The San Francisco call., 1908-03-06
MRS. HANBURY,
WEEPING, BEGS
COURTS MERCY
Pitiless Questioning of Lawyer
in Divorce Case Throws
Woman Into Mysteries
Il Hate You, Hate You," She
Shrieks, and Falls Imply
In a Collapse
Declares Regard for Sargent
Was PIatonic, Despite Pas
sionate Love Letters

Unable to endure further the mer-
ciless cross examination to which she
was being subjected, Mrs. Eleanor
Hanbury, wife of David Hanbury.
the wealthy Englishran, who is suing
for divorce. lost complete control OF
herself yesterday and finally was led
out of the courtroom in an hysterieal
condition.
She collapsed first during the morn
ing session, while Attorney c. M. Flick
ert for the plaintiff was cross examin-
ing her regarding her relations with
Bradley E. Sargent, the young Berke-
ley student. Fickert had taken up her
letters to Sargent and went over them
sentence by sentence. pinning her down
time and again TO testimony damaging
to herself. The woman at first con-
tented herself by answering the ques-
tions in a fat, emotionIess voice. but
mainta ining that her affection for Sar-
gent was purely platonic. With the
progress Of the questions, however. her
equanimity forsook her. and she be-
gan to fight back.
Il never tainted over any man. she
burst out once in answer to a question.
Again she said:
y was so wretched and miserable on
the island that hardly knew what
was doing I was the only woman on
the island. My husband was at work
all day, and whe nhe returned in the
evening he would sit and. drink and
drink
She threw out her hands with a ges-
ture of disgust and continued.
7 only wanted sympathy, and Mr..
Sargent offered it to me. Those let
ters? Those letters--well--I must have
been on the verge of insanity when
wrote them. They meant nothing
They were written on the impulse Of
the moment and foolishly mailed on
the impulse of the moment
sHRIEks IN ANGER
Did you ever live at 22s stockton
street," asked Ffckert, taking up an
other line.
NO." said the woman slowly. Il
never lived there
.'oh, here. I'll ask you the question
direct Isn't it true that you were in
questionable house in stockton
street,"
Mrs. Hanbury sat bolt upright. and
with blazing eyes hurled back at
Fickert:
you know that to be an absolute
lie."
Il do not replied Fickert.
From this stage the woman lost COM
plete control of herself and a little
while later she broke down completely
Il hate YOU" she screamed. Z hate
you. I hate YOU.
A violent storm OF weeping followed
and she was forced to leave the stand
Well said Attorney E. B. Young,
turning TO F'ickert, Il hope you are
satisfied with the result OF your ques-
tioning. Its dirty work. sir; dirty
work Fickert jumped to his feet in
anger, and Judge Hunt made Young
apologize for his remark.
Mrs Hanbury was again called to the
stand in the afternoon and as she took
her seat she glanced at Fickert with
look OF the utmost loathing and hor-
courtroom as Fickert scanned his notes
preparatory to asking the first ques-
tion, which was broken by sudden.
sharp cry of pain from Mrs. Hanbury.
BEGs TO BE TAKEN AWAY
For Gods sake, get me away from
here she called out, get me out.
can't stand 1T. I can't" She dropped
over the side of the chair. moaning and
sobbing, making piteous appeals for
help. So complete was her collapse
that it was necessary for her to be
taken to the judges chambers and laid
on the lounge.
The other witnesses yesterday were
Mrs. Margaret Mansfield. the mother.
and Miss Margaret Mansfield, the sister
Of Mrs Hanbury The former said that
Hanbury entered theater in stockton
in an intoxicated condition, and told of
the bruises and burns she saw on her
daughters body. which she had been
told had been inflicted by Hanbury.
She said her daughter showed burns on
her neck and told her mother that Han
bury had caused them by holding
lighted cigarette to her flesh
Miss Mansfield corroborated the tes-
timony given by her sister She de-
clared that the private detectives in the
employ OF Hanbury had confessed their
identity to her sister and herself, and
admitted to going out automobile rid
ing with them She denied that she
and her sister lived with the Sargent
boys In a fat