Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-11
MITCHELL
BARES SOUL AT
BROTHERS TRIAL
CHILD WITNESS TELLS OF HER
BETRAYAL
PARENTS OF YOUNG WOMAN SOB
AS STORY is RELATED
Court Room Packed When Victim of
Mans Dupicity Tells of Her q
Ruln-Slayer Weeps
ProfuseIy

- the witness stand yesterday dIlei- =
noon in Judge Willis court room, told
the story of her alleged betrayal by
Cecil c. Thayer, which story counsel
for the defense hopes to prove was the
reason that actuated Mitchell to stay
| Thayer.
Miss Mitchell told her story in such
a low voice that it required constant
prompting by the lawyers for the de-
fense to get the facts to the jury.
| When court adjourned at O'Clock
| she walked from the witness stand tc
| the prisoners dock and, throwing hef
arms around her brothers neck, Kissed
him. She kissed her mother ana then
fell fainting to chair.
Her display of endurance had peen
remarkable and it was thought she
must break down, but she held herself
in reserve until court adjourned. Inc
scene was pathetic and in the nature
| of a family reunion. The court room
was quickly cleared of the throng OF
morbidly curious, that the mother,
father sister and brother of the af-
hicted family might be left alone IN
their grief.
Tells Her Story in Full
The story told by Ethel Mitchell was
but reiteration of the testimony
given last week by her mother. She
made no attempt to cover up the story
of her relations with Thayer Often
she hesitated before replying TO
question of a delicate nature. She
| then glanced appealingly about tne
| court room and slowly, with accents
which betokened mental pain, gave
her answer in tones hardly audible.
The witness wore a white dress,
with a gray colored sweater blouse and
white sailor hat.
Miss Mitchell is q pretty girl, with
a large, full, baby face, and appears
/ to be older than 16 years.
IL AS she took the usual oath peiore
! testifying her face blancheo, her ups
ouivered, and it was feared she would
collapse. -
she recovered her composure in
stantly and began the story of her
meeting with Thayer two years ago
detailing her meetings with him, down
to the day of the fatal shooting.
I AS she began the prisoner buried MS
face in his hands and wept. 1t was
the second time during the trial that
he has lost his calm indifference. Mr..
and Mrs. Mitchell bowed their heads
and wept silently. Seated but few
feet away were the father and mother
of Mitchell's victim Mrs, Thayer
looked pale and wan, but took lively
interest in the proceedings.
Court Adjourns Soon
Miss Mitchell had but finished her
story when court adjourned, allowing
no time for the cross-examinatlon
which will begin at 10 o'clock thls
morning.
The crowd that flocked to the court
room at the opening of the AFTERNOON
session was so large that Judge wins
ordered the room cleared, ana only
those interested directly In the trlai al
mitted.
Judge Willis said: "This is not a
place for the curious to gather.
notice among the spectators young
girls who should be either in school
or at home with their mothers. This
is no place for them"
1t was 4 o'clock when the long await
ed witness, Miss Mitchell, was called.
She told of meeting Thayer two years
ago and of his visits to her every night
for a long time. She was working in u
department store and Thayer would
wait for her at the close of work each
night.
Every night in August, 1907, he es-
corted her home. She then told of her
first visit to the theater with him.
They did not remain until the finish or
the performance, for she said Thayer
wanted her to go to his home and meet
|
thing was all right. Where she went
she does not remember. a,
Finds She Was Misled
They entered a house somewhere on
San Pedro street and she said Thayer
told her his mother was busy DOWN
stairs. She testified they went to Il
room and for the first time she real
lied it was not her sweetheart's home
and that she has been misled. She told
of her ruin and the young mans PROM
| Use to marry her. At that time she
was but ID years old.
She testified she told her mother on
her return to her home she had re-
mained with a girl friend She corrob-
GRATED her mothers testimony of the
conversation with her mother when
the latter accused her of improper con-
| duct.
She then detailed other visits with
Thayer and told how she misrepresent-
ed where she had been when questioned
by her mother.
She flushed as she told of Thayer's s
leaving her and going to San Diego,
because, she said. he was afraid he
would get into trouble.
The story of the letter written from
San Diego to her by Thayer was iden-
tical with the previous testimony of
| her mother.
AS she related the scene at her home.
when her mother and brother Willie
refused to allow her to go to the
Thayer house late at night, Ethel wept.
IT told my mother I would go anyway,
and when she refused to allow me I
slapped her face. Willie interfered, and
threw the piano stool at him, but I
don't think it hit him." she testified.
Brother Weeps at Story
At this point William started to weep
again, but the witness quickly recov-
cred herself and proceeded with her
story.
That Thayer told her she would have
her own way If she swore at her mother
was part of her testimony. She said
that when she, Thayer and others went
on a trip to Rubio canyon Willie re-
monstrated with her, but she told him
"to mind his own business"
The night of June is, 1908, the night
before she was to be sent to the Door
of Hope, by order of Judge VIII
(Confinued nm Page Fiyel