The San Francisco call., 1908-05-01
PUBLIC IS SHUT
OUT FROM TRIAL
OF MRS. MARTIN
Prisoners Attorney Threatens
20 Have Her MuzzIed if She
Interferes With Case
Baby John Chilly Tells About
His Rearing and Attempts
to Dynamite Homes

OAKLAND. April 30.-The prelimi-
nary examination of Mrs. Isabella ]
Martin on the charge of dynamiting the
home of Superior Judge Ogden was be-
gun in the police court this morning
The lobby of Judge Smiths courtroom
was filled with curious visitors when
the case was called. but before the first
witness was placed on the stand Judge
ii. L. Frick, attorney for the defense,
requested the court TO exclude every
one from the hearing except the de-
fendant. the attorneys connected with
the case, the court officers the wit
nesses and the representatives of the
press Judge Smith complied and the
courtroom was quickly cleared and the
outer doors locked. The action of her
attorney seemed to take Mrs. Martin
aback and she protested audibly, but 10
no avail. Il want the whole world To
hear the charges against me, ,se~she said,s
catching Judge Frick by the arm, but
he motioned TO her so be silent and she
finally subsidized. with very apparent bad
grace. Throughout the morning she
seemed to nurse her resentment of the
stand he had taken. and during, recess
just before noon she created a scene by
berating him angriiy for the manner in
which he was conducting her case.
You are thickhead." she cried, seiz-
ing his arm in a passion of rage when
he refused to put question which she
had suggested TO him. II don't like the
way you are conducting this case at
ALL"
THREATENS TO MUZZLE HER
IF you don't keep quiet, madam. I'll
have TO muzzle you,' replied Frick
calmly, and Mrs Martin. burst into a.
tempest Of tears. When she had recov
cred her composure somewhat Frick
- L. -
informed her that he was in charge of
the case and that he proposed to con-
duct it according to his own ideas.
Thereafter there was no interruption
from the defendant. although she fol-
lowed the examination closely and made
copious notes for her own use on a pad
which she borrowed from the clerk of
the court.
Mrs. Ogden. wife of Judge FRANK B.
Ogden, the complainant, was the first
witness called. She said that Mrs. Mar
tin had visited her home several times
In 1906 and that during her second visit
she had tried to persuade her to speak
to the judge in her behalf about case
that was to be called in his court. Mrs.
Ogden said that she made it an .nva-
riable rule never to discuss court mat
ters with her husband, and she refused
to comply with the request.
The witness next told of the blowing
up of her home. Chief Deputy District
Attorney Donahue asked whether she
could fix the exact time of the explo-
sion and she replied that she had
glanced at the clock about half an
hour beforehand and noticed that 1t
was just 10 minutes before 10 on the
evening of March 19, 1907. In the
house with Mrs. Ogden at the time
were her four children, her nephew,
her two maids and two young men who
had come TO call upon them. After
describing the damage done to her
home, and the effect that the shock
had upon her, Mrs Ogden said that
just prior to this she had received
voiuminous and rather threatening let
ter from Mrs. Martin in which she was
advised to attend to her own family
affairs and not interfere with Mr.. Mar
tins. She could not remember the exact
contents of the letter, which She lad
destroyed without showing 1t to heI
husband
wRANGLE OVER LETTERS
At this point wrangle occurred be-
tween counsel in regard to the intro
duction of several letters which Mrs.
Martin alleges were taken from her
after her arrest. Frick stated that he
knew positively that the prosecution
was in possession of copy of the letter
written by Mrs. Martin to Mrs. ogden
and he demanded that II be introduced
as evidence. District Attorney Brown
denied this. whereupon F'rick moved
that the prosecution be ordered to pro-
duce all documentary evidence in It's
possession. The motion was denied.
Brown announced. however, that he
would produce it for her benefit.
Mrs. Ogden was excused after this
and Baby John" Martin. the star wit
ness for the prosecution, was placed
in the chair to testify against his re-
puted mother Baby john appeared
to be thoroughly at ease as he replied
to the questions of the prosecuting
attorney and the rather baleful gaze
of the defendant did not seem to dis
concert him in the least. He weighed
each question carefully before making
an answer and showed absolutely no
disposition 10 become ratified
When questioned about his relation
ship to Mrs. Martin. the witness said
that when he was eight years old she
informed him that he was not in real
ity her son, but that she had taken