Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-30
STAR WITNESS
FOR MAYR ONCE
CUPID'S AID
CARRIED WOMAN'S LETTERS
TO CALM; SEEKS REVENGE
MUSICIAN TRAVELS 10000 MILES
TO AID IN DIVORCE SUIT
Picturesque Individual Who Acted as
Go-5etWeen for Loving Pair Turns
Against Them and Assists
Wronged Husband


versing one continent and part of an
other and speeding as fast as steam
ship and train could bear him for the
purpose of reVenging himself upon the
man who, he claims, came between
himself and his wife, Charles L. k1efer,
a musician, yesterday appeared in the
superior court, took the witness Stano
in the suit in which Mrs. Ann Eta
Mayr seeks to be divorced from Walter
A. Mayr the wealthy Chicagoan, and
told a story that brought consterna-
ton to the woman and her friends.
Kiefer is a musician 32 years of
age and picturesque of countenance.
At one time the bosom friend and con-
fdant of Joseph Gahm, well known
in international musical circles Kiefer
has become, according to his own
statements one of Gahm's bitterest
enemies. And, in order to satlate his
desire for revenge. he frankly de-
clared yesterday while undergoing
grueling cross examination by Attor-
ney Earl Rogers, that he had Volun-
tarily and without expectation of re-
Enumeration, offered to Mayr his serv-
ices and the knowledge he had ac-
quired of the alleged relationship be-
tween Mrs. Mayr and Joseph Calm.
Kiefer Star Witness
When court adjourned yesterday
Kiefer was still on the stand and no
part of the testimony given by him
during his direct examination by Tor
mer Judge Britt, attorney for Mayr,
had been broken down.
Mrs. Mayr, during the examination
of Kiefer, the man who, according to
his own story, acted as the go-netween
in a lengthy correspondence between
herself and Calm. sat facing the Wit
ness, never, except when making notes
for the assistance of her counsel, taxi
hi
studiously remained in apparent ig-
norance of her presence, not once
looking in her direction.
Two letters were introduced and
read into the evidence, one of these
written in the form of a prayer for
the inspiration and care of Calm and
alleged to have been sert by Mrs. Mayr
to the musician while the latter was
in Berlin. Extracts from other letters
which Kiefer declared Calm had re-
ceived from Mrs. Mayr, but when had
been torn into bits and cast into
waste baskets or thrown to the WINDS.
were also recited by the witness. The
letters. said Kiefer, were we'll sprinkled
being designated as my dear Brown
Eyes and Herr Beautiful"
Kiefer said he was first introduced
to Mrs. Mayr at her apartments In the
Leasing hotel, Chicago. Ihe intro
accepted an invitation to dine alone
with Mrs Mayr a few days later
Dined with Mrs. Mayr
"She told me-" said the witness. "to
telephone her before coming to the
house in order to make certain that
the field was clear. did so, and when
I reached the house the only other
person present besides ourselves was a
baby, perhaps two months old. l re-
member telling her the child looked
like Calm, and she smiled. A nurse
took the child away about ten minutes
after my arrival.
"Our conversation at that time was
principally about Calm, and Mrs.
Mayr asked me if / would agree to
receive letters for Calm. l told her
such things were of common occur
renee nowadays. Mrs. Mayr described
Calm as very entertaining and clever
shrewd. Her husband, she said, was
ruled by his head. while Gahni's ac-
tions were ruled by his heart"
She could tell this, said the wit
ness, by the position of the thumbs
when the hands were clasped, Mayr's
right thumb being placed over the left,
while the opposite was true in Gahm's
case.
Kiefer said he rented box at the
Omaha postofficn and here Gahm's
mail was received. Later, fearing that
this ruse would be discovered by Mrs.
Calm, according to Kiefer's story,
Gahm changed his name for the pur-
pose of the correspondence to paul
Menter," and had his mail sent in
care of saloon on Dodge street
Kiefer said nearly all the letters
received by Gahm were shown to him
and he had read them in their en-
tiretv 'I remember some statements
in these letters, which We're all de-
stroyed" said the witness. In one
received from Sylvan lake Mrs Mayr
asked Calm what he intended to do
and that she was afraid Mayr would
become suspicious She also suggested
THAI sGahm leave his wife and go with
hor."
One letter. supposed to have been
sent from Los Angeles, without sigma
tUre. but which the witness said was
In the handwriting of other letters re-
ceived by Gahm related to the pend
ing divorce suit. 1t follows:
Discussed Divorce Suit
Dear -: No developments. Have
spent two days being catechized by
the opposition; my head is in a whirl
and my tongue is so dry could not
talk If | had sense enough to WELD it.
The trial is not for long time; these
are only preliminary performances. Be
fore the final tug Of war 1 must take
depositions in the east. Think I may
consider myself fortunate IL 1t is out
of the way by the first of the year.
Personally I think Hyslop very shall
low and am not at all worried about
ghosts; simply I see no way of get
(COntiuued on Page T.wo1