Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-18
TAM Prosecuted
SAYS MRS. BROOKS
Wealthy Tourist Gives Sensation
al Testimony at Trial of
John S. Donovan
THREATEN HER OVER PHONE
Witness Says Women Demanded
She Testify She Was Not
Robbed of $21OO
THREATEN HER OVER PHONE

Sensation followed sensation in Judge
Davis court yesterday at the trial Of
John S. Donovan, who is alleged to
have embezzled from Mrs. s. A.
BROOKS, a wealthy tourist, the sum of
$2l00. Mrs. Brooks declared to the
court in the morning that she was be-
:::5 ;i'siIiIiuateu Dy Irlends of the de-
fendant to testify in his favor. and
there was talk of subornation of per
jury. This was followed in the after
noon by message from Attorney Sey-
mour for the defendant that he was
Ill and on his way to the hospital
consequently nothing was done and
the case was continued until this
morning to await the development of
further events.
The sudden illness of Attorney Sey-
mour, who is alone representing the
defendant. was somewhat startling in
view of the fact that every effort had
been made by the defense to postpone
the trial Mrs. Brooks, on the other
hand, was anxious to have the trial
over in order that she might go east
as she had planned. She is said to
have stated she would wilingy lose the
$21O0 to be clear of the whole affair.
JURORS EXCUSED
When the charges of intimidation of
the witness were heard by Judge Davis
in the morning he excused the jurors
and placed Mrs. Brooks on the stand.
She told the following story:
Since the trial began 1 have been
so annoyed and harassed that 1 have
scarcely been able to sleep. / can
scarcely sit up this morning. 1 had
Alexandria hotel last night to keep
from being annoyed by telephone calls.
after I retired last night" she con-
tinued, my telephone rang and wo-
mans voice, which did not recognize,
told me that II did not take the stand
today and say that I gave Donovan
the money and that he did not steal 1t
from me, Mr.. Seymour, Donovan's at
torney, would rip me up the back
until I would not have enough repu
tation left to face anyone. 1 ordered
the telephone disconnected when fur
ther calls of the same kind occurred,
and everywhere l have gone l have
been prosecuted.
"a stranger came to me on the street
yesterday on the run and told me that
if I wanted to see Mr.. Seymour
could come to his office then. That
was on Broadway, late yesterday, as
1 was returning from the trial. 1 told
him I did not want to see Mr.. Sey-
mour. Three women have called on
me at the hotel. One of them asked
me what I was going to do about my
testimony. I shut the door In her face
and told her If she called again 1
would call an officer.
WAS IN DISGUISE
zone of the women who called was
in disguise. I believe, and another told
me that if 1 did not testify right |
would be arrested and thrown In Jail.
1 am prosecuted"
There were three women in the court
room, friends of Donovan's, and the
court asked them to rise. Mrs. Brooks
was asked if they were the women;
she said that one of them was and
that she had given the name of Mrs.
Smith. This one, however, had not
made any threats, but had talked of
Donovan's child in the east.
"She brought pass" said the wit
ness, land asked me to go and see
Donovan. With friend accompanied
her to the Jail and talked with MIN
about his children"
The woman, who gave her name as
Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, was called to
the stand. She said she was writer
ana had taken an interest in the Dom
ovan case as she had known him IN
San Diego. Mrs. Donovan was also
called TO the stand, but denied having
talked to Mrs Brooks over the teie-
phone. 90 Nrrs
brooks statement, the trial was re-
sumed until noon. when adjournment
was taken until o'clock p m. At
that time Seymour sent work that he
was on the way to the Good Samaritan
hospital and that he was very i'll. rms
brought the proceedings to a standstili
and the trial may be further poSt-
rn,ad this morning in order that the