Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-27
CLAIMS RELATIVE
ACTED LEADER IN
KIDNAPPING PLOT
John King of Whittier Makes AC-
CusationS CompIiCating Con-
fIict of Families
CALLS FOR AID AT NIGHT
Woman Leaps in Automobile and
Pleads for Protection While
NeighborS Gather
CALLS FOR AID AT NIGHT

WHITTIER, Aug. 26-An exciting
chain of happenings, all growing out
of the death of William Knight,
prosperous farmer two years ago, and
embracing an attack of deep melan-
cholia which his widow suffered; an
attempted suicide; a rescue by neigh
bors summoned by a little girl; the
trial of the unfortunate woman on
charge of insanity; her acquittal by
Judge Bordwell of Los Angeles, and
the championing of her cause by John
r. King, who took a stand against
John Pregoning, q relative OF
Knight; eliminated at 1:15 this morn
ing in an attempt to take KING from
his home by force. King charges that
Pregoning and w. j. Greenwood, his
cousin. impersonating an officer, made
the attempt.
King refused to leave his home. In
stead ne remained inside and called an
officer Greenwood was arrested ana
placed under a $3.50 bond to appear next
Wednesday and answer charge OF
disturbance. The arrest today attract
ed the attention Of the entire city to
the series of happenings in the Knight
and Pregoning families and caused
veritable sensation.
Mrs. Bessie Knight came to America
six years ago. Four yeas ago she pe-
came the bride of William Knight, and
death was such a shock that she de-
yeloped acute melanchOlia. She went
to live with Mr.. and Mrs. John Pre-
coming. the latter being relative or
Knight. Soon she told friends that
her life in the Pregoning home was un-
pleasant.
HEARING ON INSANITY CHARGE
Recently Mrs. Pregoning caused an
insanity complaint to be issued against
Mrs. Knight The woman was taken
to Los Angeles and tried before Judge
Bordwel. She was adJudged sane
Judge Bordwell said she needed care
however, and ordered that she be re-
turned to the Pregoning home and
cared for.
last Fiday Mrs. Knight went to the
orchard near the Pregoning home with
a little girl. While they were walking
near a large irrigating canal she ex,
claimed, Life Is not worth nVlhg' nts,
and threw herself into the canal inc
little girl screamed and neighbors'
rushing to the scene, rescued the wo-
man after she had been carried about
twenty feet by the current.
At o'clock last night Arthur b. Tor
rance received a telephone call from
Mrs. Knight. She stated that she was
In trouble and asked him to hurry to
the Pregoning home and help her. Be
fore she could finish the conversation
some one took the transmitter away
from her and hung 1t up.
Torrance and King hurried to the
Pregoning home in the King auto
mobile Torrance got out and start
cd toward the house. King drove the
oar some distance beyond the house,
but. hearing cries of "Murder!'
turned it around and drove back. Mrs.
Knight ran from the house and leaped
into the automobile, pleading for pro-
lection.
FORTY NFIGHBORS ASSEMBLE
Fully forty neighbors, according to
report hurried to the scene. Mr.. ana
Mrs. Pregoning disclaimed any mis-
treatment of any sort and attributed
all the trouble to the mental stress
Of Mrs knight. The woman was
persuaded, finally, to return to the
house. Torrance and King went
home.
King was aroused at 1:15 this morn
ing by heavy knocking on the door
of his home. He went to the door
but did not open it. Demanding to
know who was outside, he says that
he was informed Pregoning and Green
wood wanted him. He was told, he
saws. that Greenwood was constable.
He refused to open the door and, go
ing to a telephone, called an omcer
who placed Greenwood under arrest on
a disturbance charge.
Attorney Ralph Graham, chairman
of the Republican county central COM
mittee. is in Los Angeles. 1t is under
stood here that he will make another
effort TO have Mrs. Knight tried again
on an insanity charge. The Pregon-
ing's insist, it is said, that her mind
is affected and that they have not
mistreated her in any way. Mrs.
knights friends, on the other hand
assert she has not received kind
treatment.
The estate left by Knight consists
of a house and two or three lots in
Whittier