Part II: 100th Anniversary of the Mary Pickford & Owen Moore Divorce-Trial Testimony

The Testimony of Married Life with Owen Moore

As transcribed in the Washington Times, Sunday, May 9, 1920

Question by McCarran: Your name is Gladys M. Moore?

Answer: Yes sir

Question: Is Owen E. Moore the defendant in this case, your husband?

Answer: Yes sir

Question: Where were you married?

Answer: In Jersey City, New Jersey January 17, 1911

Question: At the time and date of your marriage how old were you?

Answer: 17

Question: After your marriage, where did you and your husband first take up life together?

Answer: Cuba

Question: Cuba?

Answer: Yes

Question: In what city?

Answer: Havana

Question: How long did you live in Cuba?

Answer: Three months

Question: During your stay in Cuba, what was the nature of your marriage life, as to being happier otherwise?

Answer: Very unhappy

Question: And why?

Answer: My husband quarreled with me constantly

Question: During your stay there, state what occurred between you and your husband?

Answer: Well he left me the day we arrived there and came back in an intoxicated condition he quarreled with me and left the hotel again and I didn’t see him for three days.

Question: And when you next saw him what occurred between you and your husband?

Answer: Well, I cannot just recall, but he came back and we lived together at the hotel.

Question: And what if anything happened after that?  Did you continue to live together?

Answer: Yes, sir

Questions: Where did you next take up life together?

Answer: At the Hotel Flanders, New York city.

Question: And how long did you live there?

Answer: About two months

Question: What if anything occurred there?

Answer: He continued to quarrel with me and to drink.

Question: And was there anything in the way of a separation there?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: How long did you live together before he again left you, if he did leave you?

Answer: About a month.

Question: What happened then?

Answer: He didn’t come home one night for dinner and he didn’t phone me and I was naturally worried about him and I waited for him and he came home under the influence of liquor and I told him I was worried and asked him where he had been and he told me that it was none of my damn business.

Question: What did he do after that?

Answer: He slept after that.  He continued to quarrel with me and said that he didn’t want to be bothered with a wife and moved downtown.

Question: Do you recall the date of that instance, approximately?

Answer: Well, I should say it was in the fall of 1911.

Question: How long did he remain away from you on that occasion?

Answer: A week.

Question: And what did you do, if anything, to bring him back?

Answer: I telephoned to his brother and asked him to talk to him and ask him to come back and we did go back and live together.

Question: You induced him to return?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How long then did you live together?

Answer: Well, until the first of 1912.

Question: And where were you living at that time?

Answer: New York City, 157^thSt.

Question: And what occurred the next time he left you?

Answer: Well, if I may be permitted to tell the Court, from the time of my marriage I was forced to support myself, my mother, my brother and sister and was forced to work and my husband said that a wife was a luxury and that he did not intend buying my clothes, and we had been in Chicago and it was necessary for me to seek employment with a company and that company was going west to California, and I asked my husband to go along and I offered to pay his fare but he said that he wanted to stay in New York.

Question by the Judge: What year was this?

Answer: 1911, 1912 rather.

Question by lawyer: And where was it that you again met him?

Answer: At Los Angeles.

Question: And what if anything did you do then in the way of taking up life together?

Answer: We had an apartment there and he finally told me that he was tired of it and intended on going back to New York and I told him that I would try and seek employment there and he said no and packed up his things and went back to New York.

Question:  How long were you separated?

Answer: About eight weeks. I wrote him several letters and he did not answer them and finally I returned to New York.

Question: Did you again take up life together?

Answer: Yes, we did.

Question: And how long did you live together and where if you recall?

Answer: We lived together all that Summer and during the Winter.

Question: That would be late in the year of 1912?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And what, if anything, occurred then?

Answer: I was working very hard that summer - of course we were like soldiers – and I told my husband that I didn’t wish to go down to the country. That made no difference to him. He wanted to swim and play ball and if I cared to live with him I would have to go to the country. So I did. I would have to be up in the morning at 7 o’clock and he would quarrel with me about that, but he wouldn’t listen to me and It would be a period of about six weeks that he would not speak to me at all.

Question: What, if anything, happened in the way of a separation?

Answer: Well, that Fall, from the unhappiness and overwork, I was taken sick and went to a hospital, and he came to see me under the influence of liquor, which disturbed me that night, and I was just coming out of the ether, and four times he came there and made me cry, and my doctor told the nurse that he was not allowed to come into the room, and until my temperature was normal he was not permitted in the room. Mother took me to a hotel when I came out of the hospital and he came up to see me and quarreled with me again.

Question: Did you take up life together again?

Answer: A little later.

Question: When was the next time you went to live together as man and wife?

Answer: Well, I was again sent West with the company and I wrote to him and asked him to come West, and he did, and I went down to the station and met him and took him out to our house.

Question: How long did you live with him?

Answer: About three months.

Question by the judge: Now that was in Los Angeles?

Answer: Yes.  1914.

Question by lawyer: The early part of 1914? Now you say you lived together about three months. What happened then?

Answer: Well, he quarreled with me and went back to New York.

Question: What did he say on his departure for New York?

Answer: Well, he told me that I was the cause of his failure in life and that caused him to drink, and was sorry that he ever had a wife.

Question: Did he make any explanation as to what he meant by that?

Answer: Yes. If he wanted to dine out or stay out until all hours, why, he didn’t want anybody questioning him as to where he was, and he thought that I interfered with his career.

Question: He then packed up and went back to New York?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What, if anything, did you do then to bring about reconciliation?

Answer: I told him not to go; that I would finish up and go back with him, and as I was in the middle of a picture, why, I cannot leave. He said he didn’t care.

Question: Did you make any effort to bring him back?

Answer: Yes. I went to New York and telegraphed him, and then when I return to New York I saw him.

Question: How long did you live there?

Answer: For about a period of five months.

Question: During that time, what was your life like with him?

Answer: More unhappy than ever.

Question: And that was due to his conduct towards you?

Answer: Yes. He said that I should demand more of the company, and when I said that I didn’t think that it was quite the right thing to do he said that I was a fool and had no intelligence.

Question: How long did you live together?

Answer: Five months.

Question: Then what happened?

Answer: I was coming home one evening from work and my aunt was very ill, and as I hadn’t seen her for some time, why, I thought I would stop in and see her, and I was five minutes late in getting to the hotel for dinner. It was five minutes after six when I got there, and when I explained to him he became very abusive and called my mother terrible names, names I do not care to repeat; and I said that he would have to apologize for that, and he said he would not and said that I could get out of there; he didn’t want me anymore and said he was absolutely through with me and wanted to live a bachelor’s life, and that I didn’t appeal to him.

Question: What was the date of that?

Answer: It was around the latter part of October 1914, I think. I said I would go in the morning, but he said I had better leave that night.

Question: And what did you do?

Answer: There was nothing left for me to do but to move, and I did not wish to take another apartment in the hotel, so I packed my things and went home.

Question: What, if anything, did you do after that to bring a reconciliation?

Answer: That Christmas I sent him a present; I wrote him several letters, and when I was coming West that Winter I asked him to come down to the station, which he did and I asked him to come back and that I would do anything to please him, but he said he was happy. After much persuasion he finally registered at the Hotel Alexandria in Los Angeles.

Question: How long after that did you continue to live together?

Answer: From January until June.

Question: What year?

Answer: I think 1916.

Question: Now, during that time what was his conduct toward you as compared with past occasions?

Answer: It continually grew worse.

Question: Referring back now, Mrs. Moore, wherein he said that he was not satisfied with married life, did he repeat these assertions?

Answer: Yes, constantly, and that it was a great extravagance to have a wife. I always paid for my share of the bills and had always clothed myself.

Question: Now, at the end of that period what happened?

Answer: He left when he said he had had enough and went to New York.

Question: What, if anything, did you do to bring him back to you again?

Answer: I followed him on to New York and saw him in this hotel and we made friends again.

Question: Did you induce him to come back to you?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: It was on your persuasion that he did come back to you?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Then how long did you live together?

Answer: That was in the Summer, 1916. In 1917, in February, I arranged with the company for a new contract and they gave my husband a contract and I persuaded with him to come west with me.

Question by Judge: 1917?

Answer: No, sir. In the summer, 1916, and they give him a contract.

Question by lawyer: On your solicitation?

Answer: Yes, sir, and on January 1, 1917 I was taken with tonsillitis and was threatened with pneumonia.

Question; Where were you living?

Answer: At the Algonquin Hotel.  And the doctor said I would have to have a change and that I would have to go to a warmer climate. Of course, that was easy. So I told my husband about it and said that he could come with me owing to his contract, but he said he would not and quarreled with me very bitterly and I went West hoping I could persuade him to come, and I asked the management if they could, to send him West. He didn’t come and I had two weeks in between pictures and I went to see if I could get him to come out. The first night we were there we met some friends at the theatre and later we returned to the Biltmore Hotel and Mr. Moore left the table and didn’t come back until 10 o’clock, and returned under the influence of liquor and was very insulting to the guests and mother.  Mr. Moore and myself went to the desk for our keys and he look at my mother and said, “Where is she staying?” and I said, “With us,” and before five bell boys he said that he didn’t wish it, and so the night clerk and the elevator boys all heard him, and I asked him to lower his voice and he said he didn’t care about anybody. So he came upstairs and said that I could get my things and go. “No,” he said, “I will get my things and go, in fact, the two of you can go to Hell.” Finally he came home at daybreak and we had the two bedrooms, and he retired to the bedroom and locked himself in and went to sleep.

Question: Then when did you see him again after that?

Answer: Well, he refused to take me to dinner and I couldn’t go unescorted downstairs, and he came in and was dressing, and I said “I will be ready in just a minute.” “No,” he said, “you can stay here.” And he went downstairs and left me.

Question: Did he leave you on that occasion for any length of time?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Well, when after that did he leave you?

Answer: Well, just before I returned to Los Angeles, and I told him that I wanted him to come with me.

Question: When was this?

Answer: In April, 1917. He said that it was a good thing that my business called me West as he was happier without me and that I made him morbid and that I needn’t try to come back to him.

Question: Did you talk to him?

Answer: It was absolutely no use.

Question: Where did you go then?

Answer: To my work in California.

Question: What did you do in the way of corresponding with him?

Answer: I wrote him and wired him.

Question: What was the tenor of your letters?

Answer: Asking him to return.

Question: The fact that he had left you on various occasions, and notwithstanding that fact, you still loved him?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And your letters were loving?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And you attempted to induce him to come to you?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: What did you do following that?

Answer: Nothing.

Question: When, if at all, did you see him after that?

Answer: A friend of mine told me that he was in the city. This was in the Summer, 1917, and she said that my husband had been there two weeks at the Alexandria, so I called up the Alexandria and he answered the phone and I asked him to come to dinner. I was then living with my mother -and he said he would but he did not come, so finally he did come up to the house and I asked him to stay with us or else I would go to the Alexandria. He said no, and that he was very happy and said that a bachelor’s life was fitted for him.

Question: How long did you continue to live together at Beverly Hill?

Answer: We stayed two weeks. He quarreled with me all of that time, and one morning he came to the room and was packing his things and said he was going back to New York. He said that he wasn’t going to stand any of this nonsense any longer. “This is the end.” I talked to him all of that morning but he wouldn’t listen to me. So he got on the train and left.

Question: Have you done anything since that to induce him to return to you?

Answer: Yes. I have sent him presents, writing to him and telegraphed him.

Question: Has he responded?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: That was during the early part of the year 1917. He has never acknowledged your presents nor your tokens?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: And your inducements and protestations of love have failed to bring him back?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Where do you live?

Answer: At Genoa, Nevada.

Question: At what place in Genoa?

Answer: Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell’s ranch.

Question: When did you first come here?

Answer: The 15^thday of February.

Question: Have you any other residence?

Answer: No.

Question: It is your intention to make Nevada your residence?

Answer: Yes.

Question: State how it was you came there to live.

Answer: Christmas time I had a nervous breakdown and the doctor said I needed a change of climate and I had heard of this region and the country around Lake Tahoe, and I asked my manager to seek a place for me. He is a friend of Judge McCarran’s , a Mr. Bach, and I wanted a little place where I could attend to my work and rest and Judge McCarran did look for a house for me, but upon my arrival I found it was too small.

Question: Do you know whether or not your manager authorized me to purchase a home for you?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And those negotiations, so far as you know, have not as yet been carried out?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Your home and residence, permanent residence, so far as you know at the present time, is at Genoa?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Have you been out of Douglas County since your arrival?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: State whether or not it is your intention to make this your permanent residence.

Answer: It is.

Question: Your mother, is she with you?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: And what is her name?

Answer: Mrs. Charlotte Smith.

Question: Mrs. Moore, did you by any means know of the coming of your husband into this state?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Did you make any arrangements whereby he was to come into this state?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: When did you first learn that he was in this State?

Answer: My manager told me Mr. Moore was coming to Nevada to look for a coal mine for one of his pictures.

Question: And did he mention anyplace that your husband might be going to?

Answer: Yes, he said something about Virginia City.

Question by Judge: Do you know where there are coal mines in Virginia City?  You mean gold mines.

Answer: Yes, gold mines

Question by lawyer: What if anything, did you do on hearing that he might come into the state?

Answer: Why, I telephoned you and informed you.

Question: Did you see Mr. Moore?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Would you know his signature if you saw it?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: I hand you the original summons issued cut of this court, in the case of Gladys M. Moore vs. Owen E Moore, and ask if you find your husband’s signature?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Do you recognize his signature there?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: I hand you an instrument entitled “Power of Attorney,” attached to the answer in  this action, and ask you if you find your husband’s signature on that instrument?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Is that his signature, Owen E. Moore?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Mrs. Moore, looking back now over all the instances that may have been in your married life, state to the court whether you believe it is possible for a reconciliation to be brought about?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Mr. Moore, so far as you testified, would remain true to his statement that he wanted to be a bachelor?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: He desired to be free from all restraints and responsibilities?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: During all of your married life you supported yourself?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Lawyer McCarran: I think that is all. Does the Court care to question?

Question by the judge: Did you have anything to do with the appearance of Mr. Moore in this vicinity?

Answer: No, sir!

Question by lawyer: You didn’t see your husband and didn’t see him in this State?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: And your only knowledge was the information that he might come into the State for the purpose of finding a location for the taking up pictures?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: State whether or not you asked me if he did come into the State, whether I could do anything in the way of serving him?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Well, did you hear of his being in Douglas County?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Through whom?

Answer: Through you.

Question: State whether or not it was after that you signed and verified your complaint.

Answer: Yes.

Question: I want to have you very clear this. No arrangements were made between yourself and your husband whereby he was to come into this State?

Answer: No, sir.

Cross-Examination By Judge Langan

Question by Judge: When last, before the time you came into the State of Nevada, did you see your husband?

Answer: I saw him in the studio and spoke to him and walked out.

Question: When was that?

Answer: When he first came to California, and later on I was sitting in my machine and he passed by and tipped his hat and walked off.

Question: When was it that you determined to stay in Nevada?

Answer: When the doctor told me that I needed a change.

Question: And when was that?

Answer: That was Christmas, about two weeks after.

Question: It was about Christmas time that your physician in California advised you to seek a dry climate?

Answer: Yes, sir. He said that I should take a rest.

Question: How was it that you determined to come into this State?

Answer: Well,  I had heard around California and from friends in San Francisco about the region around Lake Tahoe, and they said that it had done them a lot of good, so I determined that it would be good for my health and my mother’s. Mother has been suffering from rheumatism.

Question: Did you ever at any time inform Mr. Moore, either directly or indirectly, of the fact that you intended to come to this State?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Have you ever, directly or indirectly, had any understanding with Mr. Moore that you should come into the State of Nevada, and after being here, that he should come into this State, and that you should institute divorce proceedings and have him served papers?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: How and under what circumstances did you make the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell?

Answer: Through my manager, who is a friend of Judge McCarran’s.

Question: And what is the name of your manager?

Answer: Mr. O’Brien.

Question: You have spoken several times of your company. What is your work?

Answer: Engaged in motion pictures.

Question: You have engaged in that work for some time?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Is it your purpose and intention to remain in the State of Nevada as a resident and particularly in the County of Douglas?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Is it your purpose to build here?

Answer: Well, if I can find a place to suit me I will.

Question: Do you recall at this time the date you left California to come into this State?

Answer: We left California on the 13^thday of February.

Question: Did your husband know of your coming at that time?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: When was it, Mrs. Moore, that you learned through your manager that Mr. Moore was within Douglas County?

Answer: Well, I heard Saturday.

Question: Last Saturday?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What date was that?

Answer: The 28^thof February.

Question: Your manager was in this county at that time?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: And he informed you that he was in Douglas County?

Answer: You see, we work in the same studio and one of the members of his company was going to seek a mining location and communicated that information to my manager.

Question: Do you know asked to the whereabouts of Mr. Moore at the present time?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: And it was on the 28^thof February that you learned he was in this county?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Did you make any efforts to see him?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: What information did you receive from your manager as the reason of Mr. Moore being in the section of the country?

Answer: Of course I have never been to Virginia City, and they said he was looking for a gold mine and that he was seeking a mining location for his next picture and that he was going to Nevada.

Question: Is he manager of the studio, himself?

Answer: No, sir. Just in interest.

Question: Has he any interest in any studio in which you have an interest?

Answer: No, sir, simply that his company is renting a space in the same company, and he might be there a year without my seeing him.

Question: How long have you been at this work?

Answer: 11 years.

Question: You were married in 1911?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: And at that time you were seventeen years of age?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Your married life has been very unhappy?

Answer: Very unhappy.

Question: Don’t you think there is a possible chance of effecting a reconsolidation between yourself and your husband?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: None whatever?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: Do you recall at this time when it was that you had your last conversation with Mr. Moore?

Answer: Yes.  He telephoned me and said that he had something very important to see me about.

Question: When was that?

Answer: More than a year ago. He had then been in Los Angeles for months and I was very happy over it. Our conversation was according to a business deal, and I said that I didn’t believe in it.

Question: Was it about a year ago?

Answer-: Over year ago, and I asked him how he liked living a single life and he said that he was very enthused over it.

Question: And he simply called on you at your home and talked over some business matters?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is your mother with you constantly?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Lives at your home?

Answer: I live at her house.

Question by Lawyer McCarran: That last instance that you just referred to, Judge, was it at Los Angeles?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question by the judge: Has your husband been in this work for some time?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: He has been engaged in this work ever since 1911?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: And you have worked together?

Answer: Yes, off and on.

Question: But not since you have been separated, not since the month of April, 1917?

Answer: It was around the latter part of the Summer and early Fall.

Question: How long have you been on the coast?

Answer: Three years, off and on.

Question: And you had given up Los Angeles as your residence and your permanent residence is Genoa, Douglas County, Nevada?

Answer: Until I regain my health, but this will be my home.

Question: Do I understand that you have come into the State in good faith, seeking health and nothing else?

Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: That you have not come into the State of Nevada for the purpose of instituting divorce proceedings?

Answer: No, sir.

Question: That is absolutely so?

Answer: Absolutely so.

By The Judge: I think I have gone into this question pretty thoroughly. I feel that I should do so in all of these matters in view of the fact that our statute required a six months residence, therefore we should look into these matters thoroughly.

That is all, Mrs. Moore.

Mr. Jepson, in the case of Gladys M. Moore, plaintiff. vs. Owen E. Moore, defendant, you will at this time enter an order dissolving the bonds of matrimony heretofore and now existing between the plaintiff and the defendant.

THE END

Follow-Up:

An effort was made to obtain an interview with Owen Moore in regard to the testimony his wife gave about their married life, but Mr. Moore declined to make and statement, denial or comment.

The Attorney-General of Nevada had begun a suit in Minden to set aside and annul Mary Pickford’s divorce.  In a 7,000 word affidavit he asserts that Mary Pickford in her testimony imposed upon Judge Langan and was guilty of collusion, conspiracy, fraud and false testimony.