The Neighbors Saw Him Leave at Dawn

The Steel divorce case occupied the attention of Judge Battle in the special session of the equity department yesterday. The day was devoted to evidence from witnesses for the defense, and some damaging statements were made regarding the plaintiff's actions. The attendance was not large; interest in the case had evidently spent itself with the evidence given by the two principals. Mr. Steel sat in the courtroom nervously moving about, occasionally looking at his wife, and varying the monotony by glaring at Dugan, the aged co-respondent, who glared back at Steel and then glanced at Mrs. Steel. She sat quietly by her counsel and paid little attention to either man.

Mr. Steel was on the stand in the morning to testify relative to the value of his property in Seattle and other places. The lawyers failed to get the information, as Steel said he had received no reports from his agents. When questioned relative to testimony given by his wife that she had worked out four years, he doubted it. She had worked out off and on during that period, but he did not know that she ever got a cent for it. She never worked with his consent. Replying to a question about his employment by ex-Mayor Kalloch of San Francisco, he said: 'I am not a politician, but I went through various Eastern cities with Mr. Kalloch and he treated me nicely. I rode in the same carriage with him and ate at the same table and got $33 per month and board. I want to say right here, although it has not much bearing upon the case, that Mr. Kalloch is a very fine man. He is the same one who shot De Young in San Francisco.'

The first witness following Steel yesterday was Frank Gorman, who lives in the alley at the back of Mrs. Steel's residence on Fourth Street. He said he had frequently seen James Dugan coming out of Mrs. Steel's house at early hours in the morning, after having seen him enter in the evening.

Mrs. Frank Gorman corroborated her husband's evidence and added that Mrs. Steel had told her that she had got 'old Dugan drunk'; that where he lived they were temperance people and she kept beer for him to enjoy after he came away from his work. One day in 1892 Mrs. Steel called on her and appeared angry, claiming she had been defrauded by Steel, who had induced her to transfer some property rights. Mr. Steel, she said, had just left for Butte, and she hoped the train would be ditched and break his neck before it reached its destination.

Erick Estrum, a fisherman with his family occupying a house adjoining the Steel home, said his business necessitated his rising early. Several times when he left home he saw Dugan leave Mrs. Steel's house. 'For a long time I thought Mr. Steel was that man over there,' he said, pointing to Dugan, 'because he came and went at all hours.' He arrived between 8 and 10 at night, leaving again between 5 and 7 in the morning.

Mrs. Estrum testified to Mrs. Steel's violent and abusive language to the children and grown people in the neighborhood. She said Mrs. Steel was continually calling the police and health officers and giving trouble to everyone. On cross-examination she admitted that the health officer had been brought there to examine into the sanitary conditions of her own house. She said she did not like Mrs. Steel; in fact, disliked her intensely.

John Crist, a veteran of the Civil War, corroborated the foregoing witnesses and said Mrs. Steel was continually raising trouble in the neighborhood. He had had several 'spats' with her himself; she used obscene language to him and twitched her dress at him, which he illustrated by hitching his trousers up and giving them a shake. He knew Dugan and had seen him enter Mrs. Steel's house late at night and come out early the next morning. Mrs. Crist corroborated her husband's testimony.

Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Collins, neighbors of Mrs. Steel, cited an instance when Dugan came to their house and asked if they had seen Mrs. Steel go out. Mrs. Collins answered yes. 'That's all right,' Dugan replied, 'I have a key and can get in, no matter whether she's in or out.'

Police Officer Birdsall had heard Mrs. Steel use vile language on several occasions.

J. Williams of Port Angeles said that some time in 1890 Mrs. Steel had rooms in a house on Yesler Avenue, where he made his headquarters, and he had seen Dugan enter Mrs. Steel's room in the evening, but never saw him leave. Once the barking of a dog disturbed him, and he got up about 1 o'clock in the morning and heard someone leave Mrs. Steel's room. He could not say it was Dugan, although he saw him enter in the evening. Mrs. Steel, he said, always kept a paper over the keyhole and had the hole stopped with paper.

To the absence of two important witnesses the case was adjourned at about 10 this morning.