Evening star., 1922-12-05
MRS. 0BENCHA|N.
IS GIVEN LIBERTY
Burch Held in Psychopathic
Ward, Awaiting Insanity
Hearing.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated pre6S.
LOS ANGELES, Calf. December 5.
-Madalynne .. Ohenchain. tried
twice for the alleged murder Of J.
Belton Kennedy. her sweetheart. and
Arthur c. Burch, who underwent trial
on the same charge three times. to-
ton. but Burch was in the psyche
pathic ward of the county hospital
awaiting an insanity hearing Thurs
day before the Los Angeles county
lunacy commission.
He was taken there last night from
the county jail after the indictment
against him and Mrs. Obenchain was
| dismissed.
For a time. 1t was said. Mrs. Oben-
chain would be q guest at the resi-
| dence Of one Of the jail matrons. to
| whose home she went last night. She
declined to discuss her plans for the
future.
When she left the jail it was to the
applause Of the prisoners within and
| a crowd estimated at thousands that
! had gathered outside to get last
| glimpse of one Of Los Angeles
| county's best known prisoners. The
prisoners sang songs when she lett.
| the two favorites being Here Comes
the Bride" and Il Love You Truly"
| Il am glad to get out OF Jail" was
Mrs. Obenchain's only statement to
| reporters.
She posed for a number of pictures
| before her departure tonight. for
which she attired herself in fashion
| able garments of black and wore a
! bouquet of red roses.
! She made no statement In connec-
tion with a report that she might re-
marry her divorced husband. Ralph
Obenchain. attorney of Chicago.
| Meantime. Burch was arraigned on
the charge of insanity and his hear
ing before the Los Angeles county
| lunacy commission set for Thursday,
| December Z. He was transferred
from the jail to the psychopathic
| ward of the Los Angeles county hos
pital.
Mrs. Obenchain was arrested here
! in August. 1921. after she had re-
ported that Kennedy had been slain
at his home. in Bveriy Glen. where
she had accompanied him. Kennedy
i was killed by the charge from a shot
gun.
Burch was taken off an eastbound
train at Las Vegas. New. a few days
later and was returned here for trial.
The states theory was that Burch
killed Kennedy with Mrs. Obenchain's s
connivance.
Ralph r. O5enchain aided her de-
fense in her first trial. Burch's par
ents. the Rev and Mrs. W. a. Burch
of Evanstown. ILL.,. moved here to be
near him.
Both defendants refused to admit
any direct connection with the slay-
ing. Mrs. Obenchain proclaimed her
innocence. Burch remained silent.
Burch was tried three times. an in
sanity defense being the chief eIe-
ment of his case. All juries dis
agreed. Mrs. Obencha!n was tried
twice; both juries disagreed in her
trials also.
The prosecutions were promoted by
J. D. Kennedy. father of the slain
mar.
Both defendants have been in Jail
since year ago last August. During
much of that time Burch has been
employed in the Office of the county
Jail as a typist and accountant.
Mrs. Obenchain was held in the
woman's ward and occasionally took
the limelight because other prison
ers complained that. by the use of
money given by relatives. she sup
piled herself with the services of a
prisoner maid. with extra foods and
special comforts.