The San Francisco call., 1906-07-07
MASk.BALL EVENT
IN SCHILLER
CASE.
Witness Tells How He I'm
personated Lady and Lost
the Friendship Of Plaintiff
JURY ENTERTAINED
Clerk Groom Plays Female
Part in Court and arades
on an Imaginary Boulevard

Gowned as lady. his figure the envy
of many of the fair sex that mingled
in the mazes of the dance, F. w. Bur-
CESS attended a mask ball in the long
ago, after telling Mrs. Lillian May
Schiller that telegram had called him
from the city and that he would have
to forego the pleasure of escortlng a
young lady she had selected to 'ac-
company him. Fate threw him into a
set that was tripping the lancers when
the order came to unmask, and 10.
when features were disclosed there
stood Mrs. Schiller, an arms length
away, trying to overwhelm him with
her stare of contempt
I'VE have not spoken since" said
Burgess on the stand in Judge Gra-
hams court yesterday during the trial
of the Schiller divorce case, but never
theless 1 have no feeling against her.
1t is she that is angry at me-"
Burgess had testified that he fire.
quently saw Mrs. Schiller and George
n. McRae attending public functions
together. He said he had called the
attention of Schiller to his wife's mis-
conduct and advised Schiller to dress
up and look handsome and then he
might have a chance to retain the af-
fections of his wife, who, at the time,
seemed he said, to be running a heat
with handsomer man."
EXPLAINS HIS POSITION.
Counsel for Mrs. Schiller then sought
to show that Burgess was prejudiced
against her, but he parried the imputa-
ton by explaining the mask ball Incl
dent. II intended at first to accom-
pany the young lady she selected to be
my companion said Burgess, but
later 1 thought better of it and at
tended the ball alone, dressed up as a
lady, after telling Mrs. Schiller that
unfortunately I had been called away,
She was angry that deceived her, but
feel kindly toward her."
do you not think your conduct was
very unladylike-
Call the next witness" interrupted
Judge Graham, and N T. Smith took
the stand. Smith had seen Mrs. Schil-
Ter and McRae together on various oc-
casions, but there his knowledge Of the
tangle ended.
Mrs. G. w. Rice. Mrs. Schiller's sis
ter. was called and asked If she had
not read letter in which Mrs. Schil-
Ter confessed her love for McRae. Mrs.
Rice said that at one time a letter
was handed to her by her sister, but
that she did not read it; she could not
testify in any way as to it's contents.
Great Scott" whispered the bailiff, "a
woman without curiosity"
Charles and Emil Schiller, brothers
cross complainant in the divorce pro-
ceedings, testified as to the facts sur
rounding the arrest of McRae one
night, when, caught coming from Mrs.
Schillers home he thrust a revolver
against Schillers ribs and threatened
TO slay him. The brothers confirmed
the fact that when McRae was taken
TO jail and searched Mrs. Schiller's s
purse, containing her wedding ring, a
nugget, SIS in money and her picture,
was found in his pocket.
GROOM PLAYS LADY.
A picturesque scene was enacted
when Carlton w. Seely, a clerk at the
Postoff1ce, demonstrated to the court
how he had seen Mrs. Schiller and Nc
Rae parading along Market street. arm
in arm, apparently very affectionate
toward each other. j. ]. Groom, clerk
of the court, looking his best, played
the part of Mrs. Schiller and Seely
portrayed McRae. Up and down an
ina ginary Market street Seely and
Groom paraded, Seely holding Groom
tenderly by the arm, until all had fixed
in their minds a probable picture as
to just how Mrs. Schiller and her cava-
lier appeared.
This was enough for the day, and
adjournment was ordered.