Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-11-26
STINGING
Plea of Counsel Duncan in the Ho-
bensack- Spence Case.
THE TESTIMONY FULLY REVIEWED.
What Parts the Houses Of Mrs. Reed and Mrs.
Aaron Play-The Famous Let
ter and Its Genu-
ineness.
ISDeci1l 10 The ReJtsier,

Duncan closed the argument for the palm
TIFF in the Hobensack Spence case, last
evening, at 7;S0 o'clock. We give below a
synopsis Of the argument.
The question you are to pass upon is the
truth or falsity OF the matters alleged IN
the plaintiffs petition. Mr.. Danford elo-
auently speaks of the consequences OF
your verdict against the defendant. With
the consequences OF the verdict you have
nothing to Co. Unfettered by technicalit;es,
parties, or influences OF any kind your ver-
dict should be strictly according to the
evidence and the fair and just inferences
to be drawn therefrom. The testimony
shows that the defendant was al the houses
OF Sadie Reed and Mrs. Aaron with some
woman, tall, spare woman, well
Answering the Description OF Mrs. lio-
bensack.
1t is not denied that Spence was there and
occupied bed room Ii is not denied that
that woman was married woman. Mrs.
Reed in her exposition speaks OF having
heard OF Mrs H.. leaving her husband
and going away. How was II she came 10
know and recOl!ect the walks Of woman
whom she had reYor seen
Dora Aaron, in her exposition, says she
was q woman about rs ta'! a. herself,
though she says she did not "now who the
woman was She let in the room with Spence.
Mr., Black testiiies that Dora Aaron is ABOUT
tie height and size Of Mrs. Hohen>acS.
According to this testimony, he was going
there with q woman. q married woman.
Who was she? Counsel Tor defendant
made light of Blacks testimony. Spence
was present when her testimony was taken
and knows her size, but did not and would
not con;royert that fact. Dora Aaron also
lad heard OF anu knew OF Mrs. H.,
According TO Her TestimODy
before this suit was ever commenced. How
would she. the usher in this high. toned AS
signstion house, know anything Of Mrs.
HotensaCk? Dora says she knew OF her
tirst when once, before the commencement
of this suit, she heard persons SPEAK OF her
as they passed by their mothers door, IN
Wheeling. She knew Of her, but her rea-
son as TO how she knew Of her is too ab
surd for belief. She must have known her
in some other way. How? Dora says she
refused room TO Spence and womon be-
cause the woman was a married woman.
Spence does not deny this. To what other
soman than the plaintiff 8 wife was de,
fendant paying attention at this time
According To the testimony oi Miller, he
is frequently engaged in private converse
Ion with her behind the prescription case
In the Absence of Her Husband,
spd when Miller would go behind the case
IN course OF his duties as clerk, sometimes
the conversations would cease. Why cease
If irnCcent? How does she happen 10 ne
around so often just a. Spence Is unhit, ,alns
his horse" How does she happen TO jrst
visits go r-ii.---u., '";I,Y ,r,ry
moved from the house within fifteen feet
of Spence's office? II Spence is innocent,
why telegraph kakish Rosenberg ID meet
him at Brilliant, and drive fifteen miles on
Sunday on the pre'ense that he wants him
"a man who cannot speak pIain English
to sell machines for him What takes
Kakish, Mrs. Aaron's sOn-r law, immedl'
stely on buried trip and
A Hurried Interview NJ Allegheny
with Dora Aaron Spence did not want
Kakisl. a gatherer of ginseng and dealer
III COonsEiDs and the son in law OF Mrs.
Aaron. to sell machines. he, kHkish
Swears that was their Sunday business.
spence offers no explanation OF this. he
makes no denial Of having four or tive
weeks sgo proposed TO plaintiffs mother
10 try and iulluenCe the doctor 10 live with
bis wife again. and Mrs Spence would in.
IiuenCe Mrs. Hpbensack To live with her
husband Why try 20 effect rcconciiia'
tiCn while such grave charges were pend.
ing against him? 1t can only be inter
preted as confession OF his guilt. Why
tcll plaintiffs mother that il this suit went
on the doctor would
Land I'm the PenItcntihTye
Are these promises and threats consistent
with innocence!
They say the letter claimed to have been
al q call some experts TO try to prove it,
The testimony OF an expert is TO be tested
the anne as any other witness. 1t OugAI
o b. consistent. J. Il. Mitchell, after hay
xamined the letter very carefully yes
lrrCfy evening and this morning, gives IT
- opinion that il is not her hand writ
rgis isr az be can Judge. The words as
.-r,s can Judge are quite qualification.
lrt IN cross-examiuation he seys he thinks
would he hard to keep up an imitation
. rCuch six closely written psges. per
N who wrote like her and who hsd plenty
of copy TO initiate from, might do il Bat
he hardly thinks it could be done. lie says
The Letter Looks Old
and was likely written about the time 1t
purports 70 be. and that is more thsn
year ago. Errick, who was known AS the
be st expert in Belmont county, in case
once sNore that letter in controversy
could not have been written By man, aud
gave Mt merous and most PLAUSIBLE reasons
for his opinion. The next witness, man,
swore that he wrote the letter. IT proved
10 lie fsct. Wharton says expert testi.
moRy as TO handwriting is ~ De received
rather Us argument than proof Tue age OF
ike letter. as testified 10 by GefeDdsnts
friendly experts, shows that 1t was rttHn
a year before This suit ives commenced or
thought Of. The manner Of Mrs. HOben-
sack in reading it shows il genuine con
clusivplv. She reads through the SIX
pages. line by line. and then re-reads part
Of the letter. turns it over, looks at 1t, aud
says then
ibid Sot write 10.
The very frst page called for an instant
and indignant denia,, and 30 prompt and
hiph strung witness would have prompt
" denied II. The agitation apparent on
ner fsce shows there was some terrible sg'-
tst!Cn in her mind as she read II. She
Knew She wrote that letter and al about 1t.
Judge Chambers says that after the six
pages were written, another piece ~ VIII
ten IN tie leiter-siI lines OF small writing
at the besd OF one OF the pages. What for
ger ever completed job Of six pages OF ex-
ceIlent imitation for law suit, where the
thing would be tested il false, and then
write in six lines more at the head OF a
paee in much smaller writing? The wit
ness was prompt in every answer save . de-
NAL OF that letter. and for the first time,
after reading it, betrayed confusion.
The facts and circumstances point to
The Truth OF the Charges.
The force and weight OF the evidence sus
tsips the grounds OF the sctiou and warrant
a verdi Ct for the plaintiff.