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


Considerable progress was made
this morning in the examining OF wit
nesses in the trial OF George A. BERT
Bower in the United States district
court. on statutory charge. Six wit
nesses in all were on the stand to tes-
tify for the prosecution concerning
the relations alleged to have existed
between the defendant and Victoria
Mortensen during period extending
from November, 1917. 10 the month
OF March, or later, of the following
year.
Mrs. ID. B. Oldbury, who lives on
Prospect street directly across from
the home of Mrs. Garyie- Evans, and
who was on the stand at the adjourn-
ment of court Friday afternoon, con-
tinued her testimony this morning,
confirming 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 G. 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. 1918. She
described it as 80 disgusting that she
would have called the police except
for the thought that she would be
mixed up in disagreeable police
court investigation.
On cross-examination the witness
stated that in the first trial of the
case she had been unable to positive
~ 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
Bower, she said. in company with his
attorney, Leon NJ. Strauss, call at the
Evans place yesterday afternoon. She
further stated in answer to ques-
IlOH vi kAlIOI ACy tnaI oAACC
she had become certain Of the identity
of Bower she had called up District
Attorney McCarn, 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-
ton 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 cross-examination, 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 machinist
and lives in Manoa valley, stated that
he had been introduced to Bower In
December, 1912, by his stepdaughter,
Mrs. Garyie-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 had
been advised that he fBowerl was a
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 H. Rose and by
Mrs Evans.
Charles H. Rose, deputy sheriff, on
the witness stand told of Gower
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 let
lit drops
Alice Biart who lives ON Kapiolani
street directly across from the Evans
place, testified that she had been in
trodueed 10 Bower by Victoria, who
had brQught him over to her home.
After Bower had been refused the
privilege of calling at the Evans home
she stated that he frequently met the
girl on Prospect street, and that the
two had gotten into the habit of COM
ing into the yard of her home and
sitting on the lawn, after dark in the
evening. The witness didn't know
how long they were in the habit OF
staying because she and her sister
would leave them at their bedtime,
This she testified happened many
timYs, and her mother finally objected
to these visits, fearing that her da'igi-
ters would be mistaken for the Nor
Jensen girl.
The Biart girl was still on the stand
at the time court dismissed for the