Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-12
MOCK TRIAL PLEAsEs.
Fair. Sized Audience at odeon Wit.
nesses Homo Talent Affair.

Fun Tor a lalr-Slzeu duQleHCe at tIio
Odeon was afforded Monday night by
mock trial presented oy home talent
under the auspices Of the Y. NJ. c. A.,
and under the direction Of A. V. New
ton, of Worcester Mass.
The case was one in which Mrs.
Margaret Fraser Henderson, posing as
Mrs. Jerusha Rugg Perkins, brought
suit for $3.4S damages against DR..
George Earl Hermance for breach Of
promise. The case was tried before
jury of figures Of national prominence,
in the court of Judge B. f. Cummings.
George Gregory was the clerk Of court.
and Deputy Sheriff R. G. Goodale the
bailiff. Mr.. Newton appeared as coun-
sci for the plaintiff, and c. II. p.
Boardman for the defense.
The twelve peers who heard the evil
dence, as they are known locally, were
Bert Mcmillan, H. S. Lawrence. ]. w.
Alden, w. w. Dooittle, V. N. Hansen,
George +. Thayer. H. K. Denmead,
Otto Schmidt, w. B. Vogel, w. F.
Innes, and Ben Goodale, and Don Nc
Lean. of Lamoille.
Following the. opening statements OF
the attorneys and the swearing in Of
the witnesses, the work of the trial be-
gam. The plaintiff was the first wit
ness, and told how the defendant had
promised to marry ner, then refused.
Mrs. Henderson made an excellent wit
ness. her Evolutionary talent coming
into good play IN her acting. Counsel
for the defense paid but little attention
to her, however. and on cross exanlln-
|atton wasscontent to draw out the adj
mission that she had been interested in
similar actions, sor near factions. with
"BilP' Stricken. Frank Brennecke, and
Ralph Scott. Exhibits were introduced
by the plaintiffs counsel in the shape
Of two love letters, purported to have
been written by the defendant to the
plaintiff
The plaintiffs other witnesses were
Hal Richards and Mrs. c. H. White
head. the latter appearing sas RATHER
inc Vanderbilt. Miss Vanderbilt testi-
fled to the defendant haafE g made love
to her and Tilted her. The defendant,
on DISCRIMINATION. brought out the
fact that the witness owed the plaintiff
a large board bill, and that the witness
testimony was in payment Of the debt.
The testimony of the defense was
conferred in the defendant himself, DR."
Paul Mckee, an "alienist"; Jerusha
Ray Perkins, a niece Of the plaintiff,
and in real life Miss Florence Sellers.
and F. A. Moscrip DR.. Hermance tes-
titled that he really loved Jerusha
Rugg Perkins niece, Jerusha Ray Per-
kins, and that the letters he had sent
to Jerusha r. Perkins We're intended
for the niece rather than the aunt.
This was corroborated by Miss Jerusha
Ray Perkins herself, who made an ex-
ceptionally fine witness. Or" Mckee
testified that the plaintiff was mono-
maniac on the question of would-be
husbands, and that she believed that
every time man looked at her, that
man wanted to marry her. Mr.. Mos
Grip testified to having heard his faith
er tell of how his father had been en-
tangled in a near matrimonial case with
the plaintiff back in 'S5. Mr.. Moscrip
also gave some interesting evidence
concerning dog fight in which several
prominent citizens had figured as
participants and witnesses.
The testimony of the witnesses was
the best comedy feature of the per-
Torrance. Numerous localisms were
injected into the evidence, and also
thru the questioning and addresses of
the lawyers.
Upon the close of the evidence the
arguments were made, and the court
instructed the jury. AS the jury had
shown signs thruout the entire trial Of
being very sympathetic with the plain
tiff's cause, and the court instructed
the jury to return q verdict for the
plaintiff, the jury returned It's verdict
Of '$3.4S damages, specifying that So
Of the amount was to go to the jury,
and 4S cents to the court. The court
reversed tine amounts as sc.wcc: the
court and the Jury, even against the
protestations of the plaintiffs counsel.
AS result of the entertainment the
y. M. G. A. will receive $39.05 as its
share of the profits. The entertain
ment was promoted by the social COM
mittee. of which Dr. H. G. Mueller is
chairman.