The San Francisco call., 1908-10-16
BABY JOHN MARTIN
CONFESSES CRIMES
Repeats Remarkable Testimony
Against His Foster Mother
in Superior Court
Defendant Sits UncOncerned,
Taking Notes as Boy
DiscIOseS Plots

OAKLAND, oct. I5.-Clasping his
hands over his knees and sitting at
his ease in the witness chair, Baby
John Martin. Il years of age. quietly
confessed today one of the most re-
markable lists Of crimes ever heard in
the superior court Of Alameda county.
The preparation of three dynamite
bombs. I'VE separate trips to blow UP
homes filed with unsuspecting people,
thrice firing Gotta ges owned by his fos-
Ter mother TO collect the insurance, the
placing Of evidence to cast a suspicion
OF attempted arson upon an innocent
family. and going about the streets
disguised as girl formed the burden
OF his confession
Baby John is testifying against his
foster mother, Mrs. Isabella J. Martin,
who is being tried on charge of hav-
ing blown up the home OF Superior
Judge Frank B. ogden. In addition to
explaining in detail the facts OF that
occurrence. Baby John went back TO
The year 1901 20 include the full stretch
of his career as a criminal.
He had not started upon his narra-
tive when Assistant District Attorney
W. II. l. Hynes explained to Judge
Wells that his intention was TO prove
that the boy was not an accomplice
but acted in actual fear of his life
Testimony was given by the boy at the
start 10 show that Mrs. Martin had
beaten him cruelty, that she had
threatened to have him arrested and
had deprived him Of his independence
in order TO completely dominate him
AT intervals the boy said that he had
obeyed the woman because he was
afraid OF her.
II Hynes can establish this as a fact
in the minds Of the judge and jury
Baby John viii be taken out Of the
accomplice' class and be ranked as
an injured person. The full burden OF
alleged guilt will then be on Mrs Mar
IN. II the defense breaks down this
hypothesis Baby Johns confession will
80 for naught and he will be liable to
prosecution himself
The broOmsticks with which she beat
me were broken and the pokers she
used over my head were bent" said
The boy as he Identified a badly warped
poker as one Of her favorite weapons
John said that, with Mrs Martini
sao he manufactured a bomb by tying
dynamite sticks together and inserting
fuse in the middle. He exploded ii
on Judge Ogden's porch March 19. 1907
She was said TO have shipped the dyna-
mite from Weaverville several years
before and to have cached ii under her
house.
He said Mrs. Martin gave him her
reason by saying: 1--WE Will teach
some Of these judges TO take other peo-
pies property away. II we don't Kill
them we viii intimidate them for life. 4"
she conceived a dislike for William
J. Dtngee, then president of the Con-
ira Costa water company, and they
made a similar bomb, he said Dressed
as q girl, with long hair hanging down
over his ShnllrHrS ne Ia u, +-s.
10 the Dingee home in Washington
street. san Francisco TO blow up the
place, but on each occasion there were
people passing in the street and Babv
John was prevented from executing
the plct- On one occasion Mrs Martin
accompanied him and they planned to
attend theater after lighting the fuse
John described the making of 2
bomb TO be exploded by clockwork BY
drawing the cork from a vial of acid
placed over percussion caps. This was
intended for Police Judge Samuels anc
was found concealed in De FremerS
park The bomb, or internal machine
VIII be exhibited in evidence. as it wa.
recovered in perfect condition. II ha.
peen kept in quarry on the outskirt:
OF the city pending the trial.
Baby John" said that in 1901 he fired
Mrs. Martins cottages at 1928 and I53.
West street This was done by soakins
waste material in oil and igniting il bS
long fuse soaked in oil and leadins 3
70 the door. One Of the cottages burned
down and the other was badly dam.
aged Litigation with the Westchestel
insurance company over the insuranc,
LED 10 Mrs Martins alleged hatred o.
Judge ogden.
Baby John said that she also forced
him 10 pour oil over some lumber under
porch IN one Of her cottage and ther
notify Fire Chief Ball that some ten.
ants which she desired to oust had at
tempted 10 fire the place The plar
worked well and he said they left that
afternoon.
Throughout his narrative Mrs Martin
sat unconcerned and absorbed in writ.
Ing her notes During her prelininar,
examination she made frequent out.
breaks, but controlled herself durins
her actual trial. The trial will be re,
sumed tomorrow and the cross exam.
ination Of the boy by Attorney A. L
Frick viii require nearly a week.