Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-03
ABANDONS WIFE;
MISTREATS GIRL
ABUSED YOUNG WOMAN AND
SPOUSE TESTIFY
STORY OF HUSBANDS CONDUCT
AIRED IN COURT
Father Who Deserted His Child and
Its Mother Is Held to Higher
Court for Failure to
- Provide

Lured from her home and betrayed
by the promise of marriage is the story
pretty Elsie r. Barker, 20 years old,
recited in Police Justice Chambers
court Yesterday afternoon during the
preliminary hearing of Nell ID. Derry
on a charge of abandonment of his
wife and 2-months-old baby girl. AFTER
a hearing lasting more than two houTs'
in which both Miss Barker ana the
deserted wife testified in strong IAN
euage against the defendant, Derry
was held to answer to the superior
court and bail was placed at $500.
It was a pathetic situation Whlch
was presented in the court room Sit
ting side by side and conversing con-
fidentially were the deserted Wlfe ana
the girl for whom it is alleged Derry
left his home and baby.
Neither the wife nor the alleged al
finity turned her eyes on the defendant
as he sat in the prisoners dock. Seated
in the rear of the courtroom was n
C. Outwart, the aged father of Mrs.
Derry. Mr.. Outwart is a prominent
contractor Of Erie, Pa, who had come
to Los Angeles to look after MS only
daughter, after she had been cast aslue
by her husband. Tears trickled down
the fathers cheeks as he listened to
the story told by his daughter of her
privation and desertion, being left with
but So 40 in the house and baby girl
Z weeks old to support
Derry, during the hearing, appeared
agitated and nervous and constantly
ran his hand through his hair and nm
ally as his wife's story was related he
got ND from his seat and stood behind
his attorney, coaching him, during the
rest of the trial.
Matron Cares for Baby
In a little room off from the main
courtroom matron cared for the baby
during the trial, and time and again
It's feeble cries penetrated the room.
but Derry did not seem to be touched
by the distress of the infant
Mrs. Derry first took the witness
stand and said she was married April
8, 1908, to Derry in Erie, Pa, and a
short time afterward came to Los An
geles with her husband.
AS she testified. she exhibited her
marriage certificate. She said Neil had
worked for the Los Angeles Gas and
Electric Light company and that the
night of June is he told her he was
going to Ell Paso, where he had Sc
cured lucrative position. She said he
told her he would send money to pay
what bills he owned, and also her
transportation as soon as he had set
tied in Ell Paso.
She further stated she had given him
$40 of a SIS money order which her
father had sent to her, as he did not
want to go to a strange city without
funds.
when he left me- after, promising to
send for me-" continued the young
woman, "I had $2.40 only, there was a
grocery bill of more than $40 to pay,
and l had nothing to eat in the house.
He said that for the so | had given
him he would give me an order for his
pay at the gas company, and believed
him. When l went to the gas COM
pany's office l found he had drawn his
ray that afternoon. He stayed away
from home two or three nights at
time on different occasions but he said
he was with friend, and | thought
nothing was wrong, 1 knew nothing of
his whereabouts until l heard of his
arrest in Bakersfield"
Tells of Meeting Derry
Miss Barker said she met Derry on
trip to Mt. Wilson, and he represented
himself as a divorced man, that his
former wife was in the east, where he
had a young boy. She said their friend
ship ripened into love, and they became
engaged. He was a frequent visitor TO
the Barker house.
Il loved him and 1 thought he loved
me-" said the witness, land when he
proposed that we elope did it because
he threatened to go to the Philippines
and said never would see him again.
/ wanted him to marry me in Los An
geles, but he said there was a girl in
Hollywood who loved him, and she
would make trouble if the marriage
took place in Los Angeles. The day
before we left we went to Elysian park.
7 cried and asked him not to leave me.
He finally said if we went to Bakers
field he would marry me as soon as the
court house opened. He wanted me to
go home for clothes, but I wouldn't, as
] was afraid my folks would prevent
me running away.
when we got to Bakersfield 1 asked
him when we were to be married, and
he suddenly said he had lost $50 and
could not afford to marry me- He
fooled me badly, for l trusted and loved
him, but do not now"
Ine answer to a question as to her
memory, Miss Barker replied, I'm
considered kind of bright"
Miss Anna PurVis, a friend of Miss
Barkers, corrOborated the story of
meeting and plans for elopement.
After they had testified Mrs. Derry
and Miss Barker sat side by side, and
when Justice Chambers fixed the bail
at s25OO both exclaimed: "Thank good
ness, he's out of the way for awhile!"
Strikers Ordered Back
PITTSBURG, Kan, July 2.-An or