The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-04
Mrs. Allison a Much
Abused Woman.
SHE. SAYS so HERSELF
Had TO FIGHT OFF HER LOVERS
GIFTS OF DIAMONDS.
Men Who Had Only Known Her a
Few Minutes Would Load Her
Down With Costly
Gems.

Mrs. Grace Allison, or. Mrs. Ida Quinn,
or still more recently Mrs. Ida Collins,
was on the witness-stand in her own be-
half before United States District Judge
| de Haven yesterday afternoon, and proved
most voluble witness. Mrs. Allison also
| flashed up a new, or nearly new, hus-
band for the edifcation of the court Jury
and spectators.
1t was a day replete with episode in
the trial of the alleged matrimony bureau
| swindlers, but the much-sought lady was
easily the star attraction. When she got
on the stand she readily explained away
all the discriminating charges against her.
Sometimes she had two or three expla-
nations for the same occurrence and an
overwhelming desire to tell them ALL
When she launched into an explanation
it took his Honor and all the lawyers to
bring her to a stop.
Mrs. Allison-Quinn-Co Collins is not beau
tiful, whatever her own opinion on the
subject may be. But she's fascinating to
the last degree, for her own evider
proved that. Why, according to her state
ment her antiquated lovers would be intro
duced to her through the medium of the
matrimonial bureau and in less than ten
minutes, and before they had even time
fairly be loading her down with diamonds
and pianos and such. That is, all of them
but DR.. Allison. According to her story
he only gave ner a ndnQ1uI OF OlQ-faSh-
Toned gems that cost her SO or s11 to have
reset, besides one rhinestone, or ''rhen-
STEM" as. the lady called it. But perhaps
she was thinking of .'ein stein when she
did so. The value she placed upon that
gem was 81 80, and she seemed to be an
expert on the value of diamonds, rhine
stones, Kimberly gems, and cut alum.
Mrs. AlliSon-Quinn-CollinS was never
engaged to Duprey, Looney, Sheck and
the others, for she said so herself; all she
had to do with them was to be introduced
to them and let them unload their tokens
of admiration on her.
The springing of N. c. Collins as her
husband was to convince the jury that
the Pacific Information Bureau was ION
the square, and that she sought and OBJ
tanned a life companion through it. Col
Inns is about "a years old, fully ten or a
dozen years her junior. He has been her
constant companion throughout the trial.
He took the stand to tell about his meet
ing the woman and their marriage; and
his testimony might have had some
under cross-examination that since he has
been in San Francisco he has gone under
the name of J. II: Smith and his alleged
emily, did not help matters along with the
jury to any appreciable extent.
me entire day was given over to the
defense. During the forenoon Isaac Balm,
the womans partner in the marriage bu-
reau, testified in his defense. He told
about having 400 ladies and 700
gentlemen patrons, all of whom had
tiers he had admitted many more ladies
who had not paid the fee.
On cross-examination Balm denied that
he had ever been convicted of a felony.
Assistant District Attorney Banning will
introduce records in rebuttal Monday
showing that Balm was convicted and SEN
fenced to San Quentin for swindling in
connection with a marriage bureau.
Collins then testified that he was born
in Midway, KY, in 1865, and was engaged
IN the hardware business there. He iden-
fRnd ftn 1ofa
and said he formed her acquaintance
through the Pacific Information Bureau.
He first became acquainted with her in
nj March h or April last year; He came to
San Francisco last December. Asked as
to the woman's financial standing he an
nouneed with pardonable pride that she
has $751; 600 In cash now. Then came his
admission that he is known by the name
of Smith, and he was glad to make his
escape from the stand.
Then Mrs. Allison-Quinn- Smith Collins
shaped her course for the witness stand
and made the dock in safety. She did not
go into her past to any extent beyond adj
hitting that she was formerly the wife
of John j. Quinn of Chicago, who fore
swore gambling, which vocation he had
followed for years, to write book of his
lie, She became member of the Pacific
Information Bureau in December, 1897,
paying the usual fee for the privilege. She
had no financial interest whatever in the
concern and had never shared in its pro-
fits. She met ]. l.. Duprey through the
DuISdu DC WIOle Ol6 VI lWO letlSIS anu
then called on her. He wanted to buy her
a diamond ring casting $475, and she re-
luctantly consented to accept it., At an
other time he told her about his two
daughters and wanted her to take one of
them and teach her millinery. For this
service he insisted on giving her piano.
He went away and wrote to her to go to
Shreeve's and get pin he had purchased
for her costing $3.50. Duprey was always
very friendly and never asked for the re-
turn of his presents. Neither did he
ever ask her to marry him.
Ida, or Grace met Looney twice. He
was very insulting and she thought he
was insane. He boosted that he was the
only honest man on earth. The ring
Sheck gave her cost $175 and she paid
$50 toward it. Sheck went to her bedroom
one night and was very insulting. She
never knew he wanted his ring back until
Balm told her Sheck had demanded its re-
turn from him.. Ida was positive she had
never asked any favors from any of them;
they had sought to gain favor with. her
and now they had thrown here into jail.
AS for DR.. Allison, they never We're en-
gagged He was a confirmed opium fiend
she said, and she had gone to the Lick
House once at O'Clock In the morning to
nurse him. Ida told about his gifts and
said the stone he had described on the
witness stand as a valuable diamond was
a ''rheinstein," worth 81 so.
This was her testimony in brief; she
chartered on until the hour of adjourn
ment, picturing herself the victim of base,
designing men and affording the specta-
tors no end of amusement. The case will
probably be concluded Monday.