South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-10
eMADALYNN TELLS
JURY Her STORY
OF LOVE AFFAIR
Relates Incidents of Murder
When Kennedy Was Shot
Almost at Her Side.
DENIES "sCORNED LOVE-
Claims Slain Man Once
Threatened to Kill Her Tn
less She Married Him.

Los ANGELES. Cal, March g.
Mrs. MadsIynu Obeuchaine. faltering
and weeping Thursday I'm testimony
in her own defense. told her story
Of the Staying Of j. Bolton Kennedy.
her sweetheart for whose murder
she f. being tried. Two shots were
fired AZ him from the dark in front
of his summer cottage I'm lonely Bev-
erIy Glen. she said Then two per-
sons she could not Identify fitted
past her and disappeared She and
Kennedy went 10 the cottage at the
latter's suggestion. she swOre.
This was i'm contradiction OF the
states theory that Mrs. Obenchain
persuaded Kennedy 90 60 20 the
Glen. End that by arrangement with
her. Arthur c. Burch, cO-defendant,
Jay in wait.
Between the shots. according TO
Mrs Obenchain. Kennedy cried<~
Goodnight Mazzlyn.' and that
after the second explosion she found
him lying hfeIess on "a flight of steps
in front OF the cottage
AH-Day Examination
The story Of the shooting was the
climax Of AN all-day examination of
Mrs. Obenchain When she con-
cIuded. adjournment was taken until
Friday when cross examination viii
begin.
Facing a crowded court roOom,
Mrs. Obenchain related her love af-
fair with Kennedy. She told Of
OF
her subsequent acquaintance with
him, which was interrupted for a
brief period in January. 1919. when
she married Ralph r. Obenchain.
But she was i'm communication with
Kennedy again after a few weeks
and finally obtained a divorce from
Obenchain. she testified.
She denied. however. that Ken
nedy refused to marry her. as
claimed by the prosecution. assert
ing that Kennedy impOrtuned her TO
consent TO secret marriage. which
she refused TO do. Shortly before
the tragedy. the witness asserted
Kennedy threatened TO kin her II
she would not marry him.
Asks Burch's Help
She admitted she asked Burch 90
come TO Los Angeles last July; that
she met him at the railroad station
when he arrived and that she CON
suited him concerning her troubles
with Kennedy. His baggage, she
said. consisted only of a suitcase mad
a magazine. Previous evidence in
Buch's trial was that he also carried
a gun case.
Affrr .~rFrrrr rrrt fru-rr 10 lufF
they had dinner al a hotel It was
there she told Burch 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. and
it was after she had explained this
situation 10 BurCh that she sought
his aid.
The defendant said she told Burch
that she wanted him TO talk 10 Bel
ton" and that 80 was a situation she
could not handle alone. She said
Furch replied.
Il VIII be very glad to-"
Kennedy Threatens Her
Mrs. Obenchaiu testified that dur
ing the week after BurCh's arrival
they were together much of the
time. She said they took numerous
auto rides together. In response To
direct questions she said they never
went to Beverly Glen and that She
never told Eurch where Beverly
Glen was
Mrs Obcuchaiu declared that
Kennedy came 90 her room i'm local
hotel I'm the latter part Of last July
and threatened 10 Kill her If she did
not marry him.
He wanted me 90 marry him
secretly and objected" she tesu-
fed Then he said. I've made ur
my mind that neither YOU nor ]
shall leave this room alive He
drew a revolver but I grabbed his
wrist and told him I would call for
a house detective. Then he quieted
down. but said. You will either
60 10 Santa Ana and marry me or
promise 20 go 90 salt Lake with me
or YOU viii never leave this room
alive.
Return Of Letters Promised.
= Referring frequently 90 diary
for dates Mrs Obenchain told OF
her arrival IN Los Angeles on Jan
1921. and Of her requests 20 Ken
uedy for the return of the letters
Che had written him. Always. she
=sti6ed. ne promised the letters bu,
She never received them.
ON almost every occasion that she
talked with him. he would ask her
60 marry him secretly but she re-
fused she said. insisting that she
Dee taken 90 his parents and III there
was % he a marriage BE- be made
known 10 them Always he gave
The excuse she said. that his mother
was nervous and because OF her
condition be could not always do
Che things his mind would tell him
20 do" lie finally told her he
would leave town FOR few days
and think things over. she said
Agrees 10 Pleas.
40 last she said she could not
Withstand his pIesdinEs longer and
agreed 10 go 20 san Francisco 70
- married. 10 was then. she said,
that she thought or her promise 20
Ralph Obenchain that she would
talk 20 him before she married. she
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