The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-07
pARSON GEORGES TRIAL.
.o.r VIEW PHASES OF THE CASE
BROUGHT OUT IN EVIDENCE.

,,.,,ee Be.nett, who Took the Girrs Ante
.orte~ Statement and the Parsons Ce.-
,...,o,. Gives Important Testineny "A
SHARP Tit Between the Lawyer Tor the
n.c.,ce ana Coroner Kortx.
r,rsxuI. Nov. 6-Parson Henry W. George.
,,,r, ar pastor OF the Reformed Dutch Church
~ Ieeds, who is on trial here for manslaugh-
tsr IN the first degree In causing the death OF
Ma adopted daughter. Lolita Townsend. By q
criminal operation. fully appreciates the fact
That state prison stares him In the face. When
M George was stirring UP Catskill BY his elo-
ouence In tho pulpit and running a series OF
rsvIyal meetings in Leeds SO enthusiastic
cally that his congregation was dou-
Mad. he was fastidious man In
bis dress. His clothes wore well made
and his linen spotless. and It Is
.yen said no wore patent leather boots. These
things are noticed in small town like Leeds.
and the members Of his congregation were
rather proud Of their dapper pastor. This was
m tho days Of Georges prosperity. When
Gsorse was brought into the court room this
morning, however. he looked like q broken
down man. His clothes wero dusty and his
linen bore tho marks Of several days wear.
Ma walked like man who was constantly in
fear Of a shot from ambush. and his eyes
moved rayid!y from side to side behind his
cold. trimmed spectacles. Although this was
only the second day Of the trial. the strain OF
Yesterday could be seen in his face. District
Attorney Tallmadge and his associate. Frank
Osborn, had presented an array OF evidence
for the prosecution SO strong that Mr.. Fiero
was unable to shake it.
To.day's proceedings gave the prisoner an
other uncomfortable turn. They brought out
several new phases in the case. but one Of
them could not be put in as evidence. although
Mr. Osborn succeeded in giving tho jury
pretty good idea Of it. Notwithstanding Mr..
Fiero's frantic efforts to keep 1t out This was
the fact that Lolita Townsend. after the opera
tons had been performed on hef and It was
evident that she was seriously i'll and was in
cued to mako n confession. became sus-
piclous that the Rev. Mr.. George was going to
poison her. She was alone in the minister's
house with only old Mrs. Hood as nurse.
Mrs Hood had her own household duties to
perform and could not devote her entire time
to Lolita. Possibly it was mistaken kindness
that caused the Rev. Mr. George to enter the
sick girls room and throw open the windows.
although it was midwinter and very cold.
Mrs. Hood had left the room few minutes
before. and when she returned the wind was
blowing in on the sick girl. whose condition
demanded tho most careful nursing. Lolita
after that morning insisted that Mrs. Hood
should prepare her meals in her own
kitchen and not In the parsonage. She from
bled when Mr. George entered her room.
and when Coroner Kortz came TO take her
ante.mortem statement she told him that she
was afraid George would poison her II he knew
that she had made a confession. Coroner
Kort1 was not allowed to tell this story 10 the
Jury. but he told it to The Sum reporter after
he left the witness stand.
The facts brought out at to-day's trial were
very uncomfortable for the pastor. He COM
foted himself BY getting IS much OF his short,
stdeey tSard into his mouth as he could and
Do mother .in-lsw. sat beside re prisoner al
sses T1r r oaer
Tstnipe Echool in New York. There were
but there wers. no women present. One tall;
masculine; docking woman; who was dressed
@ TIC hoass fss
BUS character. but the time for her testimony
bed NOT arrived, and she left few minutes
Dr. De Woyg the Leeds physician
who was Jointly indicted with George for man
slaughter. came into the court room with his
owed the prese sdinss very CLOSELY ali day. for
Dr, ErwAy will havst to stand tria! at the next
'e..ion of the County Court; Dr. Erway is now
link he was simply the dupe Of Parson George
He does not dress as well as George and
s has nSt been much Of soos
Il h ss pctara e q despair and stSsash
I'M I'M Se sddrs sss Rhy s% during fa
'ecess. Merritt Townsend. the brother OF the
icsd Eirl. sat beside DR.. Erway.,
Bennett was first summoned to the witness
chair by the prosecution. Justice bennett Is
awysr Of Catsiill. AND tho stoady way. in
which he looked 1T Mr.. Fiero through his
thas 81 Mr
Georges congregation learned the secret Of
,otta Townscnd's Illness last winter. and went
'oroner OF tho crinlo that had boen committed.
Justice Bcnnettt,was cont with Coroner Kortz
. take ne girls anti-m2rtem statement 1t
,ennott. Coroner Kortz, and Sheriff, Bates
rove to the parsonage In Leeds The Rev.
l George was not IL the house Lota T9Tns
Ssio with her Mrs.. HOOD. Mrs. White. and sew.
raj ~ the neighbors:
o PA !. ys "'t A. 6 Sss thought she
II did, said Justice Bennett land she re-
' u, i have no hope now Of recovery from
lis.' She was conscious and was lying in bed.
There was no effort to prop her up"
Q--Did You ask her the cause VI her illness?
t.-Yes. She replied that 1t was caused by OPP
'ratioRs performed on her with instruments
y DR.. Degrand Erway in tho presence Of Mr..
ieorge
Odd sho state when and whore these
,perauons werc psrformed2 A.-She said
hat she talked with Mr.. George about her
condition when she discovered It. George told
70 had been riding with DR.. Erway and that
ne doctor had agreed to perform the opera
Ion. Accordingly. by Georges direction. she !
vent to DIR. Erway's office alone. The doctor |
,sfused to perform the operation unless Mr.. |
GEORGE was present She returned to the par |
sonage. and on the following Monday George |
accompanied her 70 DR.. .Erway's Office where |
hts first operation, which she described In de- |
al. was performed. George was present. DR.. |
EErway told her 70 come again In tive. weeks.
EErfways office and witnessed this operation. |
! no third operation was performed IN Georges |
mousse on Dec. ~ That night, while George |
Vas sleep In an adjoining room and she was |
None. her child was born. Shecared for her. |
s.eli as best she could. and In the morning |
IiSs s.rge took the dead body OF the child and
Justice Bennett said that he and Coroner
h'ortz talked with Lolita for an hour and re-
iineed her statement to writing. which she
algned. George was not In the room. After |
n Il k2~ AL H. A.