of the
lower jaw and the filing in certain Of the
teeth suff1ced to identify the body as
that Of DOC" Harlan beyond peradven-
ture. Hattie Woolstein was acquitted
but only by spelling the case from law
yer's standpoint.
Hattie and her sister Minnie came
from the old home in Illinois to settle
in Los Angeles as dressmakers if an.
opening offered and if not to spend
short holiday and then return home.
Like most girls, they made the best ap-
Peoi oASC POSolDlS, anu OOC marian
happened to see the girls and was at
tracted by the pretty appearance Of
Hattie. AS the girls dressed we'll and
were simply enjoying themselves, he got
the idea that the girls were eastern Wis
itors having plenty of money. He was
himself married man, but he didn't
tell Hattie that when he began to court
her. When Hattie went upon the wit
ness stand in her own defense she con-
fessed that under promise of marriage
Harlan had accomplished her ruin; that
on the night Of the tragedy at Compton
she had driven with him to the Barbey
ranch, as she had on several previous oc-
| casions. Harlan had told her he was
going to buy the place, and upon their
marriage they were going there to live.
But upon the drive down upon the even
ing in question, Harlan and Hattie had
some angry words, for the girl had dis
covered that her lover was a married
man. Arriving at the barn, Harlan
drove into the stable, as he said, to wa
ter the horse, and asked Hattie to alight
and come inside. The girl did alight
from the vehicle but refused to go inside
the barn, and after failing to persuade
| iiCit 11oi ian 1Ol Clpiy leu 11dtll6 INSIDE the
stable and in defense Of her honor the
fatal shot was fired. She then drove
back to the city for help, and however
the barn took fire was never explained
the inference being that the wad from
| the pistol set fire to some loose straw ly-
ing around.
The interest in the case had been
heightened by the reports before the
trial, and also by witnesses during the
trial itself, of the treatment accorded
the two girls by the then chief of police
Darcy. The girls were permitted no pri
vacy and all the womanly necessities
were carried on under the eyes of a
watching officer. The charge, indeed
was made upon the trial that the chief
had tried to ravish Hattie, but while he
| was undoubtedly harsh during the girls
confinement in his private office, there
was no evidence tending to show this
charge was founded in fact
The scene in court at the time Of the
rendering Of the verdict was dramatic
in its intensity. Judge Cheney was then
judge in department one, and while the
prosecution was assisted by specia
counsel Wiley Wells and J.. c. Stevens
represented the defense. Throughout
the trial Hattie sat with downcast eyes
as II in stupor. She gave not the slight