The San Francisco call., 1908-07-22
WANTS TO EXAMINE
BABY JOHN HERSELF
Mrs. Martin Tells Court She
VIII Not Permit Attorney
TO Question Boy
Complains That She Is Being
Tortured TO Death in
County Jail

OAKLAND, July 21.-"I will examine
and cross examine Baby John Martin
if it is my last act" said Mrs Isabella
J. Martin before Superior Judge Wells
today, when. consideration Of her COM
plant Of i'll treatment in the county
jail was taken up.
Judge Wells has said that he would
shortly appoint an attorney to repre-
sent Mrs. Martin, and she said that
she could get one herself but that he
must first agree to let her cross exam
Inc her foster son during her trial.
She has been charged with dynamiting
the home Of Judge T. B. ogden, and
Baby John was the principal witness
against her in the preliminary exami-
nation in the police court.
Il viii permit no one to cross ex-
anime Baby John" she repeated. NO
attorney in the state would study the
voluminous manuscript of his testi-
mony before Judge Smith as 1 have
studied il, and no one is in a position
10 detect the contradictions and false
hoods contained in ii as well as ].
regard it as my duty to the persons
whom the boy has slandered TO do that
myself, and no one may take the task
from me-"
MUST ARRANGE WITH ATTORNEY
Judge Wells told her that such an
agreement would have to be made be-
tween her attorney and herself and
that in appointing an attorney for her
the court would be unable to make
any such stipulations. Mrs. Martin ex-
planned that she would be willing to
have an attorney coach her on law
points and make the argument to the
jury, but that she would do the rest
herself
She had fled a long affidavit alleging
extreme cruelty. by her jailers and the
existence OF a plot on the part Of Chief
Deputy District Attorney W. II. Dona-
hue Of Alameda county and Judge Hall
OF Trinity county to destroy her
physically and mentally.
Mrs. Martin found herself on the de-
fensive today. Jailer p. White said
that she abused every privilege she
had been accorded; that she smashed
q writing table in her cell by showing
II against another prisoner and refused
10 clean up after being allowed to
cook. He also said that she invited
persons indiscriminately to visit her
IN jail and that in cases, where she
complained that her visitors had been
denied admittance, they had come after
hours or on the wrong days.
Quarters in the women's department
in the temporary jail are badly crowd
ed" said White, and it appears that
we viii not get into the new jail
before next year
kill ME Now
Mrs. Martin was agitated by the
news. She drew herself to her full
height and, addressing Judge Wells,
said with emotion: Kill me here and
now. for I am being tortured to death
in my present surroundings"
Judge Wells instructed the sheriff to
accord Mrs. Martin no spec al privi-
leges, but TO see that she had all privi-
leges allowed 10 any prisoner, except
such as she abused. He said she might
examine papers at her home in West
street if she had not completed the eX-
animation, and might also see certain
papers in the sheriff Office. Mrs. Mar
tin wanted dispositions taken in Chi
cago, where she said there were wit
nesses 10 a terrible scene" she, had
had with Baby John, and she also pc
titioned Judge Wells for an advance
appropriation 10 secure the attendance
OF witnesses from Trinity county. She
closed with an appeal to Donahue and
Hynes, who have charge of the prose-
cutiOn, TO disclose the nature Of their
case against her in order that she
might prepare a defense.
She viii be in court again on Satur-
day, when the question Of appointing
an attorney for her will be considered
Mrs. Martin has so far failed to agree
upon terms with any of the dozens
with whom she has consulted.