New-York tribune., 1878-10-02
TILE PROCEEDINGS.

ten minutes aItef lne ecsrIOh
late for admission The statements pub1shed
since last Friday concerning the life OF the witness who
had called herself the wife OF Dr. sOddard, attracted
many persons curious to see the woman her
SELF aud to watch her conduct under crOssexamination
They evidently expected sensation and not dis.
appointed An tue counsel both sides were present
Beside Mrs La Bau sat Mrs E. F. Bishop aud another
woman. William II. Vanderbilt was surrounded by the
friends who usually accompany him.
Mr. Clinton began at once with the cross-examnatlon
of the woman who testified last Friday that as the
wife OF Dr. stoddard the spiritualist, she had been
present at some startling interviews between him and
Commodore Vanderbilt and William II. Vanderbilt
She was asked If the Edward Hall, with whom she had
lived at AvOndale. N for the past two years. was the
noted forger of that She answered that she dd
know she had read about mis- arrest Tor forgery
but knew nothing more.
Odd you live with Benning as his wifef Al
kept house for him. 1 don't know what you call it.
When pressed answer whether she occupied the re-
laton OF wife Bennng, the witness appealed 10 the
Court The Surrogate told her that If the answer
tended to degrade ner she need not give It, Mr. Cn-
ton continued: Were you ever arrested Tor steanns q
watch and chant A.-NO, sir. was never arrested
and would like TO see the one 10 say was.
The witness said that she lived with Bennng before
he was sent to Prison He also visited at her va
rous places of residence in NewYOrk after he came
from prison but whethershe lived with MN aler 'ua'
she refused TO state.
A warm discussion arose between Mr.. Lord ana
Mr. Clinton in regard to whether the witness
should be compelled to answer. Both became eAci'eu
and tried talk together until the Surrogate ADDRESS
ing them by name told them to sit down. MI CLINTON
then proceeded with rapid crOssexamlnatOn OF Tue
witness
Q-How long was Benning kept from you by being IN
State Prison Ale was away two years
Q-was he there for cOunterfeitingi Al don't
know.
oHave Won lived in Illicit relations with any other
man or rather with how many men have you lived IN
Illicit relationsi Al won't answer that question:
won't you degrade in that That won't affect
the truth Of my testimony.
o-Has there been any time since you were sixteen
Years old that you have been living in such relations
with some man A.-Tnat's none OF your business
o-Do Won know Esther King, previous witness IN
this casei Ayes; she's been often TO my house
She's acquaintance of mine
Q-Have you seen her in the company OF proies-
Iional criminals and exprsOn cOnvictsl A-She has
been at my house when Mr. Benning was their.
Q-Can you mention the name OF the magistrate VINO
married You 20 DR.. Stoddard in Kingstoni Al don't
remember his name
o-Dd you ever live in the family OF DR. stoddard at
Poughkeepsei Ayes; week, aud then went
away
Odd you know DI. stoddard's wife A-Yes
o-Is that shei Here Mr.. Clinton pointed to a we'll
dressed woman with dark aud regular features, who, at
tn question, arosel A.-0h, yes l saw her sitting
there. and recognized her some time ago.
Q-How old you when you first went to live
with Dr. stOddaIdi A.-AbOut nineteen years.
O-Had he a family, besides his wifel Ayes. there
was a son, JAY about fifteen years old, and Charlie,
about twelve
Q.-In what capacity did you live therei Al dd
general hOusewOrk
O-Where did you 90 when you left Al went
down to the house where he was keeping mel mean
where ne kept house with me, Bridge-st, POughkeep
sie
o-Had you Illicit intercourse with him therei A
urffhr nj ipht fbprp
Q-At the time you married him you knew he had a
wife A.-NO, didn't.
o-Do you mean that you hadn't seen his wife. A
No. sir.
A FURTHER INSIGHT INTO THE WITNESSES HISTORY. |
Further crossexamnation showed that before going
10 Dr. stoddards house the witness had lived at the
house OF her aunt Mrs Nichols for several years For
two years before going Dr. StOddards she had lived
with man named DegrOt, west Of POughkeepsie; she
had also lived with man named Coe who had adopted
her; Dr. stoddards wife knew her by the name Of COe
as the Doctor requested her TO tell his wife that she
widow named Mrs Coe DR.. stoddaTd lived with her
in New-YOrk, aud they were known by his name and
lived in family OF Hebrew named Horn, in Thirty
sxth-st; they also lived in Sixthave: in Thriyeighth
and Thirtynnth-sts. Since the adjournment on Fri
dav She had been STAYING with friend, Mr. Dlar,
whose first name she did not know, at NO. III west
on a redirect examination by Mr.. Lord, the witness
sald that Dr. StOddard ALWAYS introduced her as his
wife man named Chichester was present when the
ceremony of marriage was performed Dr StOddard
gave her a weddng-ring. Mr.. Clinton objected TO tns
Testimony. Mr. Lord tndt pIOpOheu hHO"
eweer, living in New-NOrk had lnadc ring Ior
the Doctor, In which he had engraved Lillian StOu-
The surrogatc-Of what importance is tfat when she
hat after she found that Dr. stOddard bad
a wife, married him many years before, she con-
iinued to live In adultery with him Mr. Lord, tins
seems TO me to be mOnstrOus.
Mr Lord Abraham found favor before the Lord, al
though he had than wife Plurality OF wives
IS not naIUm tt Although the singeness OF man
ana OF wife the glory Of the Common Law we are not
standing on techncaity OF the law Ihe Only ques
zion before 10 the truth OF her testimony regard
ing the Commodore. Now II she acted IN good futh In
her relations WIN DR. stOddard the facts do not affect
the credbinty OF her testimony believe 4n mOhog-
that there hundreds OF thousands OF people In the
Enow maj IL is part Of this creed believe that
rogamy shall exist only 50 far as love sha continue
CHRISTIAN shall affect the crrdibity of witness.
The surrogate-The trouble here Is that by her own
Testimony the witness didn't love Dr. stoddard very
long but her love has been very prOmiscuous.
Mr ChOate-This tmmaterial. No testimony
can the fact that last Friday the witness swore that
she was the wife OF Dr. StOddard, while now she
fessea that willie she living with Dr. etOddard she
e% and IL is idle for her to say supposed
ward she his wife and when sne so swears that
The surrogate-The evidence is excluded A recess
will be taken.
CHARGING TIE WITNESS With PERJURY.
Mr. Choate-Before the Court adiourns ask that
this witness be placed under the custody of officer.
AT the conclusion OF her testimony shall move to
have her committed await the action OF the Grand
Jury on the ground that has committed wul per
Jury. lsensatOn in the courtroom. When she has
been allowed every opportunity to present excuses
we shall make this In view OF the character Of
the woman and the consequent probability that she will
not return unless obliged TO do that the n
tcrrst Of morality law and decency demand that she
shall be placed in safe keeping.
Both Mr.. Lord ana ex-Judge Black were wrought up
by this speech 20 high OF excitement Does the
counsel attempt 70 saw" Numbered eIJudge Black.
that the answer OF the witness as TO her marriage
with Dr. StOddard whether true OrnOt, Is perturyP
Lat gkn m ka IL