Evening star., 1943-06-09
Mrs. Dempsey Was III Press Ad Men Elect
When Raid Occurred, Wallace Of toronto
Witness Tells Court Head Of Association
Deposition by Sister
Of WoodulI Is Read
As Defense Begins


WHITE PLAINS, N. Y, June g.
Testimony that Mrs. Jack Dempsey
was sick in bed last November q
when a raiding party surprised hel
and Benny Woodall in her Los An
geles apartment was presented in q
deposition today as Mrs. Dempsey
answered her husbands suit for
divorce.
Mrs. Dempsey, the former Hannah
Williams of musical comedy, has
filed a countersuit.
Mrs Jackie Griffin, sister of Mr.
Woodal, a fight trainer whom Mr.
Dempsey has named as correspond
ent, said In the deposition that the
raiding party found only Benny
and Hannah there because Mrs
Griffin had been called away by the
illness of one of Mr.. Woodalls
daughters.
Suggested WOOdall Leave.
Mrs. Griffin said that Mrs. Demp-
sey suggested that Mr.. Woodall leave
with his sister saying: You and
Benny go on, I'll be all right"
Il told Benny: You'd better stay
til Dot comes home" Mrs Girffir
said. She referred to Dorothy
Gomez. . Hannahs sister, who, she
said, left the apartment earlier.
Some time after she returned tc
her own apartment Mrs. Griffin
said, Mr. Woodall and Mrs. Dempsey
came to her home.
Benny had blood on him and
Hannah fell into my arms, hys-
terical," she said.
She quoted her brother as saying
I'm not hurt" but she said that
when he took off his coat she saw
blood on his shirt and said he had
been cut on the face and shoulders
Hannah said Jack didn't touch
her. She was all right" Mrs. Griffin
said.
Woodall in Court.
Witnesses testified previously that
MI. Dempsey. former heavyweight
boxing champion and now a lieu
tenant commander in the Coast
Guard. threw Mr. Woodall over his
back when he saw him in the apart
ment. Another witness said that
Mr.. Dempsey hit Mr.. Woodall twice
During the morning session Mrs
Dempsey and Mr.. Woodall sat about
2 feet from each other and listened
intently as the deposition was read
but without expression.
The courtroom was packed. About
80 per cent of the spectators were
women. and there was line outside
waiting to be admitted whenever
there was room inside.
Knew Dempsey 20 Years.
Mrs. Griffin. a fighter promoter in
her own right said she had known
Jack Dempsey for 20 years. and had
taken him on fight tours. She added
that she sometimes had been the
guest of the Dempseys in THEN
various New York apartments and
had stayed with Mrs. Dempsey or
occasions when Mr.. Dempsey was
away on referee tours.
Mrs. Griffin entered a denial that
Mr.. Woodalls children called Mrs
Dempsey Aunt Hannah" OF
"Daddy's fiancee,' adding:
Tony zone of Mr.. Woodall's chill
dren) is only 10 years old and doesn't
know there is such a word as fiancee
but she knows there is only one
woman in her fathers life and that
was her mother.
That's all she's ever know"
Mrs. Dempsey had been absent
from the courtroom since May q
after. her attorney said. she suffered
a complete nervous breakdown.
Dempsey Not Present.
Mr.. Dempsey. who attended pre-
vious sessions of the trial, was miss
ing when today's session opened.
Dung the time Mrs. Dempsey was
absent, Mr.. Dempsey's attorneys
presented evidence of raid by pri-
vate detectives and Mr.. Dempsey or
her apartment in Los Angeles In No
vember 1912. Witnesses testified
they saw MI. Woodall fleeing from
Mrs. Dempsey's bedroom. Evidence
also was given then Mr.. Dempsey
struck Mr. Woodall twice.
Mr.. Dempsey also had accused his
wife of misconduct with Lew Jen-
kins, former lightweight boxing
champion.
Official Referee J. Addison Young
denied at the outset today the mo-
tinp of hdrc Dor,peo,,,e ~ a,,.,.
dismiss her husbands action on the
grounds that he had failed "te
prove any acts of adultery as alleged
in the complaint and the bill OF
particulars"
Adultery is the only ground fol
divorce in New York State,
Motorists Are Warned