The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-15
WHEN TURK
MEETS TURK
The Ex-CrimpLo Lost
His Horse and
Buggy.
Former Wife Testifies
About Sporting
House.
On the Witness Stand She Said
That Cunningham Backed
Her.

A Christmas present of horse and
buggy from Frank Turk to Mrs. Es-
trella Turk ON December %. 1902,
brought the parties in question into
Judge Dickey's court yesterday A
re pIevfn suit brought by the former
for the recovery of the gift resulted in
a victory for Mrs. Turk, and she will
retain possession of the horse. the Well
known mare Wfsteria, and her attrac-
tive buggy.
Mrs. Turk proved a formidable wit
ness in her own behalf when she was
called to the stand. When she began
| her testimony her words came trip
pingly on the tongue and at the speed
of an express train. She was like a
clock wound up not stopping until she
ran down. but before she did so she
gave startling testimony concerning the
opening of her sporting" house on
Beretania street last year, and the man
whom she alleges put UP the money to
open it.
The whole legal proceedings hinged
upon two bills of sale-one from Frank
Turk to Mrs. Turk while he was in
Portland and she in Honolulu, and the
other from Mrs. Turk to w. H. Cum
ningham. The property transferred in
the bills of sale comprised the mare
Wisteria and the buggy. The suit for
it's recovery was brought by Turk, the
property being in the hands of the
Sheriff for day or two until Mrs. Turk
put up bond for its production when
the court so ordered.
The plaintiff was represented by E.
A. Douthitt, and Mrs. Turk by C. c.
Biting. There was quite a legal bat
tie over the legality of a transaction
between a husband and wife, but finally
the whole transaction eked out. disclos-
ing the one from Mrs. Turk to Cunning
ham, who it is alleged endeavored to
dispose of the rig last summer for Mrs
Turk.
Cunningham alleged in his testimony
that he paid $500 cold, hard cash. to
Mrs. Turk when he received the bill
of sale and the property. A few days
ago Cunningham said he had learned
from A. S. Humphreys that the bill of
sale from Turk to Mrs. Turk was illegal,
and then began the proceedings to OBJ
tain possession of the rig as having all
along been Turks property, the bill of
sale from him being of no value.
The plaintiffs case seemed a good
one until Mrs. Turk went on the stand,
and then the tide turned. There We're
also disclosures made by the fair wit
ness regarding her career in Honolulu,
Frank Turk and Cunningham
into her life in a dramatic manner.
When Mrs. Turk referred to her
former husband something of a gentle
sneer pursed up her lips and then she .
proceeded to roast him.
1--WE came here about five years ago
I came as his wife-and 1 paid
his way over. I practically supported
him as I had always done. I started
him up in business in Seattle with $1,000
and then gave him $14o0 to go to Alas
ka and he failed both times. 1 had
about $17O0 when we came here. I
helped him along all the time. It was
my money which kept US both. If
Frank bought the horse and buggy it
was with my money. He said he gave
the rig to me as Christmas present.
That is, he told the boarders at the
Vida Villa, where we lived, that it was
a Christmas present to me and I hui
mored him and let them think so, but
my money bought it just the same.
Then Turk went up to Portland and
during that time 1 found there might
be an opportunity to sell the rig, and
was to dispose of it for
me. He told me to get bill of sale
from Frank and 1 did so. 1t was sent
from Portland and then made out a
bill of sale, or Mr.. Humphreys did, to
Cunningham.
1T was about this time that Cum
ningham came to me and proposed that
1 start up a sporting house and he
would back it. He said he had it fixed
with the High Sheriff. He put up the
money and started a house on Bere-
tania street. Then came the police raid
on the place, and then there was trou-
BILE between Cunningham and me.
when Frank came back he and Cum
bingham put their heads together, and
it is a case of two men trying to hound
me because I'm a woman. 1 thought
that Cunningham was my friend but he
is Turks. It's Cunningham's money
that has helped Turk along. Why,
Turk can't even hire an attorney. He
never did have any money of his own"
Turk produced a bank book in court
to show that he had an account at
at the time the buggy was
bought, proceeding which caused Mrs.
Turk some surprise.
When Judge Dickey announced his
indings against the plaintiff, a drama
ic scene took place. All the parties at
interest had risen when Dir. Douthitt
lowing, said: