The Trial That Shook Tacoma: The Scandal of Sadie Brantner and Judge Wickersham

The trial of Probate Judge Wickersham was resumed in the district court yesterday morning at 9:30. The bulk of his defense consisted of giving the character of Miss Sadie Brantner, the prosecutrix, for chastity previous to October 23, 1887. This was done mostly by gamblers, bartenders, and other persons whose reputations were shown to be at least doubtful.

One or two respectable men who were placed on the stand by the defense testified that they had seen Miss Brantner in company with men of ill-repute and that they had heard the wanted girl. A great deal of damaging evidence concerning Miss Brantner's character was given in the relation of specific acts of immorality alleged against her by the rounders of Tacoma; but the force of their testimony was lost in nearly every instance when they were placed under a rigid cross-examination as to their own characters.

Dr. L.C. Miller of Tacoma was the first witness to tell what he knew of the case. He, like his partner Dr. Brown, told his story in a deliberate and cautious manner. His testimony was briefly to this effect: "I first knew Sadie Brantner on March 14, 1887... She appeared to be suffering from heart trouble... When I learned her symptoms I asked her if she was a married woman... She said 'No,' but afterwards told me she had been married when she was only 13 years old... She never asked me to perform a criminal operation and I never performed one on her... The only instrument I ever used on her was a stethoscope."

Dr. Miller continued, describing how he secured a room for her at Dr. Longaker's house in Seattle and employed Mrs. Blake as a nurse. "When Mr. Wickersham arrived we went into Miss Brantner's room together. He told her Dr. Brown had sent for her to come up and see about selling her land... She said that she would like to sell her relinquishment, and asked him how much she could get for it. At this time I told Wickersham I would be willing to give my services, but I did not want to advance money for expenses."

Witnesses painted a picture of Miss Brantner's life in Tacoma. Charles Hollenbeck, proprietor of the Central Hotel, testified that she stayed there in September 1887 and was seen sitting up late with Mr. Hurley. John Rudlong, a carpenter, claimed to have seen her in a room with John A. Stewart at 7 o'clock in the morning. Webster Pendleton noted she went out between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening several times each week.

The cross-examinations were fierce. When asked about his testimony, witness Webster Pendleton admitted to talking with Dr. Brown but denied discussing evidence after being cautioned by the court. When asked who he had seen Miss Brantner with, he eventually named "a man named Hurman." Another witness, Byron Young, admitted he might have been mistaken about seeing her with Mr. Baker in 1886.

Perhaps most damning for the defense's attempt to smear her character was the testimony of Mari Dillon, a saloon keeper. He testified that Miss Brantner was in his room, partly undressed, and that "the bed indicated that it had lately been occupied." When asked if he kept a prostitute, he declined to answer on the ground that he might incriminate himself. When asked if he was a gambler, he admitted, "I play cards sometimes... For money? Yes."

The trial highlighted the intense social scrutiny faced by women in the Pacific Northwest during this era, where a woman's reputation could be made or broken by the testimony of men whose own moral standing was questionable.