Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-28
MATRON TELLSOF
PRISONERS ACTS
GIRL PRAYS WITH NEGRO
WOMAN
ALL BELIEVE HER PURE AND
INNOCENT
Ruby casselman Arralgned In Court
on New Charge. but steadfastly
Claims She Has Done
No Wrong

Pale and with tired eyes. as though
she had passed many sleepiess hours'
Ruby Casselman, convicted of attempt
ing to pass forged check on Decem-
Der 81, yesterday sat in the reception
room of the county Jail.
She wore the same simple costume
of white in which she was attired dur
ing the long days Of her trial, but
wisp of hair broken from the close
folds of dark brown woven about her
head and the edge of the dainty lace
collar turned in proved the young wo-
man had forgotten appearances IN ner
misery.
81 hardly know what to say" said
the prisoner. "It all seems so puzzlinS
to me. 1 am almost heartbroken, but
am determined not to break down. L
know 1 must do so sometime, but when
1 see so many other women in the jail
and. know they also are in trouble,
perhaps through no fault of theirs, 1t
gives me renewed courage.
II have been unable to eat anything
since the verdict was brought in Sat
urday. And it seems as though 1 can
not sleep. My brain is filled with
thoughts of my position. 1 look into
the past and go over in my mini my
happy and troublous days and l try
to see into the future. Then want to
cry, but the tears will not come.
'I am nnocent-innocent of every
charge that has been brought against
me. How can / prove it? WE'LL
thought it had been proven in my trial
and that everything was explained.
Everything may turn out for the best,
but at present my mind is simply ove"-
come by what has happened"
Is Treated Well
Miss Casselman says she is treated
we'll in the Jail. Mrs. Shehi, the MA
tron, she describes as a pure, Christian
woman whose one thought is the COM
fort of the unfortunates in her care.
II try to help her sometimes" said
| the young woman, "but cannot do
much as l am not very good nurse"
Mrs. Shehi, speaking of her young
prisoner, said Miss Casselman seemed
to bear her troubles with great cour-
age. 1.-The young woman may be
| guilty of the wrong with which she is
charged" said Mrs. Shehi but she
certainly possesses some splendid ele-
| ments of character. Her quiet de-
meanor has influenced other women In
my care and has made my work less
burdensome. I believe at heart she
is pure, Christian girl.
81 remember one thing that struck
me forcibly while she was in Jail more
than a month ago and before she was
| released on bail. We had a colored
woman here named Anna Barnett,
awaiting trial on a charge of assault
| ing another woman.
Aids Woman Prisoner
II was passing along the corridor
one night when heard someone talk
| ing in a low voice. l listered a mo-
ment and then noiselessly made my
way to the colored woman's cell There
l found Ruby Casselman kneeling by
the bedside of the colored woman,
praying that the latter would be freed
from the charge against her. 1 stole
away quietly, leaving her there.
know she did not do this because OF
any effect it might have in her owl
case, for she could ret know that
was near at hand"
Ruby Casselman was again taken Ia
the superior court yesterday for ar
raignment on second charge of for
gerry preferred by the district attorney
In this information she is charged with
having forged the name of Mrs. M. A
Ward to a check for $50. made pay
able to Katherine Ward, and which
was cashed at the American National
bank on December 12 last Thursday
at 10 o'clock, was set as the time fol
the young woman to plead.
viii Ask New Trial
The time for the sentence of Miss
Casselman will probably be continued
from Wednesday to Saturday, wher
Judson Brown, will ask for a new trial
return to his bench in the crimina
} department of the court. When SHE
appears for sentence, her attorney 70
Jedson Brown, will ask for new trial
and in case this is denied he says h:
will appeal the case.
Attorney Brown yesterday made {
demand upon the district attorney fol
an anonymous letter purporting tt
come from a person who made checks
Ruby Casselman is charged with forg
ing He says he wants the letter IL
order to compare the handwriting will
writings now in his possession. Th'
district attorney refused to give up th'
letter, however, and Brown says h
expects to take further steps to Sc
cure 1t.