Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-23
PROGRESS MADE
IN TRIAL OF
BERT BOWER
Mrs. D. B. 0Idbury Continues
on Stand and Confirms Her
Previous Testimony

Considerable progress was made
t6is morning in the examining OF Wit
Lessas in the trial OF George A. tBertl
Bower in the United States district
court on statutory charge. Six Wit
Hesses in all were on tie stand TO tes-
tify for the prosecution concerning
the relations alleged to nave existed
between the defendant and Victoria
during period extending
from November. 1919, TO the month
of March, or later, Of the following
year. ..s:..as
Mrs. d. B. Oldbury, who lives on
Prospect street directly across from
the home of Mrs. Garvie-Eyans, and
who was on the stand at the adjourn
ment of court Friday afternoon. con-
tinued her testimony this morning,
&C nfirning her former evidence con-
corning the date that she witnessed
what she termed "a disgusting oscu-
latory demonstration" between Bower
and the girl in an automobile which
stood all one afternoon across from
her home. She said it was sometime
III February of last year, or possibly
in March.
Mrs. Mary c.. Cunning, a teacher in
the public schools, who is also a
neighbor to Mrs. Evans. testified TO
having seen Bower call at the Evans
place on various occasions, and also
to the kissing-bee which Mrs. Oldbury
described. Mrs. Cunning said that
this happened in March, 1913. She
described it as so disgusting that she
would have called the police except
tor the thought that she would be
mixed up in a disagreeable police
court investigation.
On cross-examination the witness
stated that in the first trial of the
case she had been unable to positive
ly identify Bower, but that since the
new trial began she had become posi-
tive of the identity of the defendant
with the man who had so often visited
the Mortensen girl She had seen
Eower, she said, in, company with his
attorney, Leon NJ. Straus, call at the
Evans place yesterday afternoon She
further stated in answer to a CUES.
ton of Attorney Strauss that since
she had become certain of the identity
of Bower she had, called up District
Attorney MeCarn, and asked to be ex.
cused as a witness because she knew
that Mr.. Straus would make it very
unpleasant for her ON the stand. To
which intention the attorney in ques
tion made vigorous denial
Mrs. Alden T.. Speare, another resi-,
dent Of Prospect street, testified to
having seen the defendant assist the
Mortensen girl into the automobile in
a vulgar, sensual manner She had
watched the performance from her
window. The calls of Bower at the
house had continued from November
1912, till about the following March
she said. On REORGANIZATION, Mrs.
Speare admitted that she had had a
few words with Mrs. Evans on one
OCCASION, and that they were not on
each others calling lists
Hans MortenSon, father of the pros.
ecuting witness, who is machinisi
and lives in Manoa valley. stated thai
he had been introduced to Bower in
December, 1912, by his stepdaughter
Mrs. Garvie-Evans. On May 9th fol-
lowing he had called Bower into his
house. where he had called on Victo-
ria, and informed him that he hao
been advised that he tBowerl was 9
married man Bower had denied this
saying that he had been divorced. The
witness had threatened to see Mrs.
Bower about this, but had never done
so. He had been told of Bowers be.
ing married by Chas n, Rose and bJ
Mrs Evans
Charles H. Rose, deputy sheriff. on
the witness stand, told of Bower
having called at his house and asked
him to induce Mrs. Evans to persuade
her father not to Investigate Bowers
marital status, under an implied threat
of exposing Mrs. Evans. Rose stated
that he had replied that he had moth.
ing to do with the matter, and had lei
it drop.
Alice Biart, who lives on Kapiolan
street directly across from the Evans
place, testified that she had been in
.troduced to Bower by Victoria. whe
had brought him over to her home
After Bower had been refused thu
privilege of calling at the Evans home
she stated that he frequently met tht
girl on Prospect street and that thu
two had gotten into the habit of com
ing into the ward of her home ant
sitting on the lawn. after dark in the
evening. The witness didn't know
how long they were In the habit o
staying because she and her sistel
would leave them at their bedtime
This she testified happened mani
times, and her mother finally objectes
to these visits, fearing that her daug1
tiers would be mistaken for the Nor
Jensen girl.
The Biart girl was still on the stand
at the time court dismissed for thl
noon recess.
(.Jergvraan Wilt ffou take this Wo