The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-09
She TELLS STORY
MadaIynne 0benchain Has
Chance to Clear Self.
''I'Ve Waited for This Chance
Long," She Says.
SAYS KENNEDY LOVED Her
Woman Charged With Murder
Appeals to Jury.
Her First Tear Shed as She
Reads Letters.
SAYS KENNEDY LOVED Her

Los Angeles, March 9.-The story
of Madalynne Connor Obenchain of
Chicago which she said she had waited
seven months to tell, concerning J.
Bolton Kennedy. local broker for
whose murder she is on trial here,
began today when she was called to
the stand as a witness in her own
defense.
She smiled at the clerk as she was
sworn in as a witness. Her opening
testimony was that she had been in
the county fail for seven months since
the morning of August last when
she was arrested following the shoot
ing of Kennedy at his Beverly Glen
bungalow. She said that she was not
allowed access to her letters or prop
erty since that time.
Appeals for Sympathy.
She was pale and spoke quite low,
altho appearing composed and not
hesitating in her answers to questions
but it was necessary for her attor-
neys to admoniSh her to speak higher.
Her eyes were upon the jurors most
of the time. Saying that she kept
diary of her activities in 1921, she
referred to it frequently to refresh her
memory.
Il arrived in Los Angeles. January
I, 1921" she said. 81 did not meet
L
saw him once or twice on the street.
On January II, I telephoned to him
asking that he return my letters. He
refused to return them until I con-
sented to see him.
Intimatcs It Was Suicide.
IT refused to see him. ON my sec
ond telephone conversation, January
"a, he said he would never return
them unless saw him that night.
Il consented to see him that night
and waited for some time in the street
and then saw him approaching. ac-
companied by his father. We talked
for some two hours"
Says She Was Not Scorned.
Referring to her diary for the dates,
which We're every three or four days,
after this meeting with Kennedy, she
testified that she had meetings with
for the return of her letters. saying
that she wanted everything ended.
believing that that would make 1t
happier for everybody"
Kennedy wanted to continue their
pleading with her ito bear
with" him further. Kennedy told her
that owing to his mothers illness he
could not do that which his heart
asked him to do. she testified.
Mrs. Obenchain's first tear after she
took the stand came when her counsel
read what purported to be a letter
from Kennedy to her as it was printed
in a local newspaper and which was
not produced by the district attorney
when he offered other correspondence.
Written After SANDER.
This was written after Kennedy's
mother was said to have made SANDER
BUS statements about her and visited
Mrs. Louise Wilson, Mrs. Obenchain's
confident, in an effort to prevent mar
riage between Kennedy and NADIA
ynne.
Kennedy did not see her for several
lays, and failed to keep a promise to
telephone her. this prompting her to
make a notation in her diary, she tes-
.ified.
He Urged Marriage.
''If I could die tonight. B. is false
The foregoing phrase was read by Mrs.
from her diary as of about
July IT. She said "B'' meant Bolton,
kennedy's given name. This entry
was made during her visit to Los
Angeles, within three weeks of the
death of Kennedy.
Mrs. Obenchain then testified that
Kennedy urged her, during the sum- /
mer of 1921 to go to Santa Ana and |
marry him. This was after she had |
her divorce. She said she |
telling him that she wanted |
10 talk to his parents. She said that
during this time early in the summer |
Of 1921 she corresponded from Los
Angeles with Arthur Burch, her CO. I
defendant, who was then in Chicago.