Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-09
MRS. OBENCHAIN
!. BEGINS ) !, ] L STORY
! 0NSTAND TODAY
Defendant Cries When Pur-
ported Letter to Her From
Kennedy is Read.
Tells Of Murdered Mans At
tentions After Her Arrival
In Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, March s.-The story
of Madalynne Connor Obenchain of
Chicago, which she said she Shad
waited seven months to tell concern
ing 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 de-
tense.
She smiled at the clerk as she was
sworn as q witness. Her opening tes-
timony was that she had been in the
county Jail for seven months since
the morning of August 6, 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. <
Speaks Low.
!, She was pale and spoke quites low,
although appearing composed and not
tions,r. but it was necessary for her at
torneys to admofish her 10 speak
higher. Her eyes. were UPON the jur-
ors most of the time. Saying that she
kept a diary.of her activities in 1921,
she referred to it frequently to re-
fresh her memory.
Saw Kennedy on Street.
II arrived in Los Angeles January
I, 1921, she said. II did not meet
Mr.. Kennedy for some time although
saw him once or twice on the street
On January IA. I telephoned to him
asking that he return my letters. He
refused to return them until l con-
sented to see him.
SCI refused to see him. On my sec
7ond telephone conversation, January
~, he said he would never return
them unless saw him that night.
II consented to see him that night
! and waited for some time in the
street, and then saw him approach.
accompanied by his father. We talked
for some two hours
e ss,-ssesi' 3,.. Wanted it Enaei:
Referring to her diary for the dates,
which were every three or f6-tr' days
after this meeting with Kennedy. she
! testified that she had meetings with
Kennedy. She continually asked him
for the return Of her letters, saying
that she wanted everything ended.
believing that that, would make it
| happier for everybody"
| Kennedy wanted to continue their
relations, pleading with her to 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. On one occasion, she
said, Kennedy followed her in taxi
cab and in others waited for her out
side of her abode.
Begins to Cry.
Mrs. Obenchain's first tear after she
I took the stand, came when her coun-
sci read what purported to be letter
from Kennedy to her, as it was
printed in local newspaper, and
which was not produced by the dis.
| trict attorney when he offered other
correspondence.
The letter as read was written by
i Kennedy to Mrs. Obenchain just after
she had left suddenly for Chicago
without informing Kennedy of her in
/ tention. After the purported text haC
been read, drawing Mrs Obenchain's
tears, argument on the admissibility
of the letter in evidence.
I y''If could die tonight B is false"
The foregoing phrase was read b,
Mrs. Obenchain from her diary as o
about July, II. She said "B" meant
Bolton. Kennedy's given name. Thi'
entry was made during her visit t.
Los Angeles within three weeks O.
the death of~kennedy.
This was written after Kennedy
mother was said to have made Sian
" derous statements about her ant
visited Mrs. Louise Wilson. Mrs
Obenchain's confidante, in All effor
to prevent marriage between Ken
ned: and Madalynne. Kennedy die
not see her for several days and fail
ed to keep a promise to telephone
her, this prompting her to make {
L{0< oh
The letter which brought tears u
Mrs. Obenchain when it was read b.
her attorney, was as follows:
Dear Talapsha: How beautiful.
you have remembered me. dear Mad
alynne. Everything Sou have eve
done for me will always be cherished
Do not think me cold, ungrateful, all
no. 'Tis only that wander in th'
dark, and oh. Madalynne. l canno
see the light. know it. lives. but th'
darkness Is smothering. smotherinl
me. If only I can lift the black man
tie from my shoulders and step on
into the glorious days.
.'Oh, my Madalynne. Do not judg'
harshly. Can you not hear the wilt
cries far, far out on the deserts vel
. low sands where the blood red sun
dipping now to sleep.
God bless you, Talapsha. D
TalapS one.
Los Angeles Cal, March 9Th
love and tenderness which Ralpl
Obenchain gave to his wife, NADIA
lynne, were not sufficient to make he
happy or make her forget her forme
sweetheart, j. Bolton Kennedy, Oben
chain testified today at the trial Q
Mrs. Obenchain. charged with tn
murder OF, Kennedy last August. Be
cause Of his failure to make her for
get Kennedy. as he promised her be
fore marriage, the couple separate
after but three months of married lift
Obshchain tektified. Later they wer
divorced.
Madalynne Obenchain was not
$l.woman scorned." as contended b
I.theN state, according to Mrs. Mary {
IDomond, another witness. Whe
Madalynne told Kennedy that all wa
over between them and that she wa
going away, the witness saad that Ken
nedy pleaded with her not to leav
Z and that he could not live withou
her. S4Ia
Ralph obenchain told OF his cniles
life atan Illinois university and that 9
Continued on page So