The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-18
State Charges Burch
Jealous OF Mrs. Obcn-
chain, Killed Rival
She Lured to Lonely
Bungalow.
Los ANGELES, Dec. IT.

~'0Hiy 6lon, Los An8ele0.
II gave forth . man and. q mo-
ment later. . woman. The man was
:. Bolton Kennedy. scion Of .
wealthy Los Angeles family and
well-known man-about-town. princi-
palm many romances. The woman
was his sweetheart Of the days be-
fore she was married to Ralph Oben-
chain. Chicago lawyer. from whom
she was now divorced.
A. the man stepped to place a key
( IN tho door. tho woman struck q
match to light the way. A shot
sputtered from ambush. Kennedy
fell nfeless.
Today Arthur c. Burch. enamored
OF Mrs. Obenchain and declared by
the State. to have been Jealous Of
Kennedy. 10 on trial in Los Angeles
Tor kennedy's murder. Mrs. oben.
, chain awaits trial on the charge
that In revenge for fitting by Ken
nedy she lured him to death. On the
Jury all but two are women.
THE DEATH MATCH.
That, in general. Is an outline of
Tho case. The trial presents the
revelation Of the woman's infatua.
] ton for q man accustomed to wom-
ans affections.
In brief. N to the principals:
Arthur c. Burch Is the son of a
Methodist Episcopal minister Of
Evanston. III. He was a former
schoolmate there Of Madalynne Con.
nor. Later no was a fellow student
with her and Ralph Obenchain at
Northwestern University. She was
then tho prettiest girl on the cam.
! pus' that was In 1915.
-Four years later she was married
to Obenchain. q lawyer. Kennedy
for some years had been an ardent
sutton. But she chose Obenchain in
stead. Kennedy continued his atten-
lions. Obenchain and his wife, be-
cause Of her attachment for Kenno-
dy. eventually decided on q divorce.
He enabled her to obtain one.
All this while Burch. 1t is contend
Cd by the State. was in love with
Mrs. Obenchain, though he married
another woman, who since his ar.
rest has obtained a divorce, Oben-
chain today is ono of his former
wffe's lawyers for the defense.
LIGHTED MATCH A SIGNAL.
The State maintains that Kenne.
~ refused to marry Mrs. Oben.
chain and that she utilized Burch,s
jealousy and affection for her nv
inducing him to STAY Kennedy. Thu
match she struck at the cabin, It IL
alleged. was q beacon to Guide
Burch's bullet to the victims form.
Burch no longer processes the con.
fdence In his acquittal that at the
outset Of the trial he maintained. A
few days ago he commented rue
fully:
II am gambling with my life.
These are high stakes. II I lose.
am lost II begins to look as though
I am making a five-card draw in a
particularly tough poker game"
1t was his wont, the first days of
ths trial. to snap into the courtroom
brsesily. with a wide smile on his
face. patting lawyers on the back,
waving jauntily to reporters, even
nodding greeting to Kennedy's
hther-which greeting was never
returned. y"
Today his face. when he enters
he courtroom. il blanched. He
drags to his table. His head hangs
heavily on his arms. The evidence
has been severely damaging. Per-
haps. II IL being whispered about
the court building. the defense will
have to give up its original purpose
Of trying to prove he didn't do 1t
and confine its case to an attempt
to establish insanity.
THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE.
Link by link the chain Of circum-
stance has clanked around him.
Minutes have been planed and
chiseled and dovetailed by the State
% that even the tick Of a clock has
become . vitality important matter.
For the prosecution has shown that
Burch on the night Of the crime
drove . rented roadster. a. the
speedometer shows. 4 distance equal
70 that from Los Angeles to the
cabin and back.
This chsin has become 30 taut about
him that Burch no longer laughs.
a. ne did the first day Of the trial:
IL want to get II over with quick.
II We are late in starting 1t might
delay lunch. must have my meals
on time"
On one side Of the courtroom
has sat the defendants loval
father. the aged Rev. w. A. Burch.
ON the other side has sat the gray