The Washington times. [volume], July 23, 1922, SUNDAY MORNING, Page 3, Image 15

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

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DID MADALYNNE OBENCHAIN, HELD FOR MURDER, OFFER THIEF
HER LOVE FOR PERJURY, TRYING TO VAMP WAY TO FREEDOM ?
LOVER, IN PRISON,
SUPPORTS CHARGE
WITH LOVE NOTES
Paul Roman, Serving: Ten-Year Sentence (or
Larceny, Turns State's Evidence and Pro
duces Letters From Accused Mrs. Obencbain.
Counsel May Succeed In Discrediting Story.
"LOS ANGELES, July 22.
JUST as the tide of evidence was turning in favor of
Madalynne Obenchain, for the second time on triad for
the murder of her sweetheart, Belton Kennedy
Just as the path to freedom appeared to be clearing for the
firl after a year of horror in prison
Just as she was smiling, confident of acquittal, the prose
cution struck its most powerful blow a\ the extraordinary
young woman, shattering her confidence, driving the color
from her cheeks, reducing her to a haggard, stricken figure!
The shattering testimony came from the lips of a hand
, some young convict, Paul Roman, serving a ten-year sen
tence for larceny. He supported what he said was a pack
age of love letters asserted to have been written to him
? by Madalynne, framing up a structure of perjury by which
?he hoped to climb from the shadow of death to liberty. In
cruder phrase, Paul Roman professed to be the man to whom
?he turned when her own husband had deserted her, and
whom she sought to vamp into perjuring himself to free her.
DARING PLOT OHABGED.
Dressed nattily in whip-cord suit, with black hair slicked
back in the manner of a motion picture actor, Roman as
serted that the perjury was planned just before the girl's
firat trial and that he had, at the last minute, quit cold and
refused to take the stand.
But he held his tongue then and the jury disagreed, as it
has done twice in the case of Arthur C. Burch, another
flame of the girl, who was jointly indicted with her. Now
at Madalynne's second and probably final trial, he turned
State's evidence against her, presumably in the hope of ob
taining a commutation of his own sentence. The letters
' ascribed by the prosecution to the girl fairly reek with pro
fessions of fervent love, couched in the most poetic style.
But through them runs a cipher code, it is asserted, by
which the young thief was taught the story he should tell
on the stand.
THK TESTIMONY NEEDED.
? J. Belton Kennedy, wealthy roue 'tretched *rm?? Ma<U
of a proud California family, waa lynne were going back to the
?lain by a gunshot while he was bright, early period of her life,
?nte.ing his lodge in Beverly Olen ,even year? ^ when ,he WM
on the outskirts of Los Angeles _ ^ . ?
With Madalynne. whom he had prettiest co^d of Northwestern
refused to marry. University, with Ralph Obenchain
The Indictment charged that
Arthur C. Burch, an Infatuated
youth, had committed the killing
at the vengeful girl's behest.
Twice Burch was tried for mur
der and twice the Jury disagreed.
Once Madalynne was tried and
again the jury had disagreed. ,
Roman swore the girl, fighting
literally for her life, had ar
ranged for him to testify that he
had seen two ragged men dls
ouaaing a picture of Kennedy In
a compromising position with a
woman and they had asserted in
his hearing that unless Kennedy
paid them blackmail they would
kill him.
This testimony would have dove
tailed Into Madalynne's state
ment on the stajid that after the
?hooting of Kennedy she saw
two ragged men run through the
shrubbery.
ROMAN HELPED SOME.
At Burch's two trials Roman
was a star witness for the de
fense. He swore that Dr. J. J.
IHnley, a Stats witness admitted
perjuring himself In testimony to
the effect that he had removed
from Buroh's knee a thorn of
the same variety that grew In
the shrubbery of the Kennedy
ladga.
Roman had said that the deo
tsr told him he had given the
thorn tsatlmony merely to gala
the favor of the prosecutor's of
fice, which had something on him
In another esse Whatever the
truth was, Roman's evidence then
want Car toward saving Buroh
from oanvtctlso.
The yoong thief testified this
weeh that ho had mat Madalynne
through Kennedy and renewed
their aoqaslnfawf when he was
arrested for laroeny and she for
murder. They cor lee ponded regu
larly, ha said, and admitted that
he deliberately planned to doublo
eross the girl while he was receiv
ing her letters and writing to her.
The cipher, as he explained it,
was contained in the plot for a
story, and the characters In ths
story wars ths characters In ths
Kennedy murder, only faintly dis
guised. Details of their descrip
tion wars glvsn htm by Mada
lynne, he said, to Jibe with her
tsatlmony and to strengthen his
own evidence.
"TOUR DREAM C&RL."
But all this. If It existed, was
at times overwhelmed In the flood
af sontimsnt which the girl
poursd Into the lettera
She wrote of her love for the
youth, beggsd that his Hps might
rest on hers, stghsd for his out
"DREAM GIRL" ACCUSED OF PERJURY PLOT!?Madalynne Obenchain, whose
love brought death to one man, divoroe to another and prison to a third, is now, during
her own trial for murder, embroiled in charges of conspiracy by which it is said she
tried to lure a fourth man to oommit perjury that she might be free. ?
THE MAN IN A MILLION!?This is "Steady Ralph"
Obenchain, hosband of Madalynne, who thrice deceived
him and was forgiven. Whether he will return again to de
fend her from the penalty for murder is a question on which
the verdict may depend.
and Arthur Burch fighting (or her
favor.
Ralph Obenchain! "Steady Ralph
Obenchain, the Man in a Million;"
So Madalynne christened him a
few months ago, when after di
vorcing her, he had travelled 2,000
miles from Chicago to represent
her In the first trial for her Ufa!
WILL HE RKTIRNT
She expressed everlasting love
for htm than and was eager to re
marry him a*4 tads Ilia la free
dom, if he would. But after that
first indecisive trial, he learned of
the frequent, informal visits made
to her by a San Franciscan attor
ney and he departed eastward
more hurriedly even than he had
come here, letting it be known that
he was through!
Now, Paul Roman asserts that
while Ralph did not gueas that
Madalynne was plotting perjury at
first, later he seemed ta sense
something Whs* ^si?n teld him
THE MAN WHO KISSED AND TOLD!?Paul Roman,
star witness for the prosecution, who admitted making love
to Madalynne while he was preparing to betray her ^o jus
tice. The girl's chance for freedom may rest on the Success
of her counsel in discrediting his story.
about the compromising picture he
was to testify about, the young
thief said Obenchaln demanded to
know whether Madalynne was the
woman In it with Kennedy, Roman
said she was not, and then he
added, Ralph promised "to fl^ up
the details" of the testimony the
thief was to give.
Whether the lawyeK thus In
volved, will deem It best to remain
In Chicago In the face of this testi
mony, or whether he will return,
by force of necessity, to defend his
own name Is a question, on the an
swer to which the girl's life may
depend. Friends here assert that
he has definitely washed his hands
of the case and cleansed his heart
of the woman In it?but Madalynpe
asserts that he will com* to her
again!
Immediately aftef the Introduc
tion of the letters and their Identi
fication by Roman, the case was
abruptly adjourned until tomorrow
on account of a death in the family
of the judge. The respite la ex
pected to work la favor of the ao
cused girl, giving Obenchaln time
to come on from the East, If he
desires, and her attorneys to pre
pare a new attack on Um sugar
ing correspondence.
?
World's Cheapest
Shave Is Found
at Baden-Baden
fpHE cheapest barber In the world
has been found by Mr. and Mrs.
I. Goetz, of New York.
The Goetz' varied their annual
trip to Europe by a to
Baden-Baden. There they stayed
In the best hotel, renting the fin
est suite to be had, at a net coat
of $6 a day.
s" Every morning and evening
Goetz had a shave at the hotel
barber shop. Twice a week his
hair was cut and his mustache
trimmed. At the end of fifteen
days he asked the barber for his
bill. When he got; It he nearly
spoiled the barber for life by giv
ing him a tip that was twice as
big as the bill.
Tip and blfl together amounted
to 40 centa.
"Anyone can be a millionaire In
Baden-Baden," said Mr. Goet*
when I met him at the Rlt? In
Paris.
Cost of Swiss Army
BERNE, July 22.?The Swiss
army, on active service from
1914 to 1121, Inclusive, cost the
government 1,141,000,000 franca.
?
LOVE LETTERS OF "DREAM GIRL"
MAY CONVICT MRS. OBENCHAIN
FICTION presents no stranger
story than that told In ?he
subjoined latter*, through
which It la charged Madaiynne
Obenchaln sought to lure Paul Ro
man Into committing perjury td
fr** her from the penalty for mur
der. The extraordinary adventuress
*** at the time In Los Angeles
?waiting trial.
The young thief was hi the same
Institution temporarily. The cor
respondence was carried on sur
reptlously, It Is aald, and the plot
to tree the girl was laid out as the
Plot of a novel which Roman was
pretending to be writing. /
If what ho a.ys Is true, Paul
Roman la the fourth sweetheart of
reoord In the career of the woman
still In her early twenties and oyer
all stf them ominous shadows have
fallen. Ralph Obenchaln, who
married her, was forced to divorce
her, and now la again Involved In
tha new charges; Kennedy was
Aurdsrsd; Burch was twice tried
for murder] and Roman himself
was oonvloted of grand larceny
aftsr he began the correspond
ence. And he testified this week
that Madalynna's last letter tp him,
aft* he had refused to oommlt the
perjury planned, readt
"Paul, my sweetheart! I lore
you. believe ma. Don't give me
up *ow, for If you da. I will take
you with me, so help me heavenr
Roman swore that In the code
prepared, the word 'Martyr' meant
Kennedy, the slain man; A meant
Arthur Burch; R was Ralph Oben
chaln. and Hsretne meant Mada
iynne herself. The descriptions
were to oover Kennedy, he said,
and articles of personal apparel
and ornament that he wore, so that
the convict's story might be the
more convincing. The letters fol
low!
"I Feel Your Love"
"January II, 1111.
'"Dear Paul: Today brought me
two letters from you. Last night
was a restleaa night. I went to
sleep early, but shortly after mid
night I was awakeaed by what
I' could have swat 11 was your
lonsllnees calling me. I stayed
awake until dawn. Did you hear
what 1 said to you. I wonder?
"Tea. I believe you when you
say you often think of ma, for I
can feel It. dear Paul.
"Oh, friend of mine, bow hard
It to to find an answering soul!
The most sacred acta of mine
have been degraded by people of
low standards?and Paul, I am
afraid.
"Tour description of tha girl was
Interesting If you had sufficient
opportunity and tha desire, you
could fill volumea, I am sure.
Wall, tha bars?why not make
htm about five feet eight Inches
tall?biwwu eyes?very slender,
quite immaculate always?wore a
variety of hata, sometimes a cap
when motoring.
"Oh, goodness, that reads funnyt
IH be ruining your story If I'm not
careful. But usually girls are
fussy about hata, clothes, etc. But
make your hero that way.
"It doesn't sound URe a hero,
possibly; but tfs real life the
present population seems to crave.
As to jewelry, he carried most of
It on his key ring?a little silver
Indian ring waa nearly alwavs
there. I never saw a ring on his
hand except a Uttle platinum ring
set with small diamonds. He sdtne
times wore It on his llftle finger,
carried a thin, gold watch?cpff
links and monogram?never saw a
stickpin on him.
"He must be high-strung, ners>.
ous, graceful?one who could tell
untruths easily. Demonstrative,
Jealous, sensitive?oh, Paul, enough
of this?I am afraid this Is a Jum
bled mess and may not help you
any.
"But the things of Importance
were his depression?morbidness,
struggle to break at home?and the
friend he told you about at hotel?
that he loved more than life?and
his highly sexed, distorted Idea of
life that was shown to you?you
only hlnted'at It to me?but I guess
It was all trus.
"No *"tr1 even In this world was
more totally disillusioned in a man
than I ?I Interpreted his well
disciplined manner In regard to the
physical aa his great love and re
spect for m??but It seems as if it
was alt more hideous than any
thing I had ever dreamed of.
"Enough of this for tonight,
Paul?this letter Is a book. If I
haven't given you Just what ma
terial you want for your story, tell
me and I will try again.
"1 am lonely tonight?and so
weary of all this. Please carry
me away from It all. dear friend.
Just play I am a dream girl?and
you a dream boy?wandering Into
the I .and of Desire. Hold me close
to your heart and kiss my tears
away. I am hungry, dear?for
happiness, Aa I pause?my Dreara
Boy's Hps press mine. The testacy
of my dreams hurt and pain?y?t
I still dream on. Good night,
Paul.
"TOUR DREAM QIRU"
"Dear Paul:
"In one of your letters I read,
I believe, muoh between the Unas
?so?I will help you all I can In
writing your little story.
"I Just read your lettar over
about the story writing you will
do?and now It reads differently
to me?Paul dear.
"I know how on* likes to keep
letters sometimes, but have you
aver realized what the result
might be? Please promise me If
they ever send for you te return
here you will destroy my letters.
I know how lonely It Is far you
thare?yes?I know, Paul.
"If It would be possible wish
you would sfend a written state
ment to Mr. J. Nash, Bryson build
ing, L. A. I have not asked hip
yet?about your coming.
"Paul, as I remember It?The
Martyr* to you?ha had a friend
at the Alexandria?but ha ne*ar
told her name?that he planned
to be married, but his people ob
jected and was causing much suf
fering and trouble and that he
had made up his mind to take his
friend's life and also his own to
get out of the misery. It Is true
I struggled with him one night
Just as ha told you?to keep him
frost Idlllng himself and me.
"Please believe me no ana win
ever steal away your "dearest
and only friend'"?from you.
"Tours,
"MADAI.TNNB.
"Have You Ever Loved"
. "January 1?, IMS.
"Dear Paul: This Is a beautiful
morning. The sun Is pouring In
my window. It makes ma feal
nice And warm and sort of clean
the dark recesses of my mind.
'^R. Is making a picture that
will be produced about February
??can you understand? Are clip
pings from newspapers permitted
to coma In? I asked you a vary
Important question and you didn't
answer It. Don't be foolishly
proud, dear Paul?It was about a
draft or money order. I want to
feel at least you have a comfort
permitted you?and you giro ma
happtnees to do what little I can.
Tou are going to be vary busy
answering all my questions.
*1 spent a restless night, sleep.
Ing some but turning mr a mil
lion times more or leas 1 don't
believe yon are sleeping well.
"Good-bye for a few hours.
"Tour Dream QhV
"Hold Mo Tender^'
"January It, llll
"Paul?dear Paul! Since Friday
afternoon I have waited for the
answer concerning A. B.
This" afternoon (Monday) It fliv
came 10-2. Can you understand?
Then R. brought from my friend
your message. I have gona over
and over It. The tension of the last
few days I find has been so se
vere?I acha all over?now I am
relaxing.
"The aoothlng, powerful effeat
of your letter Is lulling my senses
to rest.
"I am at the end of the rain
bow with yon, listening to the sad
sweet muslr of the waves, snd
you are holding me tenderly, safely
from all harm.
"Do you remember one day
downstairs I saw you talking with
a little lady?at first you did not
see me. Why did you draw your
hands away when you saw me?
Are you a mind reader, Paul?
"Tour letter was full of ques
tions, too, dear Paul. I wish you
could look deep Into my eyes for all
the answers.
"Will you please answer this
question?are my letters to yon de
stroyed? After the one experience
I had with letters I am sure you
will forgive me for asking yon.
"How good this day has been to
me!
"Ves, I am thinking, thinking
hard?of everything?others?yes,
Paul, please help me to be kind?
to do all T should do?but when I
have paid In full?let me feel the
promise of the rainbow.
"I am wllllne to die (snd I sm
not speaking lightly) If only one
earthly drenm can be resized. If
the dream consists of years?or a
month?or even sn lionr?T will
take It?and live for that now.
"I am fighting?nnd waiting?
hut maybe I will find my way Into
dsrkness?who knows what tha
outcome will be?
"flood-night?I hesitate In say
ing It?I want to linger now as I
<!ld the night the bars were be
tween ua. I am yours,
"MADALTNNE."
I
"Jan. 22. 1922.
"My hot-Two lstten today,
making a total of seven. I believe
I am weary, Paul. Morphea* la
not kind to me lately. I am not
wonted. What la the use? But t
stay awake lor hours thinking,
dreaming you are with me con
stantly. Sometimes you Just sit
quietly near me?dreaming, too,
but sometime#?your finger tips ca
ress my cheeks and your eyes
search mine for the answer, I
dream, dear Paul, until I hurt.
"Much Ahead of Us**
"January 9th. * p. m, UU.
"Paul Dear, this Is my third
letter to you twe went to Baa
Q?v To>u were In my thoughts
constantly. I tried to steep, but
your nearness seemed to caress
me?and I was lonely.
"Paul, when they sent for me
to say good-by to you the paid
In my heart almost made ma cry
aloud. When I felt your hand
clasp X would hare given worlds
If the bars ssuld hare fallen down
between us. Some day we wl.l
gs down by ths ocean together
and all this pain will be forgotten
as we watch the 'great Image of
eternity* and listen to the mourn
ful muslo of the waves. I am
sure we will be very close friends
there Is much ahead for us to
fight for now. How much more
precious the hours will be after
this long waiting.
"The feeling that you havs
known me somewhere before I
can fully realise, for Instantly T
felt your soul answer mine when
I spoke to you.
"Donl be lonely or discouraged
now, Paul?there is much ah "ad
?I am so sura. If the hours of
depression Insist on hovering near
you?hold my friendship close t>
you?will you, PaulT
"MADALTNNE."
A New Tear card reads aa to'
lOWS!
"X believe every moment of Joy.
happiness, contentment. Is pa<d
for In hoars et sorrow. The lints
you wrote me were most beauti
ful. Are .you afraid your heart 'is
misleading yon? Tea, Dear God?
I wish my Paul was Creel Tou
will never know what your friend
ship has meant to ma In my dark
est hours. Tou seem to have
mysteriously given nee ths breath
of life?a Slow returning of * de
sire to UVSk
"Always win I writs jsw snl
keep la teach with yea, X* all
ths world ffcUs fto, X wQ he year
friend. Ns gutter irtitt IN tevs
dene, you are ths rasrtt st Ufa
as It has been for yvo, and | car*
for you, dsar dsar Pan], tm Just
what poo is uss?
"Ths little laAy*?Che gBtP that
passed you In ths oaa mt Tim m>
something tells ms?Che Ships
paused for sotns ?<?? aol poog
ships are stm connected tn mdm
way. I feel It. That 1 spots
of, I smiled at her bat she leaked .
at ms In such a tvssdanlBf wayv
X did net blame haw XI you wsoM
draw your hands away from mine
for anyone in this world X -would
not smile, either.
"Why blame her for-?arrytng*on
Dear Heart, I blame ne ens for
what I saw exoept my friend Paul
but when yoa drew your hands
away such a strange feelfoywsnt
through me.
"X love Omar IChayam's Ttubal
yat.' X am glad you like it, too.
" 'Ah, lovel could you and I with
Him conspire.
To grasp this sorry scheme of
things entire.
Would not we shatter it to bits?
and then ?
Re-mold It nearer to the heart's
desire?"
"My own friend?it Is nlf#
again?the darkness brings you
closer?your nearness sometimes
soothes and sometimes pains. Vy
soul seems hungry for your
touch, your strength your pro
tection. In al!\my dreams I havh
never dared to let my lips touch
yours* Why was I afraid? Your
lips caress my brow?my hair?
and linger tenderly on my throat
?yet your eyes always ask. a
question as I feel your Hps about
to touch mine?why, I wonder?
If I had not known you for
eternities, I could not write this
to you. Maybe I will slee|>?:
when my eyes answer your ques
tion?and you drink my kisses?
but when will that be? Good
night, Paul.
"TOUR DRHAM OIRL."
"Waiting Patiently"
February 1, 1912.
"Paul Deari This Is the last
day of the month. It has been
a good day to ins for It brought
me three letters from you?won
derful letters!
(Continued en Page 4.)