The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
MRS. OBENCHAIN GIVES STORY OF
 KENNEDY KILLING
Two Shots Fired From Dark, After Which Two Forms Fitted Past Her, TeS-
 tifieS Woman
By yAssoelated Press

Los Angeles, March s.-Mrs. Mada- lynne Obenchain, faltering and weep ing today in testimony in her own defense, told her story of the staying pf J. Belton. Kennedy, her sweetheart l. Nor whose murder she is being tried. Two shots were fired at him from the dark in front of his summer cot tage in lonely Beverly Glen, she sald. linen two persons she could not fden- tify fitted past her and disappeared. She and Kennedy went to the cot tage at the latter's suggestion, she swore.
 This was in contradiction of the state's theory that Mrs. 0benchaih persuaded Kennedy to go to the glen land that by arrange ement with her, Arthur c. Burch. codefendant, lay in wait.
 Between the shots, according to Mrs. Obenchain, Kennedy cried: Good night, Mazzlyn" and that after the second explosion she found him lying lifeless on a flight of steps in front of the cottage.
 The story of the shooting was the climax of an all day examination or Mrs. Obenchain. When she conclud- ed adjournment was taken until to- morrow when cross examination Will begin.
 Facing a crowded court room, Mrs. Obenchain related her love affair with Kennedy. She told of meeting him five years ago and of her subsequent acquaintance with him, which was interrupted for a brief period in Jan uary, 1919, when she married Ralph R. Obenchain. But she was in com munica tion with Kennedy again for few weeks and finally obtained a divorce from Obenchain, she testified. Denies Refusal to Marry She denies, however. that Kennedy efused to marry her as claimed by the prosecution, asserting that Ken nedy importuned her to consent to a secret maria ge-which she refused to do. Shortly before the tragedy, the witness asserted, Kennedy threat ened to kill her if she would not marry him.
 She admitted she asked Burch to come to Los Angeles last July; that she met him at the railroad statien when he arrived and that she con- suited him concerning her troubles with Kennedy. His baggage, she said. consisted only of a suitcase and magazine. Previous evidence in Burch's trial was that he also car ried a gun case.
 After going up town, she said they had dinner at a hotel. It was there she told Burch 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 mar riage but she had declined, and 1t was after she had explained this sit uation to Bureh that she sought his aid.
 The defendant said she told Burch that she wanted him to talk to Bel ton" and that it was situation she could not handle alone. She said Burch replied: T will be very glad to-"
 Mrs. Obsnchain testified that dur ing the week after Burchs arrival, they were together much of the time. She said they took numerous automo- ~-+ile Tdes together, In response to direct questions she said they never went to Beverly Glen and that she never told Burch where Beverly Glen vas. Mrs. Obenehain declared that Kennedy came to her room in a local hotel in the latter part of July and threatened to kill her if she did not marry him.
 He wanted me to marry him se- cretly and l objected" she testified.
 Then he said: I've made up my mind that neither you nor shall leave this room. alive He drew a re- volver but I grabbed his wrist and told him l would call for a house detective. Then he quieted down but said; You will either go to Santa Ana and marry ma or promise to go :" Salt Lake with me or you will never leave this room, aliya.'.