New-York tribune., 1922-03-11
LOvedkealnedv.
rs.Obencl1ai,l
Saws ON Stand
Declares Murdered Man In
duced Her to Leave Her
Husband Within a Month
of Her Marriage in 1919
Prosecutor Has Surprise
Asks if She Had Married
Victim 'on the High Seas:
Calls Burch Simply Friend

Los ANGELES. March .0.-airs.
Nsdslynne ohenchain, on trial charged
With numbering J. Bcltou X Kennedy, the
nan she swore she loved, matched wits
to-day with Deputy District Attorney
Asa koyes in an all-day crosse exarins-
ton. She Was asked TO tel OF her re
lstions vi:h Kennedy: Arthur c.
Rurch, Jointly indicted with her OF tie
charge OF murder, and Ralnh X. Oben-
ehxin. her divorced husband, now one
ct her attorneys.
Kenned.. Mrs. Ooenchain replied to
Prosecutor keyes. was the one who
commanded her love. She said she
never loved Bureh aud believed nc
rever loved her She declared Ken
= edy induced her to leave Mr. Oben-
chain within month OF her marriage,
which took place January ]. 1919.
Mr.. keycs had read from letter
dated IN January, 1919. sent oy MIS-
Obencha;n to Kennedy, in which was
the following passage:
Lured From Her Husband
"My love ID yours. 1t won't be long
until we can be together"
what did you mean by that
keyes asked.
II meant he had induced me 70 leave
my husband replied the defendant.
She said Kennedy had besought her to
have her marriage arnulled, but t..ae
later it VAS decided she would seek q
divorce
Mr.. Keyes sprang a surprise by ask
ing Mrs. Obenchain if she had ever
been married TO Kennedy "on the hign
seas" After g long pause she replied.
No" Mr.. Keyes did not indicate
What. il anything, was behind the
question.
Questioned concerning Burch Mrs.
Obencnain repeated that he was siln-
had attended college, and Chat she
never had any agreement with MIN to
tsse the life Of Kennedy
The ross-examination had not been
completed when court adjourned until
Monday. Mr.. Keyes said he then would
question Mrs. Obencha;n about the
shooting Of Kennedy in Beverly Glen
on the night Of August 5.
Loved Kennedy When Married
Ae Mrs. Obcnchain stepped from the
witness stand her appearance gave evil
cence of the strain she had experienced.
1r answering questions she hesitated
frequently, in contrast to the ready
answers she gave in direct examina-
ton yesterday.
The prosecution opened its cross
examination at the time she first met
Kennedy in 1917, in Los Angeles. She
testified to his making love TO her early
in their Acquaintance, and said that
while he cared for her he was under
obligations to another girl. Their en-
gagement was made on August 81, 1918,
she said, and they were together fre-
quently.
She admitted she was in love with
Kennedy when she married Obenchain
on January /, 1919.
Shortly after her marriage. she said,
Kennedy telephoned her, telling her he
was willing to break away from his
parents and marry her.
1t was Kennedy, she said, who sug-
Fested that she get an annulment Of
her marriage, this plan being aban-
doned later and divorce obtained.
Mrs. Obenchain testified that she
had no recollection OF being in the
District Attorneys Office on August
9, 1921, the day following the killing
She said she could not recall making
a statement to officers, but would not
deny making one. Asked when it was
that she lost her recollection Of events
on the night Of the killing, she re-
piled:
"When I touched Belton.'
She testified yesterday that she
touched him after the shooting oc-
CURED