Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-06
TO AID Her SON
TELLS STORY OF
DAUGHTER'SFALL
MRS. A. ]. MITCHELL GIVES
TESTIMONY
SAYS GIRL WAS INFATUATED
WITH THAYER
Parent of Young Man on Trial for
Murder Reveals PitifuI Family
Secrets in Order to
Save Accused

murder of Cecil Thayer, told yesterday
afternoon, while endeavoring to sup
press her sobs, the story Of her daugh-
ters downfall in an endeavor to save
her son from drastic punishment Tor
the Staying of the man alleged to have
betrayed the girl.
For nearly five hours Mrs A. ..
Mitchell was on the witness stand, tell
ing in low tones the story of a young
girls waywardness, the older brothers
determination to break up the attach
ment which he believed had ruined his
"baby'' sister. When court adjourned
at o'clock last night the examination
of the mother had not been concluded.
The hardest part of her ordeal Is yet
to come, the cross-examination.
For the first time since his arrest,
January /, 1902 the Indifference OF
young Mitchell, which has surprised the
iailers and the court attendants, gave
way, and when Attorney Harry Dehm
began the outline of the defense to the
jury, Mitchell bowed his head on the
table before him and cried. From the
time the attorney told of the first time
that Cecil Thayer went with 14-year-
old Ethel Mitchell until he had closed
with a vivid description of the effect
on the defendant, Mitchell wept. But
as his mother, the first witness for the
defense, took the stand, the young
prisoner resumed his usual calm, but
occasionally, through the story, he gave
way to tears, and as the mother told
of informing young Mitchell of her
knowledge of Etheps betrayal, on his
return from Arizona, mother and son
sobbed together. But they were not
the only ones to weep, for there was
scarcely dry eye in the courtroom.
Judge and Jury Affected
The Jurors shifted their eyes in an
endeayor to avoid meeting the gaze of
the spectators, and Judge Willis turned
his head to one side and busted h1mseif
writing. 1t was the first pathetic scene
in the trial. At the opening Oh potn
the morning and afternoon sessions the
courtroom corridors were crowded by
those seeking entrance. The crowd IN
cluded far more women than men, but
by order of the court only those IN
terested in the case and limited num-
Der of spectators were allowed to Wit
ness the proceedings.
That the "unwritten" law and plea
of temporary insanity is to be the
basis of defense was evident as soon
as Attorney Dehm began his outline
to the Jury. The attorneys for the de-
Tense also stated that the prisoner
would take the stand in his own be-
half, and that Ethel Mitchell would go
on the witness stand in order to
of wrongs at the hands of Cecil Thayer
unbalanced the prisoners mind and led
him to slay Thayer. =,
II is probable that Mrs. Mitchell Will
finish her redirect examination TINS
morning. A. J. Mitchell the invalid
father will follow, and then Miss
Mitchell will tell her story. Following
will be the testimony of the DEFENDANT,
and 1t is thought the case will go TO
49, s,,~xr Irrf1axr aftprnO0n
In his opening address to the jury
Attorney Dehm stated that Willie
Mitchell was the Oldest one OF a Family
of six. His father had been an invalid
for more than three years, and on the
Oldest son devolved the duty OF father
and protector Ethel Mitchell is the
youngest daughter He said that Cecil
Thayer became acquainted with Ethel
a year and a half ago. The girl, then
but IA years old, apparently became in
fatuated with Thayer. He told how
the defense will try to prove that
Thayer induced Ethel to accompany
him to q house on Croker street, UNI
der the pretense Of introducing her to
his mother.
Mother Sends for Son
The attorney said that Thayer made
fimsy excuse that his mother was
out and induced the girl to remain with
him all night. He told of the worry OF
the mother, who was on the street
looking for Ethel; of the young girFs
return and of the mother smelling
liquor on her breath. then of the
mother examining the clothing Of her
daughter. He told Of the mother con-
fronting the daughter in an endeavor
to learn the story of tSe night In the
Crocker street house. But Ethel. true
to Thayer. refused to admit any wrong,
putting off her mothers queries with
slight remarks. Attorney Dehm con-
tinued a recital of a series of meetings
between Thayer and Ethel, by which
he will attempt to prove that the
mother made the same discoveries each
time the girl went with Thayer. He
told of the mother endeavoring to keep
the story from the invalid father, she
wrote to Willie, who was then working
in an Arizona mine.
He related the efforts of the mother
to break up the relations and of her
endeavors to keep the truth from the
public. After telling in detail of the
various meetings of the decedent and
the young girl, the attorney told the
effect ON Willie when he returned from
Arizona in April, 1908, and heard from
his mothers lips the entire story.
Mother, I cannot bear the disgrace
but something must be done about
Ethel" were the words the attorney
said Willie uttered.
He related the final attempt to
separate Ethel and Thayer by sending
the girl to the Door of Hope, on a
warrant obtained from Judge Wilbur
He mentioned the fact that when
Thayer feared the girl was in a deli
cate condition, he went to San Diego,
and from there wrote and sent medl-
cine to Ethel He closed by telling Of
the coming home of Ethel last Christ
mas day, of her absence from home in
the afternoon. when Willie and his
mother sought for her, fearful and
suspicious that Thayer was with the
girl; then of the fateful Monday night,
/, when Willie returned from work and
his mother told him that Ethel had
run away from the Door of Hope.
The defense will try to show that
Willie said nothing, but asked for his
overcoat, procured his revolver and
went to Hollenbeck park meeting
Thayer The shooting followed.