Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-06


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WILLIAM CLINTON MITCHELL
was the mother of ten children, six OF
whom were alive. She said she. hao
known Cecil for two years and that hf
had come to her home to see Ethel
She related the story of the first n1gn'
of Ethels absence and of walking the
streets looking for her She said Ethe
came home about o'clock in the morn
ing in a flushed and excited condition
with the smell of liquor on her breath
She said she questioned Ethel, who sale
she had been with a girl friend, bIi
the mother became convinced that q
crime had been committed. She said
on five or six different occasions the
same thing resulted, and her efforts tc
restrain Ethel were in vain. The girl
would take every opportunity OF seeing
Thayer, and Thayer persisted in COM
ing to the house after being warned
away.
She said her daughter had no other
boy friends and that she believed
Thayer was responsible for the girl
downfall She told of receiving a let
ter for Ethel from Thayer, when ne
had left Los Angeles and gone to San
Diego She said one part of the letter
read II hope you are well by TINS
time and have used the medicine gave
you. IL you could send to Willie and
get money enough for two tickets we
could run away"
She said that on Thayer's return t.
Los Angeles he came to her home, and
In the presence of Willie she charged
him with misconduct and told him she
had read his letter. He said: You
never saw a letter with my name signed
to it," She testified that she got the
letter and held 1t in front of Thayer
who grabbed it and tore it in pieces.
The mother said that on one occa.
sion Ethel and another girl went to
Venice with Thayer and a chum, an
that she overheard a conversation be-
tween Ethel and the girl, in which they
mentioned having had five bottles OF
beer She said she endeavored to re-
form Ethel, and finally, on Willie's sug-
gestion, went to Judge Wilbur and OBJ
tanned a warrant which resulted in
Ethel's commitment to the Door of
Good Hope for six months. This was
June II, 1908.
Thayer Ordered from Home
Mrs. Mitchell then told of the effect
en- Willie. She said that Thayer came
to their house August %, Ethel having
been allowed to go home, as 1t was her
birthday. Thayer was ordered from
the house, and she testified that Willie
said: IF father does not get him out
will" She said Willie turned white
and trembled, and appeared greatly
agitated.
She recited scene at her home one
night when Ethel insisted on going to
the Thayer house, in the course of
which Ethel slapped her. and threw
piano stool at Willie when he inter-
fered.
She testified that Ethel was allowed
by the Door of Good Hope to visit their
home last Christmas SAY. On this oc-
casion Thayer did not call, but Ethel
was absent during the afternoon and
Willie became excited and went in
search of his sister Ethel returned at
Z O'Clock, and when reprirlanded said
Thayer, as he had told her that al
though they were not married, that did
not matter They were doing right,
Thayer is said to have told her, by liv-
ing and doing as husband and wife.
During Christmas week, Mrs. Mitchell
testified, Willie appeared unusually
respondent. He would return from
work with his luncheon uneaten. She
said he would sit as one in study, and
appeared morose.
On New Years day, the day of the
shooting, Mrs. Mitchell said she re-
ceived a telephone message from the
matron of the Door of Good Hope say
ing that Ethel and two other girls had
hun away.
When Willie returned from work. ten
minutes later, the witness said she told
him of the message. Where is my
overcoat?" was all Willie said, and
after getting the coat and gun he
walked from the house. A little more
than an hour later Thayer was shot by
Mitchell.
On cross-examination by Deputy Dis
trict Attorney John North but little
change in Mrs. Mitchell's story was
made. The witness appeared tired and
fatigued, and two short recesses were
taken. Attorney North sought to bring
out the point that it was fear of an
other six months detention in the Door
of Good Hope that induced Ethel to run
away from the institution; that the
complaint from Judge Wilbur read thai
Ethel was "inQorrigible and insolent,'
and that the mother should have had
Thayer arrested when she became
aware of Ethels actions
Shooting Described
It was the intention to hold night
session. but as Attorney North had a.
Important engagement, court was ad'
journed until $50 o'clock this morning
At the morning session George Coul-
ter was the first witness, the prosecu-
ton endeavoring to show that Ethe
had been with other men besides Thay-
er. Coulter described the shooting, OF
which he was a witness
He stated that Ethel, Thayer and
others had no regular meetings at Hol-
lenbeck park, but were there Christ
mas. the week before the shooting
Arthur Holden and Elmer Herman
14-year-old boys, testified to their pres
ence near the scene of the shooting
Their testimony was simply to show
the movements of Mitchell after the
shooting.
p. c. Harms. 1924 East Fourth street
tesNhed that he heard one shot fired
and. going out on his front porch, saw
Mitchell standing about twenty feet
49, oftor man TIn testified fhli