Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-02
MINNIE JONES'
CASE SENT TO
HIGHER COURT
JUSTICE STEPHENS REFUSES
TO DISMISS IT
LACK OF coRRoBoRATIoN PLEA
DECLARED UNTENABLE
Circumstances Surrounding the OBJ
tanning of Check from Harmer Re-
viewed in Detail-Bonds
Fixed at $4,000

After listening to lengthy arguments
in support of their contention that the
prosecution had not furnished sufficient
evidence on which to carry the case
further Justice Stephens yesterday de-
MED the motion Of ATTORNEYS for dis
missal of the complaint against Min
ME Jones, alias Dora Nelson, charged
with obtaining $500 by false pretenses
from George w. Harmer early in Janu-
airy. The woman was held TO answer to
the superior court in bonds of $4,000.
These were furnished.
Minnie Jones attorneys argued on
their motion for dismissal that even II
the prosecuting witness testimony were
true, which they denied, the testimony
of Harmer stood alone, and lacked the
corroboration required by law.
In ruling on this point Justice Ste
phens said: ut seems plain 10 me that
the law never intended that all the re-
quirements for conviction should be
necessary in a preliminary hearing. If
such were the case many criminals
would go free, if the state could not
collect the necessary evidence in the
short time allowed
Reviews the Evidence
Justice Stephens reviewed the cir
cumstances attending the alleged swim
ullllS Oh f1dTIn6F ny MHlHlS JONES, TIE
story of which has excited more in
terest in Los Angeles, perhaps, than
any similar case brought to the atten-
ton of the district attorneys office for
several years. He expressed himself
as follows:
I'm reply to an advertisement in a
daily paper of this city, the prosecut-
ing witness in this hearing met the
defendant and received the following
proposition: Her father had died, leav-
ing her a ranch of 1900 acres or there
abouts, near the city of San Luis
Obispo, stocked with 800 head of COWS,
horses and hogs. Her husband had
been a millionaire, and had left to her
son, who later died, $500 the inter-
est of which she would receive during
the next month, but she had been left
no cash Her stepmother, with whom
she could not get on, was living on the
ranch, but had been notified to vacate.
She had purchased some fifteen head
of cattle of man from Whittier, was
alone and needed some one to manage
the ranch, and, if he would loan her
$500, she would give him a half inter-
est in the stock and income from the
ranch.
ITO quote from the prosecuting wit
ness testimony: I said that $500 looked
so ridiculous compared with the propo
sition that she presented, and she said
that she didn't want the money so
much as she did the man, and l was
the man..
Check for $500 Paid
1.-THE check for $500 was then paid,
for which he received a receipt stat
ing. for the purpose of buying cattle,
signed by Dora Nelson, by which name
she was known to him. Later in the
same day he wrote a letter suggesting
that all the money should not be
spent for cattle, and suggested grow
ing affection.
Next morning he stopped payment
on the check and later in the day
went again and told her he wanted a
better understanding. She reiterated
the proposition, and in addition said
she owned the furniture in the house
where they were, valued at about $4,000.
She led me to believe that the secur-
ity would be good, because she showed
me the furnishings of this house, and
explained the furnishings and piano
We're hers, and also told me of dia-
monds that she had in the safe up
there in San Luis Obispo, and every
thing looked secure to me, and l gave
her the check
AT this meeting there was also talk
of love and a mutual promise of mar
rage The check later was returned
to the prosecuting witness from the
bank, stamped paid"
In closing Justice Stephens said:
considering all the circumstances sur
rounding the giving of this testimony
I believe it worthy of credence, and
the state has shown that every ma
terial representation was false"
Crime Not Lessened
The fact that Harmer, about week
ago. was reimbursed by the woman
he says swindled him does not, in the
opinion of Justice Stephens, lessen the
crime against the state, and the OPP
tion of prosecuting the woman in the
superior court must lie in the discre-
ton of the district attorney.
G. Ray Horton, deputy district at
torney, and A. Lincoln Walker, Har-
mers attorney, conducted the prose-
eution; while Attorneys H. H. Appel
and Frank Allender represented the
Jones woman.
KILLED BY FALL OF ROCK