Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-19

many tears, Marjorie King, told her story
to the jury in Judge Sears court Thursday
morning.
The attorneys for her mother finished
questioning Tie gin at noon and she was
not cross-qu astiuned by the state until aft
ernoon.
While the girl, who is 10 years of age,
and looks Younger, was telling her story,
Mrs. Banner was in tears, while her former
husband, Frank King, the girls father, and
Frank Banner, who left the accused just
before she shot his brother, were seated
with witnesses, gazing intently at The
little witness.
Attorneys English and Gering clashed
frequently and now and then Gering got
too strong for the court and apologized
for saying that the state seemed TO have
the best OF everything In the court.
Girls simple story.
The story of Marjorie King was told al
most without questioning. she began back
| when she wac going to school in South
Omaha, then told of her mothers great
devotion 10 her and to her little brother,
Fred King. now dead. After Fred's death,
she said, her mothers care and devotion to
her was even more intense, especially
when they began to be left alone at nights.
When King lett her mother, she said. she
was sent To the st. Francis academy in
Council Bluffs and her mother supported
her there by working III the Nebraska
Clothing company's store. She was IL years
of age then and her mother kept her in
the convent for more than two and a
half years altogether; she was 10 years of
age when she left the academy. after her
mother had married Frank Banner. She
understood she wos to have a home with
her mother and her second husband when
she left school In June, 1906.
All this testimony was admitted, the de-
tense desiring 10 show how much the
mother was wrapped up in the girl and
that after all these years of care the con-
fession % her daughter of her relations
with Fred Banner was sufficient shock to
derange her mind, at least temporarily,
and she shot Fred Banner.
Il did not get along when living with
my mother and Mi. Banner" she said.
He frequently told me that I would either
have to leave OF he would. and he did not
speak to my pothCr. l remember one time
when ne would not talk to her for five
months"
Warned by Fred's Brother.
The girl told of meeting Fred Banner
first at the home of her mother In the fall
of 1907, and that she went out with him in
December OF that year. After the first time
she accompanied Fred Banner to a theater,
Frank Banner said to her, You better not
go out with Fred at all, as he is not going
with you for any good purpose" Her
mother also warned her not to go with
Fred, but she went many times without
her mothers knowledge.
During this time Frank Banner was in
solent to my mother and sent me to Coun-
ell Bluffs to my aunt's home because he
said he was tired of having two women
around said Majorie.
In detail the girl told the incidents of the
day of the murder of Fred Banner by her
mother. She had wired for her father to
come to Omaha, and he arrived the even
ing before the homicide. He had a talk
with Mrs. Banner, his former wife, and
returned the next day to say, according to
the girls story:
The rumors about Marjorie are true, as I
have talked with both Frank and Fred
Banner and they have told me about her.
| do not want anything more TO do with
either one of you and never want to see
Majorie again.
MY mother told him to leave the house
at once, as he was mistaken" said the
girl. After ne was gone told my mother
that what he said was true and that the
Illness with which had been suffering for
five weeks was not caused by what I told
her. but by an operation performed by an
Omaha physician.
Il told her about the first time | was
misused by Fred Banner and that he prom
Used to marry me IL anything happened to
me. l said we went to a theater and then
took a walk. The next time l saw Fred
We did not speak. but one time / met him
and he apolcgized and said he would stand
a-aaI9N nNaa
l told him was in trouble and when
we were sitting in park l
begged him to marry me. But he said, No,
and we did not decide anything until sew
eral days later. when he wanted the opera
ton. He said he would not marry me and
finally I consented. He went with me TO
the physicians office in the Brown block.
Omaha; then ne accompanied me to the
home of my auur in Council Bluffs.
After / had been tn are a few days I
came back to South Omaha and went to
bed. | did not tel my mother what was the
I matter, but told her something else.
Accused by stepfather.
zone day. the day Frank Banner left my
, mother, Ice came home angry. / was sitting
j up getting well. He walked over TO me
and taking ne by the shoulder. called me
i an Indecent name. and said, Fred has lust
told me about taking you TO an Omaha
doctor for an operation, and It is you who
is driving your mother insane
The girl told of the Incidents OF the
T. evening OF the homicide and how her
? mother took her over TO the Vineyard
a home, arranging for her to stay there.
Then she went down town and returned
about $50 O'Clock.
n I'VE were on the porch when she came