Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-06-27
The Waiworth Murder Trial

TESTIMONY oF THE WIDOW OF TaE VICTIM
In the Walworth trial in New York yester-
day after our report sby telegraph closed
and number Of witnesses had been ex-
anlned to prove the good character of the
prisoner, Mrs. Ellen Hardin Walworth, the
mother OF the accused, was placed on the stand.
She testified that she was married to M. T.
Walworth in 1852; that i'm 1861 she removed to
Kentucky, and remained three years, during
which time she did not see her husband. After
various attempts to secure employment, Mrs.
Walworth came to Washington and secured an
appointment under the government; while
there Frank was placed at school in George
town. She remained in Washington eighteen
months, and was finally discharged owing to a
change OF politics. She then went to Saratoga
and opened boarding house. A final separa-
ton took place in January, II, since which
time she has not seen her husband. On the
Monday preceding the tragedy she saw Frank
in the han Of the house at Saratoga, and said
" GU are up early;" he made some casual re-
ply and went out che front door; she thought
he had gone to the springs, and at the break
fast table asked why he did not return; some
one said he had gone away and left a message
that il he was not back to supper he would not
be home that day; she then went to his room
and, on booking around found an empty envel-
f IN the handwritng Of M +: Waiw0rth; she
and to Judge Barbour, but could ascertain
nothing about him, and then believed he had
gone TO Troy. The envelope she found was
produced. 1t was postmarked May 30.
LETTER OF A DESPERATE MAN.
The letter was read, Us follows
MAY 30. O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
Prepare yourself for the inevitable. am GET
ting over my wasting fever, and shall be out of
my room In a few days. L Am going to call upon
my children. My heart is starving for their
csresses. Make the interview, when l come,
Just as easy and pleasant as possible. can not
stay from them much longer. 1 will ace them,
Pesceably If can, or with q tragedy IL must
Their little faces haunt me, as they are mine.
Poplsh cruelty must bend to the demand of
fathers heart. or the Walworth name goes out
in blood.
Keep Frank waPworth ont Of my way; you
have taught him to hate me, and his presence
or obstruction in any way viii only excite fatal
evaporation. want 10 see my little girls and
come away peaceably. Beware that you do not
IN any way arouse the frenzy which You have
reasonable way 70 deal with me. shall have
my rights under that decree, with no further
legal delay or expense. have conceded prompt
now am going to see my children, and you
shall not bring them up TO hate their loving
Eliza Backus has written to me that you will
them; and then shall shoot you and myself on
those door- steps, for have nothing further to
DO right, Ellen Haaiin, and ven win find me
prompt to do right. / am a broken he arted
desperado. Save this letter for LAWYERS aud
courts If you please. God d my lawyer now
not that remorseless, brutal God that yon and
Eliza Backus and G. A. Walworth worship, but
the God that planted love for my little girls in
my heart, and that says 70 the bereft tiger,
'kill."
Oh! you wretch, that kept me two years from
the little hands and hearts that love me! Your
only excuse was my poverty and misfortune.
Should my children refuse to speak to me in
the streets Of-SsratOga, and shall say to my
self that she Is teaching them all to hste a
broken hearted father, ali Is lost and a tragedy
must come. When know from the conduct of
the little girls that you have taught them to
hate me, that moment two pstOl-shOts will ring
about That house, one Staying you, the other
i know that you have no personal fear; no
more have /. But we both must die when that
discovery reaches my brain that you have es-
tranged my young children from mo.
If my little girls do not love me then my life
Is valueless, and L shall die with q feeling of
luxury and rest; but you will have to attend
me 70 the spirit land-the God of Justice de-
mands 1t. But IL you do right under that de-
cree all may be we'll. But now my heart is ag-
onized for my little children. If you have
common sense you would know how to appre-
ciate the danger.
MANSFIELD TRAcY WALwoRTH
The defense held that the letters we're neces-
sary to overturn the theory Of the prosecution
that the prisoner, in q seh-possessed frame of
mind and with deliberate viii, had shot down
q patient, indulgent father, whom he had lured
into trap. Judge Davis finally, in g lengthy
opinion, adhered to his ruling excluding the
letters, though he said he should still keep the
question under adv1sement.