Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-03
WITH CLOSED DOORS
DepoSillonsEof Martin Harftll In The
Griffin Case.
COURT ROOM ORDERED CLEARED,
While They Are Being Read-Evi'
dence Said To BE Damaging TO
Mrs. CIR ffiu--C0urt Notes.

The crowds that have been 10 atten-
dance al the GrifIin divorce trial Tor
the past five dsye, felt somewhat
chagrined and disappointed this morn.
ing, when Judge Hiles ordered Bailiff
Barnett to clear the o,urt room OF
everybody except the attorneys in the
cnse, anu those specially Interested,
while the dispositions OF Mnr-
tin Hsrrell. former employee
OF Griffi were being read. The re-
porters Of the daily papers were told
that they could remain II they chose,
but that 1t would BIO repaired OF them
not to report or publish one word oil
what deponent deposed. Evidently
the news gatherers did not care to
make any such bargain, for, picking
up their belongings, they slid cut OF
the court room and were son lost In
the throng that hung around the corri-
dor, discutsin! the merits or dement's
OF the case 80 far as il had gone.
After the NEWS report closed yester-
day Mr.. Grffiu was crOss.exemiued
until nearly time for adjournme nj. He
denied having written Telegram for
Miss Thurstop, In which the request
was made OF Mrs. ThuistoD not to Uome
to testify in the caFe; denied threaten
ing Miss Thurston with respect az
to what would happen did
Miss Thurston's mother testify
He said tba, he got the Information
regarding hiswi,e's connection with
Junn Btsnl from his attorneys. He
ad ID tiled going on the note OF e. p.
Newell, president Of the City Council,
for $500, but did It IS q friend. Mrs.
Griffi u, ne remembered, did object.
He had one on other mems notes, to
help them out; 1t was nothing new TOR
him 10 do such thing.
Regarding his acquaintance with
Miss Bers man, Mr.. 6rfli !, In answer
to Attorney F. q. Richards. said that
he was first introduced to her by
Mre. Stone, an Intimate friend OF Mrs.
Griffiu.
Answering Mr.. Zane Griffin denied
ever having been with Miss Berkmsn
at the Warm Spring., or OF ever bav-
Ing met her there. He did admit,
however, meeting her once AZ the
ga oitariun.
J. II. Mitchell, an ex.moterman Of
the Rapid Trs nsit Railway company
testified that In July, 1895, Mrs. Griffin
boarveu his car at the Rio 6ranue de-
got In company with another lady,
both of whom rode up town. His Inn
precision was that Mrs. Or fiji was ua-
.sr the Influence o ligeor. His sus-
picions were later confirmed, for that
same evening she rode On the CAL
dei's Park line, and fell down after
leaving the car. She WAS picked up
by the conductor.
On cr0ss.examination, Mitchell said
that Mr.. Gii fin had come to him anu
asked what Ia. knew and would he
testify In court, He was positive the
but did not know that he had ever met
ner before the day tie cav her intoxi.
Gated. He had en- other women fall
when stepping off acsT
Attorney II Guards here arose
anu informed the court the
conductor of the car re-.
ferred to by the last witness wa
SICK in bed, and he moved for an al :
urnment pending the taking Of this
witnesses testimony. Judge Hiles
grated the requesI when court nu-
jSurneu.
HARRELL's DEPosITIoNs.
When court opened this afternoon
Attorney u ,ne opposed the reading of
HarTell's uep lsitione, claiming that he
was not slck, but only sha mining, and
that the whole thing was nJthinS but
Iuse on the part of Griffin ami his
attorneys.
Attorney Westervelt, replying, said
that tne witness was sics; that he had
seen the man himself anu had also
sent q pu ysiciau to see him, and that
II the court wanted to fully satisfy Its
mind, DR.. Thorne could be sent for ami
his testimony taken. The doctor was
brought into court anu In answer to
Mr.. Wsstervelt, said Harrsll was suf-
ferlng from Q severe strain In his back,
the resull Of fall, which affected his
kidneys and he had recommended sew.
eral days rest. He would not say that
his patient was too sick to attend court,
or that 1t would result seriously were
he to attend.
Judge Hilss overruled the objection
anu AFTER the court room HAD been
cleared anu the doors barricAded,
Court S,enographer J. Tracy Smith
(who TOOK the dept sitionsl, In iouu
slentoriAn tones begsn the reading o I
the document.
tits understood that Harrell oorrob.
crates the witness Mitchell, anu gives
snme damaging evidence az sinst Mrs.
Griffin and John Stahl. The reauing
OF the Iepositions was not concludeu
at noon, when court adjourned until .
O'Clock,
MRS. GRIFFIN TAKES THE STAND.
The reading OF the dispositions were
finished at 2:l5 this afternoon, when
the doors were thrown open and In
lees than i've minutes every seat in
the court room WIS taken. The attor.
neys for piaihtitf here rested, with the
Understanding That other dispositions
arrived dunpg the progress OF the trial
they wanted 10 put them In as part Of
the tetiimony.
Judge Young then began his open
lug statement for the defense and said
thst he anu colleagues expected to
prove that from the time OF their
ciienl's marriage with Griffin in
1858, until 1885. when Griffin went to
California anu met the Bsrkman
woman, that they lived happily to-
getbeI; that all the trouble dates from
then, ending with the proceed
ings now on. 1t would be
proven that alter Griffin left
home In 1895 be began to go to the
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