Allen County IN Archives News.....Preliminary Hearing of Mrs. Castel August 15, 1899
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 June 11, 2010, 6:04 pm

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette August 15, 1899
PRELIMINERY HEARING OF MRS. CASTEEL

A motley crowd of men gathered in Squire France's court room yesterday 
afternoon to listen to the testimony in the preliminary hearing of Mrs. Birdie 
Casteel, better known as Madam Wing, charged with committing an abortion on 
Miss Priscilla Jones.  When the girl was on the witness stand the spectators 
strained their necks to hear the testimony, but they were not rewarded, as the 
girl scarcely spoke above a whisper, only when angered during the cross 
examination by Judge Hench, who is attorney for Mrs. Casteel.

Before the case of Mrs. Casteel was brought up the case against Frank Jones, 
who was implicated in the case was disposed of.  Miss Jones accused Young of 
being the father of the child and alleged that she had submitted to his 
entreaties through a promise of marriage.  She admitted on cross examination 
that she was the mother of an illegimate child, which was born when she was 
but sixteen years of age.  JOnes was put on the stand and he admitted having 
been intimate with the prosecuting witness, but denied having promised to 
marry her.  The case against him was dismissed.  Miss Jones was then put on 
the stand to testify against Mrs. Casteel.  She says that she lives in Abolte 
township, and that last June she called at the home of Mrs. Casteel and told 
the defendant of her condition.  She averred that Mrs. Casteel told her that 
if she would give her $2 she could get her some medicine.  The girl testified 
that she called again on Mrs. Casteel and on paying the $2 she was given a 
bottle of medicine and an instrument.  She said that she used both, and after 
the child was born she became very sick and "was out of her head" for five 
days.  She further said that the child was born when there was no one at the 
house, and when she became so ill Dr. Hickman was called.  She buried the 
child in the back yard.  Deputy Sheriff Witte was placed on the witness stand 
and he testified that he served the warrant on Mrs. Casteel and she admitted 
at that time that she gave the girl the medicine.  The case was then continued 
for further testimony until this afternoon.

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