The herald., 1898-12-22
MARGUERITA'S TALE
sEpUCED BY A YOUNG MAN WHO
NOW DENIES HER
SHE IS FOUND TO BE SANE
Examining Physicians Believe Her
Statements, Which Are Indorsed
by Her Brother Manuel

Marguerite Dominguez was before cont
mission on lunacy yesterday Tor eXaniha-
ton as to her sanity. The complaint showed
that she was accustomed to wander about
aimlessly, to buy whatever she wanted and
pay for it with orders on the Peoples store,
which she was said to imagine she owns.
Evidence taken was to the effect that she
was l6 years of age, and unmarried, and
that her slight delrium few days ago was
due to the birth of child on the 4th day OF
December.
When taken to the county hospital her
pulse was up to l02, and yesterday it was at
100. She was weak, but in full possession OF
her mental powers, and told a very straight
forward story Her temperature was
slightly above normal, and she complained
of drowsiness, falling asleep readily when
sitting down for few moments.
With reference to her appearance in this
city, she said she came from her home near
the Aamitos sugar refinery, having hired
a buggy to take her to the train, and after
her arrival here she went to the Peoples
store. There she told Mr.. Hamburger that
she was without funds, but if he would tee-
phone to her father or brother they would
guarantee payment for such articles as she
might select from the stock, being in need
of change of clothing and some outer
wraps.
"He went to the telephone" said she,
"and came back, telling me it was all right.
So they dressed me up and | was all ready
to go when they began to strip off the things
and taking me to the door, they showed me
outside, slamming it after me-"
The girls brother, Manuel, was at the
examination, and he confirmed her state.
ments as to the birth of the child seventeen
days previous, the paternity of which he
agreed with his sister in ascribng to Victor
Hopf, well known young man of Santa
Monica, with whom Marguerita has been
keeping company for five years past.
"Why did you come to Los Angeles"
asked the examining physicians OF the poor
girl
Because 1 wanted Hopf to marry me-"
she replied, the tears starting to her eyes
as she spoke.
'Do you care for him." they asked, and
the answer quickly came, "No. But |
would marry him if he did not have anything
in the world. He is the father OF my baby,
and he has kept telling me all the time he
would marry me, and he must do it."
"What would you do with him if he did
not marry you?' was the next question, and
she answered it by saying: Never mind
what | would do with him. He would be
sorry for it,
"But you would not hurt him." said the
doctors, and her eyes flashed with momen-
tary passion, as she said: Il would Kill
him. He promised to marry me- and he is
responsible for my child. Now, if he don't
treat me right he will be sorry
"My baby is the picture of him, and he
cannot deny it. Why, have been with
him for five years. He is the proprietor Of
the Pavilion at Santa Monica. Oh, every
body knows him, and you ask those who do
if we haven't been keeping company for
long time"
The doctors turned to Manuel, who cor
roborated every word of his sister. ooh,
yes," he said, "she has been going with him
right along
Some one said that Hopf had been to the
newspaper offices to say he had never
wronged the girl "Well, l don't care for
him. said Marguerite, breaking down com
pletely, and between her sobs she added,
"but he better look out how he throws me
off. | think as much of any other man in
the world, but he is my baby's father, and
he shall own it."
The doctors looked sympathetically
around, and said the girl might have been a
little delrious the other day, from the eff
fects of childbirth, but that she was per
fectly sane then. On their advice, however,
she was ordered to be committed by Judge
Clark to the county hospital for care, as the
physicians declared she was in need Of med
ical treatment, having left her bed too soon
and being feverish still.
Marguerite did not wish to go to the hos
pital, but insisted that she would 60 home il
permitted to do so. The examiners were
informed, however, that her mother was
living in little shack with a tent for one
room, and they thought the probable ex-
posure there might prove injurious, so the |
girl was sent to the hospital, preferring that /
to being committed to the asylum. Her
baby is being cared for by her mother. Her
fathers name and address were given by
herself and brother as Higuera Dominguez,
Long Beach.