A PROSTITUTE KILLS HER LOVER cont.

9 October 1898,
BELLE ADAMS TESTIFIES--SHE CLAIMS SHE ACTED IN SELF DEFENCE!

Today Belle Adams testified. Adams claims she was acting in self-defence on 4 June 1898. The court recessed for two days to allow the Crown to cross-examine. Mr. Powell called on several witnesses who claim that they had seen Kincaid chase Adams on several occasions with a razor while threatening her life. One witness, Mable Brockway claimed that she heard Adams yell "Oh, Charlie, don't" prior to Kincaid dropping dead on Johnson Street. Frederick Gilmore, who was living at the Empire Hotel, testified that he had seen on several occasions Kincaid chasing Adams out of his room with a knife or razor screaming foul names at her. Ah Lok testified that he heard Kincaid threaten her on several occasions. Fannie Lord also reported that Kincaid came after Adams while at her house on Chatham Street. An attorney from Seattle who knew the couple in Seattle also testified that he had heard Kincaid threaten Adams on several occasions and that he saw him threaten her with a razor. Apparently, in Seattle, J. E Hawkins had witnessed Kincaid chasing Adams down the street trying to cut her; another gentleman one Ernie Dalliance grabbed hold of Kincaid so that he could not harm Adams. Thus, there was plenty of evidence, which supports the theory that Adams acted in self-defence.

W. Burnes had seen the prisoner two weeks before the murder. Adams and Kincaid were arguing over money matters, and Kincaid threatened to kill her and himself. The morning of the murder, Burnes had heard a scream come from the room that Kincaid and Adams were living in. When Burnes rushed in to see what had happened, Adams said that he was threatening to kill her. Later that day, Burnes heard yet another scream and when he rushed to their bedroom caught Kincaid choking Adams. After Kincaid was pulled off Adams, he threatened to kill her with a knife.

When Adams was on the trial, she testified that Kincaid had threatened to kill her on several occasions. She claimed that he threatened to kill her because she would threaten to leave him. Adams denied threatening Kincaid altogether. He told her to go out and "rustle" for him and when she refused, he threatened her yet again. While Kincaid approached Adams with the razor, she grabbed hold of it and cut Kincaid. After being cut severely, Kincaid went out onto Johnson Street where he dropped dead. After hearing Adams testimony, the court decided to recess until 10 October 1898.

Click HERE to see actual Daily Colonist Article for 9 October 1898.