The San Francisco call., 1904-03-23

There were unwonted sounds and
smells in the court of Mogan while the
assault and battery case Of Marie AL
berts VS.. Tillie King and Lola Hallett
was on hearing. The parties are of the
vaudeville profession, and a bevy of
their sister artists were there to do
the witness act. Most of the ladies
were of hard-to-guess age, blonde of
complexion, buxom of figure and fash
ionably attired. Their perfumed pres
ence disturbed the tribunals every day
odor of staleness and the froufrou of
their silken gowns mingled queerly
with the every day shufiing and sniff
hing of the spectators and the forlorn
prisoners in the cage.
The distinguished visitors graced re-
served chairs within the rail and their
beauty and talent enabled them to di-
vide attention with the attorneys who
so strenuousIy battled for or against
the cause of Marie Alberts, whose stage
title is Gismonda. She sat fondling a
pretty little girl, her daughter, and
the youngster played with a golden in
sigma of wlfehood that graced the ma
ternal finger. But if Mr.. Alberts was
among those present he practiced self
effacement.
1t was on the night of March l and
in the below-the-s sidewalk temple of
public amusement at Jackson and
Kearny streets that Marie Alberts was
assailed by TiIlie King and Lola Hal
lett. Attorney for the defendants did
not attempt to disprove the assault
but directed his efforts to the end OF
convincing the court that complainant
furnished sufficient provocation to jus
tify the beating she received. This
prOvocation was oral, he claimed, and
so often did he repeat an uncompli-
mentary epithet alleged. to have been
addressed by Miss Alberts TO one of
the defendants that the Judge protested
in the interest of decency.
Leontine Center, a matured soubrette
with a wealth of flaXen hair, was the
most interesting witness Of the lot. She
was on the stage, regaling a small but
select audience with one of the latest
popular song hits when the doing up
Of Gismonda occurred, and, although
the assailed lady was her friend, she
remained on the stage and heroically
continued her warbling, thus prevent
ing a possible panic among her hear
ers. When she finished her turn" she
inspected the visible injuries of Miss
Albert. and found they consisted Of
many deep scratches on her face, a
pair Of blackened eyes and a dimin-
ished coiffure. So distressing was the
sight that it incapacitated Miss Center
for further professional effort that
evening, and she DOTTED her stage cos
tune, donned her street apparel and
went home.
All of the foregoing was corrobOr-
ated and considerably elaborated by
Gismonda herself. Perish the idea of
her having rendered any provocation
TO the defendants. True, her relation
ship with them had been somewhat
strained for some time prior TO that
memorable night, but she had studious-
ly endeavored to keep out of their way.
AS for hurting an obscene nickname
at either Of them, far would it be from
her to do such a thing. She guessed
she never forgot she was a lady. Her
facial injuries kept her at home four
days and she still suffers from the eff
fects of the nervous arrangement
caused by the assault
A masculine attache of the so-called
theater had witnessed the assault and
heard the epithet that provoked it. No.
he did not interfere. His prescribed
function was to serve beer to the pa
irons of the establishment-not to "split
out" warning condolences.
Other ladies will testify this morn
ing, and il is rumored that some of
them will ascribe the assault to pro-
fessionaI and personal jealousy. Gis-
mOnda, say some of her friends, can
sing more sweetly than either of the
defendants, and in the matter of per-
suading gentlemen of the audience to
purchase liquids she holds the Bar
barry Coast record.
Alfred Smith. George Redmond and
Edward O'Brien were found guilty of
burglary and Judge Cabaniss held
them to the Superior Court with the
bond of each fixed at $4,000 They are