New-York tribune., 1922-03-10
Mrs. ObencI,ain
" eeps as She
lclls of KILLING
N
Heard Two Shots Fired in
u Dark. Near Cottage, She
les'ifies, Then Two Mem
Nan Away Unreccgnized
Found Kennedy Lifelcss
Relates Full Story of the
Fatal Romance; Admits
That She Sent for Burch

LOS ANGELES, March Mrs. Mad
aIynne Obonchain. faltcring and vocn-
ing to-day, in testimony in her own do
tense, told her story Of the slavjno Of
j. Belton Kennedy, her sweetheart fo,,
whose murder she is being tried. Two
shots were tired at him from tho darl,
in front of his summer cottage IN
lonely Beverly Glen. She said Then
two persons she could not identify
fitted past her and disappeared. She
and Kennedy went to the cottaro at
the Iatter's suggestion, She sworc.
ms was III contradiction of tho
state's theory that Mrs. Obencha;n
persuaded Kennedy to go to the Glen
ana that. by arrangement with hor
Arthur c. Burch, co-dcfcndant, Law in
wait '''
Between the shots, according 70
Mrs Obenchain. Kennedy cried. "Good
night Mazziyn." and after the second
explosion she found him living ljfclcss
on a eight of steps in front Of the
cottage.
Cross Examination To-day
The story Of the shooting was the
climax Of an all-day examination of
Nrs Obenchain. When she concluded
Adjournment was taken until to-mor-
row, when cross-examination will be-
gin.
Facing a crowded courtroom. Mrs.
Obenchain related her love affair ,vith
kennedy She told Of meeting him Eve
wears ago, and of her SUBSEQUENT ac-
quaintance with him. which was inter
rupted for brief period in January,
l9l9. when She married Ralph f. Obcn
chaln. But she was in communication
with Kennedy again after d few weeks.
and finally obtained divorce from
Obenchain. she testified
She denied, however. that Kannod,,
refused to marry her. as asserted by
the prosecution, saying that Kennedv
lmportuned her TO consent to secret
marriage, which she refused to do
shorty before The tragedy, the witness
asserted, Kennedy threatened to kill
her if she would not marry him.
Admits Sending for Burch
She admitted she asked Burch to
come to Los Angeles last july. that she
met him at the railroad station when
ne arrived and that she consulted him,
concerning her troubles with Kennedy.
HIS baggage, she said. consisted only of
suitcase ana magazine. Previous
evidence in Burch's trial was that he
also carried a gun case
After going up town. she said. thew
had dinner at hotel. 1t was there she
toid Rurch that she wanted his help
with Kennedy, and she told the Jury
that she had said at that time That
she would not marry Kennedy without
the consent Of his people. She said
Kennedy had urged a secret marriage.
but she had declined. ard it was after
she had explained this situation to
Eurch that she sought his aid.
The defendant said she told Burch that
she wanted him to talk" to Bolton.
and that it was situation she could
not handle alone. She said Burch re-
Piled: Il viii be very glad to-
Took Auto Rides Together
Mrs. Obenchain testified that during
the week after Burch's arrival they
were together much of the time. She
said they took numerous automobile
rides together. In response to direct
questions she said they never went to
Beverly Glen and that she never told
Burch where Beverly Glen was.
Mrs. Obenchain declared that Ken
ncdy came TO her room in a local hotel
in the latter part of last July and