Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-05-06
6|GGS TESTIF|ES IN
HIS OWN BEHALF
IN ASSAULT CASE
Says Girl Called Him 'Mr.
Diggs, the Lady Killer"
and Drank Toast
AFRAID TO GO HOME
AS RENl WAS DUE
Testimony introduced to
Show That Fearing Girl
Smoked Cigarettes

San Francisco, MAY 6.-Former State
Architect Maury 1. Diggs, accused of
criminally attacking Miss Ida Pear
ring here New Year S eve, took tho
stand today in his own defense At
torneys for the defense promised that
his testimony would be sensational. 1t
was expected the case would be ar
gued this afternoon and probably would
reacn the jury before noon tomorrow.
81 met Ida May Pearring,0 sail
Diggs, con the afternoon of December
%, 1913. | was with Florian Fischer
We were going 10 the st. Francis hotel
and met Miss Fearing and Miss Sulli.
van. We went at once to a cafe and
there Fischer asked Miss Fearing s
age. She said she was 21 years old on
December 8 last
When Fischer introduced me as
Mr.. Diggs both girls said they thought
he was joking. | reached in my pock.
ct and showed them letter from W. j.
Smith, of Oakland, hoping to prove my
identity beyond doubt.
Later | met Mrs. Fearing and at
tended turkey dinner given in the
Fearing apartment on the night of De-
eember 30. At the table reference to
myself and my identity was again
made and j told them again that | was
Maury Diggs. Miss Sullivan then
said, Here s toast to Mr. Diggs,
the lady killer. Then she read a toast
from a card.
Met Miss Pearring.
Last New Year $ eve l met Miss
Fearing in Miss Sullivan7s apartment
about 8 O'Clock. She came in with
Walter Gilligan. We remained at the
apartment until about IL o clock and
then went out to get something to eat.
Miss Fearing did not ask to be taken
home. We left the restaurant about
ll:45 and about midnight passed the
Holland MOTEL.
This is where you live, ism t it
Mr.. Gilliganl' asked Miss Fearing
Let's go in and have drink. I'm
thirsty.
We went into the hotel and Gilli-
gan rang for drink. 1t was served
by bellboy. Later we rang for an
other drink and the bellboy refused
to serve it, saying it was too late.
Miss Fearing then asked to stay
at the hotel, saying that if she went
home so late the landlady would ask
then to move as her mother had moi
paid the rent; that she had no key
and would have to wake the landlady
to get in. She asked me to get hel
room, but | told her L didn't have
the money to pay for it. Then Gill.
gan volunteered and got Miss Fearing
a room. [ told Gilligan / had missed
the last boat for Oakland and asked
If could remain in the hotel with him
We then went into the elevator and
went to Gilligan s room.
Gilligan said he would give Miss
Fearing pair of his paiamas. She
looked around and said: Why can't ]
have this room, so ] can have brush
and comb in the morning! Gilligar
turned the room over to her and we
/ engaged room on the tenth floor.
Door Was Unlocked.
Il remained with Gilligan all night
We got up at 10 o clock in the morn
ing and had few drinks. About Z
O'Clock Gilligan said he mad an ap
/ pointment with Fischer and we went
back to his room. The door was shut
but was unlocked. We walked in anc
Miss Fearing was still in bed.
My goodness, GIRL said
hayn 7 you gone home YETI
No, and | am not going home,
she answered.
:" Have you had anything to eatY
asked.
i 80 told her that wanted to chang,
my shirt and she told me to go right
ahead. / said all right, that / eoult
stand it if she could. / took my shirt
off and was sitting on the edge o.
the bed when Fischer came in. H,
rang for a drink. After we had III,
drink Gilligan and | left. Fischer re
mained in the room. Then we visite,
another saloon and met Paul Spott
We remained there until O'Clock ant
then returned to Gilligan 8 room. Mis-
Fearing was sitting on the edge O
the bed, still wearing Gilligan g pa
jamas Fischer was reading a maga
Zinc. We had several drinks and sep
arated.
January found a message at
San Francisco saloon asking me to cal
up Mrs. Fearing l did
! :" This is Mother Pearring,' sh
said. Il want you to come up her
and bring some money. If you don