Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-15
|NEWS!OF THF COURTS E1IAR nm
ONCE SOCIAL LEADER
NOW LYING IN JAIL
WRECKING OF RUSSELL HOME
LAID TO DRINK
Wife of Formerly Prominent Architect
Becomes Violent in Court and
Is Finally Committed
for Contempt

Formerly a leader in the choir of the
First Methodist church, an earnest
worker in the Los Angeles Humane
society and at the head of one Of the
most important committees connected
with the Associated Charities of this
county, but now an inmate of the
county jail, is the story in brief of
Mrs. c. M. Russell, wife of once
prominent architect of Los Angeles.
She was committed for contempt of
court, to which she was summoned to
determine her fitness as guardian of a
5-year-old daughter.
The happy home of the Russells was
broken up by the demoralizing effects
of alcohol, and from the testimony of
witnesses yesterday, card playing and
betting at the races must also be con-
sidered as entering into the severance
of domestic relations.
After their marriage, several years
ago, the Russells lived in a pretty lit
tie home at Sixteenth and Union
streets. The husband maintained an
office in the Stimson building, and,
with a salary of more than 5000 a
month, their future was tinted with
bright colors. He later moved to Ven
ice, where he became architect for the
Abbot Kinney company and was made
manager of the bathhouse at the beach
resort.
Then, insidiously and with ever-in-
creasing demands, the appetite for
stimulating intoxicants grew until
finally the home was broken up, the
father living in the neglected home,
while his wife and daughter resided
with Mrs. Russers mother.
zone night" said Officer Steeley, 81
found Mrs. Russell's mother, dressed
only in nightgown, lying on the damp
sands of the ocean front. With the
help of another officer she was carried
to her home and there we discovered
Mrs. Russell, intoxicated, lying in bed
with her little girl and two Scotch
terrier dogs beside her. I found her
on another occasion in a maudlin con-
dition leaning against telegraph pole
and mumbling about her husbands s
unfaithfulness."
other officers, including a member
of the Humane society, in which Mrs.
Russell was at one time an active
leader. also testified. The case, said
the Humane officer, was first called to
his attention in March and he placed
the little girl with neighbors, the father
promising to pay her expenses. This,
he said, was not done.
Roy Allen, who, about five years
ago, was a patrolman in the neighbor-
hood where Russell lived, on South
Flower street, said he had seen the
father playing poker until late hour
at night and a child carrying drinks
to the father and mother. The police,
he said, had a great deal of trouble
with the man, who had been arrested
for threatening to kill his wife.
Mrs. Russell, during the early part
of the examination of witnesses, inter-
rupted frequently, denying vigorously
each accusation against her. Warned
that she would be sent to Jail for con-
tempt, she subsided for a short time
but apparently was unable to control
her anger.
''You may send me to jail for life"
she declared, but I will not allow
these men to accuse me like this"
She was then committed for five days
by Judge Wilbur, not, it is believed,
as a punishment but in order that she
may be given an opportunity to regain
her strength, as she appeared to be on
the point of a nervous breakdown.
Little Vivian Russell was declared
dependent child and placed in the home
of Mrs. A. Matthews, Ocean Park, to
whom the father has agreed to pay $40
a month for the child's support.