The San Francisco call., 1908-12-16
jury Returns Verdict After De-
iiberating on Evidence for
Only Six Minutes
Attorney Plans TO Petition for
Trial TO Determine Mrs.
Martins Sanity
Findings Give Stamp of Truth
TO BABY" Johns Story of
DynaHliting House

OAKLAND. Dec I5.-GuiIty. was the
verdict against Isabella J. Martin, re-
turned today after six minutes delib-
Grafton by the jury which heard the
evidence in the case. She was tried
before Judge Wells on a charge of hav-
ing insugated the dynamiting of supe-
rior Judge Frank B. Ogden's home on
March -. 1907
The verdict puts the stamp of truth
upon the story told by her foster son,
'Baby" John Martin. aged Il years. who
was regarded as one of the most re-
markabie " +Tesses ever put on the
stand 81 aial -da county. In addition
10 confessing that he had placed the
dynamite which wrecked Judge og-
-den's house the boy also admitted
long list Of other crimes. planned and
executed which he said Mrs. Martin
had instisated.
BOMB FOR DINGEE
The confession included the prepara-
ton Of a bomb to blow up William ].
Dingee. former head Of the Contra
Costa water company: the construction
Of an Internal machine TO blow up
Police Judge George Samuels: the fir
ing OF Mrs. Martins cottages to collect
insurance; the placing OF paris green
in spring which supplied. as he
thought. water for a family at weaver
vile which Mrs. Martin disliked; the
oynamtng Of an irrigation ditch. seeD-
age from which annoyed Mrs. Martin:
lne burning Of a barn at Weaverville:
placing sugar Of lead in a sugar barrel
IN grocery store. and finally a scheme
TO poison the reservoir which supplied
the town with water
Minor thefts, lying. ANNOYANCE Of
nelghbors. threats 10 kill and malicious
mlseAlef were also admitted by the boy
The prosecution contended from the
irst that Mrs Martins treatment of
tne boy. in which she was said to have
brutally beaten him, had reduced him
To a state Of constant fear for his life
and that he obeyed her blindIy acting
under that fear. The verdict substan-
tiated this view.
Eight days cross examination by At
lorney A. l. Frick failed to shake the
story told by John
ANIMUS TOWARD OGDEN
Mrs. Martins animus toward Judge
ogden arose when her case against The
Mestchester fire insurance company
was dismissed. although another iudre
Who had been called in actually signed
the judgment From that time she
told John that Judge ogden was
traitor and no friend Of the family.
Later she evolved the plan of blow
ing up Judge Ogdens home at ll75
Alice street. A bomb was made bv
lying sticks Of dynamite together. in
sertns caps and long fuse. John
look the bomb on his bicycle and on
O. HH
me front porch Mrs Laura l. Ogden
and three small children were in the
mouse at the time, but escaped injury.
MIS-. Martin and John then removed
10 MeaNerNllle, where she had a cabin
above The town and where she owned
some mining properties In January Of
THIS year John confessed To Georre
Jonlnon, an attendant al the Weaver
Nliie county infirmary, that he had fired
barn. Details OF the story were
drawn from the boy by District Attor-
ney d. j. Hall of Trinity county. and
aiterward the story Of the ogden ex-
plosion was also secured.
CHARGED WITH ARSON
Mrs Martin was held for trial ON =
charge OF arson in Trinity county bnt
il was decided TO remove her 10 this
city to answer Cor the ogden outrage.
On returning, John revealed = cache
q powder in De Fremery park. in
ciudlnS the Samucls' Internal machine
II was patterned on the lines Of Harry
orchard devices. and John said Mrs
Martin furnished him the dcscrintion
from magazine articles.
only two ballots were taken today.
Juror T. A PeiNotto voting a blank
AT first. Other jurors were: w s Van
hoosear, l.. Shinn, r. i. Could. F. !
Garcia. A +. Bobb; f. c. Winton fore
man; j. Palmtag, +. B. Chandler B. A.
Strowbridgc, j. J. Atkins and Thomas
Bcdard.
Mrs. Martin exhibited no emotion
when the verdict was read. She after
ward went into Judge William :
Wells chambers and informed him that
the trial had been rotten
She viii be sentenced Saturday morn
ing Her offense is punishable bv a |
term OF one year up TO life imprison- /
ment.