South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-18
MRS. OBENCHAIN
WAITS IN COURT
TO HEAR FATE
Court Orders Jury Locked
Up for Night at Q
O'Clock.
STANDS Q TO 8, REPORT
jury Returns and Asks Court
for Rehearing of les
timOny.

Los ANGELES, Calf. March II.
At 9 o'clock tonight Judge Sidney
y. Reeve directed that the jury bal
loting on the fate OF Mrs. Madalynns
Obenchain. on trial for the murder
OF J. Bolton Kennedy. be locked up
for the night.s There was a report
that the jury stood nine 10 three az
the time the court gave the order
but il was not indicated whether the
majority favored acquittal or convic-
ton. The jury had been celebrating
five hours and a half when the
judges order was given.
Jury Asks to Have Testimony Read.
After celebrating two hours and
a half from the time they left the
court room to decide ~ Madalynns
Obenchain was guilty of the murder
of the man she loved or II she YVES
implicated in any way with his
death the jury returned 20 the court
room and asked 20 have portion OF
the testimony read Judge Reeves
ordered that this be done.
The foreman Of the jury said at
least one of the jurors was I'm doubt
concerning the testimony Of a prose
cution witness regarding automobile
lights he said he saw in Beverly Glen
on the night Kennedy was slain. The
uncertainty. the foreman said. was
whether the lights came from the
car in which Mrs O5enchaln and
Kennedy drove 20 the glen or from
one which the state cha~E-s was left
in a side road by Arthur g.. Burch,
co-defendant. Burch. the prosecu-
ton alleged. hid in a clump af bush-
es waiting for Mrs. O1enchan and
Kennedy
The reading Of the testimony
showed that the witness said be saw
automobile lights flashing ou trees
along the road leading through the
glen but did not locate them ded-
nitely He said. however. he did not
I see lights shining IN the place where
it was contended Burch left his ear.
The jury then retired again.
Look For AcquittaL
Court room attaches today expressed
belief that Madalynne Obeuchain
would be acquitted OF the charge OF
numbering John Bolton Kennedy.
The Judge was 10 charge the jury
Of nine men and three women when
court rscOnvened today.
Long arguments OF opposing
counsel prevented the case from 60
ing TO the jury yesterday as exc
pressed.
Mrs. Obenchain with the husband
she deserted for Kennedy at her
side. heard herself denounced by
state ard praised by her own attor-
neys who declared she was madly
in love with Kennedy.
"Madalynnc Was Spurned-"
Asa Reyes. deputy district attor-
ney, replying 70 defense arguments
that no motive had been shown for
Mrs. Obeuchain % conspire with
Arthur c. Burch 20 slay Kennedy
declared that It had been shown
she had been spurned by Kennedy.
He reviewed the relations between
the defendant and Kennedy from
1917 20 Aug. 8. 1921. the date or
the shooting. and read from the let
/ ters. Kennedy turned her down.
. not once but three times" the prose-
cutor declared.
Reyes said Mrs. Obenchain's let
tiers speak more truthfullv than
her lips" and argued that the letters
showed the motive for the crime en-
Kennedy's refusal % marry her He
declared Mrs. Obenchain held ken
nedy. Burch and Ralph Obenchain
Gin her grasp and turned every one
/ OF them into love slaves"
Speaking Of Mrs Obeuchaln's tee
| t!mOny Keyes said.
'Iic About Anything"
'W h q Madalvrne Obeuchaln