The Indianapolis journal., 1889-01-25
MRS. MECKIE RAWS0N.
She Takes the Witness-Stand in Her Own
Behalf, and Tells the Story of Her Life.


Meckie l.. Rawson. for the shooting of
lawyer Whitney. few months ago, was
continued to-day. Mrs. Rawson was cross
examined by Mr.. Elliott. attorney for the
State. She controlled herself, as a rule,
but occasionally, when she thought unnec-
essary questions were being insisted on, she
gave tire attorney "a piece of her mind" in
short, incisive way. with the result, as a
rule, that that particular line of inquiry
was abandoned. The lady gave, in response
to questions, a running account of her life,
telling how, at the age of thirteen years,
she became a teacher in New Orleans, of
which city her father was an old resident.
At fifteen years she was married to John
Sfaymaker, a Red-riyer pilot, to whom she
had been engaged since she was eleven
years old. Slsymaker, who was engaged in
the cotton trade was paid s.. 500 per month.
The witness described him ss "a generous,
good-hearted, worthless :aan," who spent
most of his money for drink. She lived
with him SIX years.
line of questioning, and Mr.. Elliott took up
Mrs. RawsOn's experience with Charles G.
Lee, her second husband. She said he was
wealthy. young man of good family. She
married him at the age of twenty-three
years. She said she lived with him very
happily part of the time, as he was the only
man she ever loved; but he was dissipated
and once had delirium tremens. He was
very high tempered, and once on railroad
train he fired revolver bullet through the
door of the sleeper, because it did not open
readily when he wanted to get into it. he
having left her there, going forward to the
smoker after q row with the conductor
growing out of the fact that that official
10 Iad xx-rfh hnx Co.,
a glass of water. This incident was magni-
fed into great shooting affair, involving
the question of the witness's chastity.
After living with Lee year and a half she
secured divorce from him. Her next
matrimonial venture was with banker
Rawson. of Chicago. She said she was not
desperately in love with him, but tried to
make him happy. The examination con-
tinued:
do you think Mr.. Rawson loved youfn
Il don't think so. If he had he never
would have preferred a servant to his wife.
He never would have told me to 60 while
the servant staid. One trouble between us
was the question of religion. / am sorry
am not Chsistian. but am no hypOcrfte.
Mr.. Rawson wanted me to teach Sunday
school and lead the sewing circle and /
would not do it. He used to pay his son
Fred ten cents hymn for reading to him.
You said yesterday, Mrs. Rawson, that
You would attend to Matt Hogan later.
What did you mean by thatp
''Pll tell you what meant. Mr.. Elliott.
| intended to have Matt Hogan. Mrs. HAM
iltOn and l.. III. Bisbee arrested for con-
spiracy in going before the grand jury and
swearing as they did, for it was conspiracy.
You will have the pleasure of prosecuting
them, Mr.. Elliott"
These are the persons who testified
against Mrs. RawsOn and whose evidence
before that body was read in court on the
day before yesterday. Mrs. Rawson de-
clared that, at one time while married to
Mr. Rawson. she became so desperate that
little daughter dot" The witness showed
her Southern blood when the cross-exam-
liner reached the shooting of banker Raw
son by her son. She said she knew her son
had pistol before the shooting, and felt
that he would shoot RawsOn-that no boy
could avoid doing so.
II love the boy for what he did. and
honor him for it. l am proud of that
boy
"Now, Mrs Rawson," broke in Mr.. Crews.
''you are getting excited and losing your
head. Be quiet"
Don't get excited said Judge Tuthill.
Il cannot help it, Judge" said the wit
strung. For three years have had no
rest"
During the latter part of the cross-exam-
ination of Mrs. Rawson there APP
Esbt ;nto at tbS window cWurtrNd (which lets
an upper gallery the face Of Bridget
Quigly, whom Mrs. Rawson testified was
her victorious rival for the affection of
banker Rawson. But if Bridget Quigly
expected to see the discontinue of Mrs.
Rawson second time she was disap-
pointed, for the witness bore herself with
remarkable self-possession throughout her
long tussle with the State prosecutor. Tie
rowing eyes of Little Dot" the daughter
of Mrs Rawson. first espied Bridget, and
the mischievous little girl made a fool of
her. Bridget's face was almost concealed
by white veil. and the handkerchief she
held to her mouth. She left soon after her
discovery, while the unpleasant scrutiny of
many eyes was turned upon her.