Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-22
TESTlFIES FROM
COT IN HOSPITAL
WOMAN C0RR0BoRATES THE
STORY OF MRS. briggs
SAYS SHE SAW cHARNocK SIGN
DOCUMENTS
Judge, Jury and Counsel in Forgery
Case Adjourn to lnfirmary to
Get EVidenos of an
Invalid

Dedside testimony given by an in
,a,id at the California hospital was
listened to yesterday by court jury
and counsel representing prosecution
and defense in the trial of Mrs Ger
+rude briggs. charged with uttering
forged lease to property belonging To
the estate of the late John j. Charhoch'
The testimony was that OF Mrs. Anna
un and is regarded by the defense as
4,o strongest confederation OF Mrs
prioes' assertion that Charnock oW
I,anJ nenned his signature 10 the ledsS
which heirs to the oetOgehaTldli So" I.,
hone will be declared VOID by the jury
verdict. of second
handwriting expert, ). w. No. itro,t,i-
testified that, without aclual tI1a
edge he was of the opinion thaI Lile
S,a71e signed to the lease was not WilI-
&c, bv Charnock, the prosecution
closed its case shortly after C'oeA
Yesterday The expert Woulu NO -
So far as to state that the name "S9
1Uritten bv Mrs briggs, althoush he
oo,2,narieons between her known
handwriting and the doubted signature,
being aided in this by two enIarSeu
obotoeraphic reproductions Oh HotS9
sant bv the woman to Charnock anu
found among the latters e1ec's aI'ei
his death.
Letter of Advice
A third photograph, that of letter
;r,,ad ,.Ceorgew and which w. d,
F9rd. deputy district attorney ullu
walter Haas, attorney for the Helis
declare was written by Mrs. Drlsss d
a time when, they say, she 5 Nas tbo
inc his acquaintance, also adofneu lIie
,, rs of tba court room near the jury
Ut This letter, which is dated Los An
geles. November y, 1907, reaus as loi-
lows: ,-...,.,4t, ,,isb n
rive vou a little advice. Your rela-
t9i,,es arc waiting to get your money
They care not for you and are onlY
waiting for you to go with your protu-
or Charlie (deceased). Now look out
for Yourself and get you good hlhu
woman that viii care for you ana sIal9
by YOU in your declining years, anu
keep up your strength for you alsq Ie
a COMPANION to you and make the pal-
ance of your life a heaven and para
disc on earth for you. That is Wnat
YOU now need, so make up your nliiiu
quick Yours truly, GhOFtGL;
Two letters, undated and signed Ger
trude," were placed in close proximity
TO the one above, and according to the
nalOWIlllIlS ChpNA 80 N''O
written by the same person.
one of these letters, addressed Dear
Mr.. Charnock, reads: please put
these electric pads in your shoes ana
wear them all the time. They VIII re-
lieve the pain in your dear limbs ana
strengthen you besides. Read the
directions From one who is interested
in you deeply Gertrude"
The second letter wishes Charnock
merry Christmas and good health for
many years to come.
Expers FoiIed
The forenoon proceedings were
marked by an amusing incident when
Mr.. Ford discovered that the signature
on the alleged forged lease showed evil
dence of having been traced with
blunt instrument, as if the genuine sig
nature had been traced with a stylus
and the tracing followed with pen and
ink The testimony of the expert, who
said the tracing was quite perceptible,
was stricken out when former Judge
Noyes, Mrs. briggs leading counsel,
called as his first witness an artist
who said he had traced the signature
Tuesday for the purpose of photograph
ing the writing.
Judge Davis, the twelve jurors, coun-
sci on both sides and court officials
then boarded street cars for the Cali
fornia hospital where Mrs Anna Hill,
who was unable to go to the court
room on account of illness, was ques-
toned
Mrs. Hill said she first became ac-
quainted with Mrs. briggs about eigh-
teen months ago, and had frequently
visited her home at Palms: that she
knew Charnock and had often seen
the old man and Mrs. briggs together.
II understood they were to be mar
ried," said the sick woman.
Visit Charnock's Home
"On February % I visited Mrs.
briggs" said Mrs. Hill, "and together
we went to Mr.. Charnock's home. As
we neared the house Mrs. briggs called
ou. 'Hoo-hoo" and when Charnock
came to the door she cried to him, /
have those leases He went in the
house, returning a moment later with
pen, and While Mrs briggs held
large book on which the papers rested
he signed his name. We left and
Charnock took the papers into the
house with him."
Mrs. Hill said two documents were
signed by CharnOck, but she could not
say whether or not they We're leases.
and could not identify the alleged
forged instrument given to her for in
spection.
1t is believed Miss Florence Morri-
son, daughter of Mrs. briggs viii take
the witness stand today in her mothers
behalf, and that the defense will close
some time during the afternoon. Re
buttal testimony vii be short, and It
is probable the jury viii be given the
case before the usual time for adjourn
ing court The trial will be resumed al
10 o'clock today.