The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-18
MRS. IRENE HOUSES TRIAL.
uER DRAMITTC BEHATfOR ON the
UITNESS' PLATFORM
Ending Her Testimony with nu Outburst of
Real or simulated Emotion-1he Case
Almost Ready for tue Jury--cveraI Acc
counts OF the Divorce Ia,vvrr'- Death.

case 10 far as concerns testimony. Tho local In
terest was undated, and the court room was
crowded. Mrs. House was as attractive Is usual
In appearance, aud WAS aRail attended by her
father and sisters. Brad House, the brother Of
the killed man. had a scat az the end Of the tn
bic by which she sat- but neither paid any item
tion to the other. lie speaks Of hef now rs
"tha murdorcss." Much pirti .,nism il shown
BY those who attend the trial, yet Il ~ difficult
TO decide whether the sentiment IL prep1udor-
atingly for or against the prisoner. Her wealth
and family conn ctions h ave strong ind Ionce
undoubtediy and her good looks Ia rly affect
the spectators. Yet there IL a strong public
feeling against her. A member Of the Coroner's
Jury la the case sid to the writer: 81 am asst on.
ished at the way things are going. when we
found the verdict WIS not aware OF any opinion
on the part OF the Jury except that 1t was u DO
hberate homicide. So | WAS dumbfoundod when
she was indicted for mansllugbter, and not for
murder" Tho assembly, however, was well be-
baved, evlncing no bias by applause or laughter.
The case for the prosecution WIS prolonged
by putting Ellen Collins on the stand. She had
been employed on the House farm. she testi-
6ed that she saw Mr.. and Mrs. House together
Just previous TO the homicide. Mrs. House
told him that his father was CRYING. lOld Mr.
House had been informed Of the family dinicul.
ties1 House then said to his father. "This ia
INC way nhNo pttn lNlnR WIN I'M. WO an Tor
the last six seven years" Mrs. House said to
her husband, what makes YOU beat the 50 ?" He
said, "Why don't you behave2" she answered,
81 try to- ana he said. I'm beat YOU to death"
Rhe went into the hallway, and he followed her,
Knocked her down, kicked her, md pounded
her head SO Inst trunk. Her son Willie ran 10
and said, mir. House. don't YOU XIII NV
mother" She was then ON her knees, and
House was holding her by her wrists. She said,
Cont hurt my bow" All three went toward
n door. Hgnan har non
following her and partly shutting the door.
Wine tried TO enter. but could not. being
nut ~ the room. and begged her husband not
90 KIN her bov. the witness then went to the
kitchen; and was there wnen she heard the
pistol shot.
Louisa hompson, another work girl employed
by the Houses, swore that she saw Houses AZ
tack IN his wife In the hallway. He struck her
.qusrelv on the forehead with his Nat. and she
hoor, and she screamed. This witness did not
see the shooting that was done Immediately
hterward.
TESTIMONY PoR THE Defence.
That closed the testimony for the prosecution.
and the first witness for the defence was Urlllle
Arenson, son Of the prisoner by her first hus-
band, aud nearly sixteen years old. lie looks
older than no Is, and his mother, although
twenty ave. He described the movements Of
MT and Mrs House previous to the sfrray, in
accord with the previous witnesses, and his tes-
timony ~ TO the encounter was as follows:
heard my mother boiler in the hal. ] run IN. ard
wa btps ser ne SO asap haa eo1 OF IA AZ nsT ana
hit my moiher-to MT me- He got a.hod Of me and
door mother sssa JaSpeG i'a'5 'SSa
@ E SS apG on NE 70 me n he me S ey mt
TnSn &c 'h!Owd me dOyn sgi aPe arsrsea along
,e b he was ssO, then mean This ,ni,I Zone .hoS6
meek tore out Ny face was down When he W.. rag AZ
en- me and was ii,Sssng 70 s,t free
next day, but aid not tell then that Mr. house hrowei
Se aSSS ss ss@ q Ts' x SsTs W c 1907 s she na
sspis!ol ia her hand and | took 1t awsy from her.
uru wen
on ie was close to the outside door when he icll IL
%She but % ;S 10 s sssH Sa
nf @ e wee m Leg se g 9rt mn es same
didn't show 10 the Coroner or auythius abOutit
Austin Matthews. boy VINO was employed On
struggle between House aud Willie Atenspn, in-
Guiding the following additional particulars;
n ny. raised ny from Vile aud graeoei Mrs:
/. hi- hip POCKET He hsi No COT on ana could see
NJ. llCusr pn hsr hand up ihat VI, gesture a.
pov' fhea heard the report o. TIC pistol Mr.. House
iote is oceGrrsnsc heard Mr House say he Would
sheot ans BODY -t i.erfered when he was correcting
Gross ramined was standing outdoors. leaning on
l9.t when Nj House ont he hand ia s hip pocket that
Out WHEN 9Ss va Hs1 ne "a I9' Akg1 ns ssnS
soou, hyc iret froul ann when sne med. lie had one
iS.srIsre qecsS,s iiaai want have my head e"%ed
did not testify at the Inquest.
Morris Matthews. father OF the preceding wit
mes swore that he was at work on the House
premises at the time Il the tragedy. What he
saw and heard. according to his testimony was
not at variance with tho narrative given by his
son, at whose side he was standing durins the
lgnt. lie WIS sure House h ad hts right hand Ia
has pistol pocket when mis- wife fred
TN the cross-ex animation, Ar. Matthew ad-
United thit no was one OF the CoroneT's Jurors
VINO rendered a verdict sgainst tue prisoner,
aud the verdict chsr!cterlzes the Killing as
"wilfuI and deliberate As explanatory OF why
he stood quietly by and saw IA woman outrage.
Ousiy maltIeated, the witness said that he was |
afraid OF House having heard him thraaten IN
XII ANYBODY who interfefed with him.
Tx. LOUIS Z. Gossn = reporter q the Trenton |
Iucetta House represented MIS-. louise as say |
ing, VIII Kill myself rather than live as have
Deem llving Tbereupon Attorney General Va
malta read from The record OF the Inquest this |
passage from Miss Houses testimony !" heard /
that she would shoot him (Mr House, and err
h H. tr.ner t9an I'VE as shs had been l.dng."
altered, wheIeupon the District Attorney his
brother-in'law, rotor ed. rbe docuinent mas |
Sesn IA ny once LA whoever saI II has been
NeyeI mind" said Judge Beasley, the father
pi one OF he quarrellets and the father'lu-law
DRAMATIC SCENE.
Mrs. House WAS then called as witness, and |
the dramatic part q the trial was begun. She |
rose compuseuly and walked TO tho clerks desk, |
M the custom Is ia this court. She out her |
pretty right hand from which the glove had |
been removed, on the Bible that was extended |
10 her, ana repeated ia low voice tue con- |
eluding words OF the oath. SO help me God" |
Ihenco suc went 20 the Witness stand, which |
bevated her into plain sight Ot tue staring hun |
dreds, and sat in the char. Her attitude WAS |
Just constrained enough TO gracefully suit the !
circumstances Judge Deasley told her to raise |
her veal. which she had dropped upon quitting |
her previous scat. sac raised the GRAPE veil.
but not the thin ono thas was under il. Her
face was very pale. Size spoke, responding 10 !
her LAWYERS questions. IA voice that uuiyeTod,
but was well modulated. Hex dlree. testimony
was as follows:
am the daughter of William Vansant, and WAS the
wife OF OisOu a. House. Luft June IN farm
IN windsor township. My husband ine hsre On the
s0th In the afternoon met him IN the yard. smoke
40 lam ABOUT going to Now YORK with Iucet.
Ga House Then went 10 the house. AMI INTO y room
next saw MN when went 10 the door ask MIN 10
snake out the pay roll, so tou4 pay tho men that
night Instead Of SATURDAY, bee 4use shed to 20 10
Willie came aud told NE / ather House va. crying
out 10 nun on tue porch, aud Inn what vas
the matter. lie pushed ilr away. lie sss ID. blnd
ana CHI dish. 1hen ca ed Or-on aud he came. He
seened startled Al father crYiIg snd theu ROtArgN-
said he would beat ne ~ dtath We heightened, aud
started for my room. turned to sOuethlul. nut
1ad OnlI kOt A. far ss Why ORION" wien lie kicked
me san, "Or-on, YOU re Killing me feel all gu IRE
1nsl1e." lie luieu my hair, Knocked me QoWu, ell
beat my mead against trunk. Willie C1me and put hi'
hahd on MI. Houses shoulders, aud tOtd INN to 70
sway; Nar on hJ knees lien he hol ing ms aTlsts
MT HOUSE MN hiui. and threw Hun down twice.
] cried " DON'T XII ny Boy" He then threw NE lEtO
NY roon' ana ny hesd tirue@ the bcdste.d
She WAS usked what she thought at that time
md Attorney -Gruerdl NauattA .IulQa