The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-08-03
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Francisco. was the first witness
called Tuesday against Yogi
Ralph De Bit and Dorothy
Gerber, Or. oerber's wife. in
their trial In Justice Drinkers
court on charge OF improper
corduct
Gerber caused their arrest
after finding them living to-
gether In the Yogi colony at
Beaus Arts village, across Lake
Washington from lesehi park.
A. G. White, the next witness.
superintendent OF the Liberty
building. where De Bit formerly
had his Yogi headquarters, tes
titled that he had entered De
elt's private room on one oc-
easion and found the Yogi. un-
clothed, standing In the pres.
ence Of Mrs. Gerber.
DIR. Gerber briefly sketched his
domestic difficulties since the time
he was married at Redwood City.
Cal. in 1909, until the time, a few
days ago. when he located his wife
here.
Yogi 10 unembarrassed
Yogi De Bit sat beside his coun-
sci. an interested but unembar-
rassed listener to DR.. Gerber's tes-
timony.
Mrs. Gerber. who Is known to the
Yogi as 'lsona" De Bit, was not in
court. Altho defendant. her pres.
ence was not required until Tues
day afternoon.
, DIR. Gerber said they had lived in
San Francisco until 1911. when he
sent his wife to Europe TO study
music under Berlin masters.
He followed her 10 Germany three
months after she left.
They remained in Berlin 2is
years, when. he said. she skipped
secretly. with their child. Areal, to
America.
While he was still in Berlin in
the dark as 10 what had become OF
her. he got word from his attorneys
at San Francisco that she had start.
ed divorce proceedings.
Started Divorce Action
He hurried to California. Prior
To that time. he said. she had start
ed divorce proceedings at Berlin.
which she had later withdrawn. Or.
Gerber's arrival at San Francisco
was just in time to prevent his wife
from getting her divorce there.
Again she vanished. and after
more than six months he found her
In Seattle.
He said: II looked In the CITY
directory, and found that Dorothy
Gerber and Dorothy De Bit were
both registered at the Hotel Sor-
rento. inquired of the clerk. and
found my wife had been known as
Mrs. De Bit at the hotel. and that
she and De Bit had left a month
before"
Court Room Crowded
During the hearing Tuesday
morning the court room was pack.
ed. the crowd being mostly women.
Several supposed women follow.
ers OF the Yogi sat during the testi.
mony OF DR., Gerber with their eyes
closed. their heads bowed. their lips
murmuring Yogi prayers.
Denies Move to Dismiss
{. A. David, a resident OF Beaux
Art, said he had often seen the
children OF De Bit and the daughter
OF Mrs. Gerber in bathing in the
nude. He added. however, that he
believed the majority OF the people
interested in the Christian Yogi col.
lege were respectable.
Deputy Prosecutor Friend called
the attention of the court TO the
fact that Dorothy A. De Bit an.
peared in the city directory as the
wife OF Ralph De Bit.
De ssattorney asked for a dis.
missal on the ground that there had
been no evidence introduced to
bear out the charge. This was de.
MED. however. and Justice Brinker
adjourned court at noon until 3
O'Clock.
Went Bathing With Woman
did you ever see anything at
Beaux Arts that would lead YOU TO
believe that De Bit and Mrs. Gerber
we're husband and wife?" asked
Deputy Prosecutor George Friend.
of c. c. Phillips. another witness.
She was known as Mrs. De Bit"
said Phillips. Il have seen them
with their arms around each other
on several occasions. have often
seen him kiss her goodbye and l
have seen De Bit In bathing with
some woman. cannot say II II
was Mrs. De Bit. De Bit was
naked"