The San Francisco call., 1904-11-12
ACTRESS ACCUSED Of THEFT
TELLS HER STORY IN COURT
Her Reputation as a Correct
Reader Is Not Hurt.
BY j. c. CRAWFORD.

Miss Aileene Hill, self-alleged actress
accused Of stealing Romeo Hale's dia-
mond ring and presenting it as a love
token 10 her steady" Tomaso Felepe-
dss. hoped the court would overlook
any inaccuracies Of grammer or pro-
nunciation that might crop out of her
testimony. as she was so embarrassed
by her unfortunate situation that she
might inadvertently drop into colo
quialisms Incompatible with the dig
nifty OF the tribunal However II the
lawyers for the prosecution would re-
frain from further clustering OF her
confused faculties. she might succeed
in unfolding a coherent narrative
couched in language that would re-
feet no discredit upon her educauOh
for the dramatic stage. That was 10
Bay. II the bench would protect her
from unnecessary Interruptions Dy
counsel she could sidestep slang and
keep her lenses unmixed. Correctness
OF reading was not the least valuable
OF her histrionic charms. and she re-
Bpectfully depended upon the court TO
prevent anything that might tend 10
impair her professional worth
To which his Honor, Judge Mogan,
responded that due allowance would
be made for the Intellectual CONFUSION
confessed DA LLE LCAEIuaIAs HAAA A-4e~N
idle questioning from the attorneys
table would NOT be permitted TO inten-
sify it. At the same time, however, ne
trusted that the lady" would devote
as much care 10 the truthfulness OF her
tale as 10 the manner OF telling II. In
other words, her testimony could not be
too heavily hampered by facts.
Thus given clear headway. Miss Hin
proceeded 10 narrate the incident OF the
ring. she did not steal the trinket, but
borrowed il from Romeo, and when
TomasO saw IL on her finger he became
Obsessed Of Jealous anger took IL away
from her and then declared he had
never seen it. Very deliberately was
her defense unrOiled. and more than
once she corrected an improper word
or phrase which inadvertently slipped
from her tongue. The recording clerk
courteously amended his notes to con-
form 10 her desire TO be literally
quoted. She expressed hope that the
court would excuse her illusions 70
Tomaso as Harry" which was her
pet name for him, and she almost
blushed with vexatiOn when one OF the
attorneys forced her to confess that in
her tete-a-tetes with Romeo she ad-
dressed him as Rooney"
After the hearing had been ordered
continued till to-day, Miss Hill swore
10 a complaint charging the alleged
recreant TOmaso with vagrancy. The
detectives in the case attach no cred
ence 10 his statement that he never
saw the ring. and the vagrancy charge
is Of their inspiration.
So thick and long was the mustache
OF Neil Smith. accused Of vagrancy,
that IL made his speech unintelligible
when he endeavored to plead not
guilty before Judge Fritz. His words
seemed to be jumbled and his tone was
rumblirg as he tried to filter his plea
through the bushy lip adornment. He
was given thirty days and advised to
shear his face.
William Rogers was sentenced to five
months Imprisonment after Judge Ca
baniss became convinced that he had
stolen Nels Hagenson's watch, as
charged. Nels lives at Belvedere and
he was spending the night with Mr.
Rogers. at the latter's home In this
city. when the robbery was perpe-
tTated.
William Headley a cOlored seaman,
averred that il was in playful spirit
he pOked the uluZzle Of his revolver
against the person Of his shipmate'
Edward Simmons, also colored, as the
twain rested between dances and sip
ped beer al the bar IF Pacific-street
temple of TerpsichOre. Mr.. Simmons,
however, declared that Mr. Headley's
demeanor WAS not reflective Of jocular
inspiration, but rather indicated in
tent to do great bodily harm.
"Ah'H kinfess right heah, yo Hon
nah" said Mr.. Simmons to Judge
Fritz, "thet All wuz mighty skeered
wen dat yah gun went a jabbin'
among NAH ribs -WotVah mean. man
All sez, sez All Please remove dat