Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-06-30
COURT RULES "ABSOLUTE LIFE"
LEADER MUST STAND TRIAL
ON ENTIRE INDICTMENT. D..
MILDRED BRIDGES FATHER
PLACED ON THE STAND
Defense Seeks to Show by Him That
He Placed Daughter in See Home and
Arranged for Her Stay There-Mrs.
SEQ Has Proof That Husband Wrote
"Book Of Truth"

chicago, June 3U.-JudSe HOnOTe,
sitting in the criminal court today,
ruled that Evelyn Arthur See must
answer to the remaining fourteen
counts in the indictment. The court
formally overruled the motion to take
the case from the jury.
The defense proceeded with the pre-
sentation Of it's case by calling Stephen
H. Bridges to the stand as its first wit
ness.
Have you a letter written you by
your daughter in April, 1902"
He was shown a letter book and
asked to identify the duplicate letter
it contained. After inspecting the book
the witness said:
"The letter was written by Mona,
not Mildred"
wasn't that written by Mildred?"
Prosecutor Burnham objected to this
line of questioning. The jury was with
drawn while Attorney Cantwell eX-
planned the object of his questions.
He said that he would show that Mil
dreds parents called at Sees flats
three days before they left the city and
made the necessary arrangements for
her to stay there.
After a long wrangle the court sus-
tained Burnham's objection.
Julius Geweke, attorney for Mrs.
Agnes See, made a statement declaring
that he has in his possession affidav1ts
in which See Swears that every line IN
the Book Of Truth was written by him.
self and Mona.
Hope Rests on Girls.
With the beginning Of his defense at
o'clock this morning Evelyn Arthur
See rests his final hopes upon the
strength Of the girl hearts that he has
bound to him. On their allegiance, on
their courage, depends whatever chance
of acquittal the giver Of Absolute
Life" may have.
His devotees have undergone hard
test. Under the scornful probe of the
prosecution they have beheld their
''Godhood' topple; they have seen his
sounding doctrines reduced one by one
into mere mudholes Of verbiage. Yet
they have not faltered, probably be-
cause their love is not for the Cod
Or for his doctrines, but for the man.
When, after three hours Of deadly
technicalities, the state ended its case
yesterday, no smile lit the face of the
defendant. His expression was neither
OF relief nor fear. He simply set his
chin little more firmly and gaZed in
quiringly at his attorneys. During the
lengthy and conventional arguments for
q dismissal Of the indictments which
followed this expression never changed.
It was that of a man engaged In some
important business, in some absorbing
game.
Defense Faces Ordeal.
The defense will have some import
ant queries to answer when they take
the lead this morning. More incrimin-
ating testimony must be explained
away, and some must simply be passed
by.
It would be base perversion of the
truth to say that the defense is not
prepared to give all the explanations,
all the enlightenment which is needed.
Their array Of witnesses is much more
formidable than that Of the state. and
far more tractable. The girls who tes-
titled so unwillingly for Assistant
States Attorney Burnham are expected
to talk readily enough for Evelyn
Arthur See.
The, more important questions and
the answers with which the defense
expects to discredit them in the minds
Of the jurors, follow:
Q.-Why did See, Mona Rees, and
Mildred Bridges confess illicit relations
with each other to six witnesses? A
They did not confess. They spoke in
the terms of absolute Life and the
hearers misunderstood.
Q.-Why did Clara Jenney testify
that she saw See and his disciples in
compromising positions? A.-She dis
liked See. Furthermore, from the po-
sition In which she stood it was impos-
sible for her to distinguish anything in
the room thru the window of which
she declares she looked.
No Evil Meaning Here?
Q.-what did Mildred mean when, in
her letter written to See while he was
In Jail, she said: Il do love you, Evelyn
remember, there is little girl at
home who is your wife; am strong in
the spirit of wifehood, DEAR" and ended
by signing herself, II am forever your
wife, Mildred?" A.-She was speaking
In the terms Of Absolute Life" She
meant that she was his wife in spirit;
that as each life. in absolute life," is
the fulfllment of every other life, her
life was the fulfllment Of his.
Q.-What did See mean by the fol-
lowing extracts from manuscript 13 Of
"The Book of Truth: Love shall be
free-as free as the communion OF
mind with mind; Let no man who
has come into Absolute Life descend
from it's spirit to the form Of ceremon-
Ial marriage; you will find no bond
age in the marriage have made?" A.
He did not write those portions of MS.
49, Mrs. Felicia Rees will take the
stand and declare that she wrote them.
Q-what did he mean by appointing
Mona as the perfect mother in the vol
ume 'sMotherhod?" Ale did not
write It, Mrs. Stephen H. Bridges will