Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-27
SAYS DR.. THORPE
. USED HYPNOTISM
WIFE IN DIVORCE SUIT TELLS
OF INFLUENCE"
HUSBAND FOND OF PRETTY
NURSES, SHE ALLEGES
Star Witness In Her Own Behalf Re-
Iates How Her Spouse Conducted
Himself with Other
Women

Asserting belief that her husband
had hypnotiZed her, Mrs. Anna Louise
Thorpe sat in the witness chair in
Judge Monroe's court room for three
and a half hours yesterday and told
the story of her life with DR.. Arthur
Thorpe, whom she married eight years
ago and from whom she is seeking a
legal separation on grounds Of cruelty.
Fifteen minutes were devoted to hear
ing other testimony, court adjourn1ng
an hour earlier than the usual time
because l.. E. Jones, a real estate
dealer, did not respond to his name.
Mr.. Jones is expected to prove one of
Mrs NThorpe's principal witnesses, and
her attorneys, Walter, Pratt & Bail
and Stephen J. Sullivan, regarded his
testimony of so much Importance at
the time when he was called that a
deputy sheriff armed with a bench war
rant for his immediate appearance was
sent in search of him. He could not be
found in his offices on West Third
street, and by the time he reached the
court house the judges patience was
exhausted and an adjournment was
taken until 10 o'clock today.
Mrs. Thorpes testimony related IN
great part to her, husbands alleged in
innate associations with other women.
Among the lattetr, she said, was a Miss
at the Thorpe home on Constance
street. 1.-THE doctor made an examina-
tion of Miss Davidson's chest" said
Mrs. Thorpe, land told her he could
complete it in her room without light.
They went into the room and locked
the door. told him I could not under
stand how he could make an eXamina-
ton in the'dark, and he said there were
many things l could not understand" I"
Of nd
other nurse, Sarah Lafferty said Mrs.
Thorpe, occasioned her great distress.
That Thorpe accompanied the nurse
on automobile excursions and sat up
with her until late hours were other
accusations made by Mrs. Thorpe.
1.-THE woman said she was a niece Of
J. Ross Clark" said Mrs. Thorpe. ST
made inquiries and found she was the
daughter of the Clark cook. when I
told her this she became angry, said
she would ruin my life, told me the
doctor loved her more than he did me,
and then left the house. 1 haven't seen
her since"
Says He Kissed Nurse
''Then there was Sarah Caldwell, +"
said Mrs. Thorpe. "She was a nurse
and came to our home, 1449 Constance
street, to attend me during a severe
illness in September, 1900. One night
awoke and found she wasn't in my
room. l heard the sounds Of kissing
and when 1 went to an adjoining bed
room saw the woman and my husband
together. They were dressed scantiIy.
The nurse carried me back to my bed
and begged me to say nothing. I dis
charged her the following day."
Mrs. Thorpe told Of a visit she made
to her husbands private office and the
finding Of a small sealed package on a
chair. "When I questioned him about
it, she said, "he told me it was a
locket and chain for Margaret Easton.
He also said I had no right to enter
his private Office
During the last three years they lived
together, Mrs. Thorpe said, her hus-
band was as a rule late for dinner.
frequently remained away from home
until late hour and sometimes all
night. When she complained about
these absences he told her his friends
were lonesome and needed his compan-
ionship.
"I did everything to make our home
pleasant" continued Mrs. Thorpe, "but
he was not companionable. On the con-
trary, he was testy, fault-f1nding and
gruff. He complained because 1 did not
get up in the morning and prepare
some dainty for him.
At times Thorpe's ideas OF economy
ran to extremes, according to his wife.
He upbraided her when he found five
lights burning on one occasion and at
another time told me must be care
full in counting the collars sent to the
laundry, as an odd number would mean
an additional cost Of two and a half
cents.
81 believe my husband used his hyp-
motto powers to make me do his bid
ding" said the witness, branching off
into a new field. She told of exhibit
tions made by Thorpe in which he had
placed a boy in a cataleptic state,
cured young man of stammering and
brought happiness to the mind of a
young woman who had become niser-
able over an unfortunate love affair.
"He would sit and stare at me for q
| long time, and 1 know he was trying to
hypnotize me. Many things I have
done lead me to believe that he sue
ceeded." said the witness.
In 1905, she said, she told Thorpe that
she could endure life with him no
longer. 'He told me I could sue him
for divorce providing / left the state
to do So" she continued eff 1 filed
the action here he said he would con-
test it bitterly and make me sorry"
Amy Summers Twogood, the second
witness, said she had witnessed DR.
Thorpe exercise his hypnotic powers.
Thorpe, through his attorneys, ]. w.
Mckinley and ]. Cassat Davis, is con-
testing his wife's suit.