April 15, 1908: Accused Wife Killer Says ‘Everything Went Black’

April 15, 1908: Ad for the Columbia Graphphone Talking MachineNote: This is an encore post from 2008.

Below, an old-fashioned lunatic–really crazy–is on trial in the killing of his ex-wife, who used to sleep with a knife under her pillow. He uses the “everything went black” defense … The Police Board appoints a committee to study scam artists who specialize in the occult: “slate writers, trance mediums,” etc. … Quong Wai, who is fighting a deportation order, says he is an American born in San Francisco. He says immigration officers arrested him at a streetcar station without reason.

April 15, 1908: A special committee will investigate mediums, fortune tellers and slate-writers, all of whom are licensed by the city. A man charged with killing his ex-wife on a streetcar says "all got black" and has no recollection of the incident.
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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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