Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-15
.SEE,CONv|CTfO
Of ABDUCTION,
0UT ON BONDS
Argument for New Trial
Probably Will Not Come
Up Until September and
Cult Leader Will be Free.

Chicago, July A. Evelyn Arthur
See, convicted yesterday of the aD'
duction OF Mildred Bridges, was ad'
mitted to bail in the sum of $4,000 to,
day.
Contrary to expectations argument
for new trial was not begun. and
the matter probably will not be taken
up until September. See, meanwhile,
will be at liberty under bond.
Evelyn Arthur See, founder OF the
absolute life cult, the chief tenet OF
which was said to be the establish
ment of perfect race, last night was
found guilty. The jury was out only
IS minutes and is said to have taken
but one ballot. The statute fixes the
penalty at. from one to ten years IN
the penitentiary. The jury also re,
turned verdict Of guilty OF contrl-
buting to Juvenile delinquency which
had been corporated in the abduction
charge. !,
They were instructed to retire and
return with single verdict. Coun-
sci for See offered the claim that the
return Of two verdicts necessitated a
new trial and made an immediate ap-
peal for a. a.retrial Of the case.
Sees nat. the home of Absolute
Life, named in the cult publications
as "the house Of the Lord" was raided
in January. See was arrested and two
girls, Mona Rees, aged twenty-one and
Mildred Bridges, aged seventeen, who
had been living in the apartment, were
taken into custody. Mrs. Felicita
Rees and Mrs. Lucille Bridges, the
mothers OF the girls and followers OF
See, also were closely questioned.
The police investigation resulted IN
charges Of abduction being brought
against See. Stephen Bridges,
Ewealthy jeweler. father OF Mildred,
whose wife admitted she had contri-
buted $1,000, $500, and many smaller
monthly sums to See's support, aided
the police in gaining evidence He
also began action for divorce from
Mrs. Bridges and suit for alienation OF
affection against See.
sec Feared Public Sentiment.
7 See, in apparent fear of public senti-
ment, did not seek bail and remained
in iail until his trial began more than
two weeks ago. While in Jail, he con-
tinued writing and preaching his doc
trine OF q perfect race to be estab-
-lished through the new belief
While See was In Jail, Mrs. See. who
had separated from her husband sew
eral years before, with the aid of
professional safe opener. visited Sees
fiat. raided his safe and obtained
many letters from her husband to
Mona and Mildred, as well as others
from the cult leader to the two moth
er. These were taken In charge
OF the United States government with
a view to possible prosecution under
the white slave act. They We're loaned
to the state for use during the trial.
See refused to take the stand in his
own defense, the chief witnesses be-
ing the four women whose names had
been most frequently mentioned since
his arrest The women repudiated an
alleged confession said to have been
made to the police that the flat had
been used for immoral purposes and
took refuge In the language of Abso-
lutte Life. which to most OF those in
the court room proved unintelligible..
Mr.. Bridges was an important wit
ness for the state testffying that his
daughter had refused to return home
after bei/, quarantined with scarlet
fever iz Sees fiat. He also testified
that upon returning suddenly from
Kansas City he found Mrs. Bridges
at the home Of Absolute Life He also
declared he had permitted his wife
to make large and regular contribu-
tions to Sees support.
None of the women were In the
room when the verdict was returned.
An appeal for new trial may also
be based on the fact that Juror i. F.
Dupper was found to be asleep at one
time during the taking of testimony.