The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-21
S0BS FOR ALICE MITCHELL.
lIlLTE JOHNSON, HER FRIEND. BREAKS
DOWN ON TINE STAND.

the Depth OF Her Love for Frcda Ward
torrespoudents introduced by the 8 ate.
MEMPHIS. July 2O.-Ths proceedings to-day
In the Alice Mitchell case were Of more than
usual interest. because Lille johnson. the
young woman who was In Alice Mitchelrs
company when the murder vas committed.
and who. as n result, stands Jointly indicted
with her. was awitness Which she was asked to
detail tho events Of the murder She broke
down and sobbcd aloud for several minutes.
This outbreak did not affect Alice Mitchell.
She remained quite unconcc. ned. except when
Miss Johnson spoke Of the defendants love for
Frc'n Warl. Then she showed signs OF weak
en'ns. She cast her eyes down. tho lids Quiv-
cred. but she shed no tears.
Lille Johnson Was thin. and evidently III.
She was very pale. and had to be assisted from
tie witness stand to the door by her father.
The proceedings were also INA KIDD by con-
siderable merriment over the letters OF Alice
to some Of her nlnlo correspondents. Some
passages convulsed tho court. attorneys and
audience alike. the defendant herself indulg-
ing In quiet smile occasionally. These let
tiers have been in the possession Of the States
Attorney. and wero introduced to controvert
the defence'a theory that tho defendant was
entirely nverss to the other sex.
Robert Mitchell. the stcpbrother OF Alice,
resumed tho stand when court opened. He
produced letter from Frcda to Alice, written
a!.cr the discovery " the plan Of elopemeut
and the stoppago Of the correspondence. She
warns Alice not to write her again. as the let
tor might fall into her sisters hands. She
still expressed her undying love and her de.
tsrmir alton to marry Alice in spite OF all op-
position. and expresses her hatred Of her
t. Nali,
their plans.
Then came the last letter Treda over wrote.
Ii was dated u week before the murder. and
was written while she and her sister were WIS.,
ting in this city at the house Of Mrs. Kim
brough. She had been forbidden to speak or
write to Alice and was watched closely Alice
drove by the house daily. and Freda saw her
from the window.
Under date Of Jan. Is she writes expressing
her constancy and cautionnR Alice Ito say
nothing Of that last summers business to any
one. as 1t Is unknown outside Of the family"
The last summers business" was the elope-
ment. which was prevented by the vigilance Of
Mr.. Volkmar.
yet seem to realize what she had done or even
realize that Freda was dead. She always
spoke Of her in the present tense. This ended
the direct examination, and on cross-exam-
ination he was required to identify package
Of letters handed him by the States Attorney.
The first was one written by Alice TO Fre,a
four days before the murder and was in reply
to the one written by Freds the day before.
On that letter the State largely relies to
the murder. She tolls Freda to write her no
more letters. threatening. u she does not only
sister ter She also says ssh she has heard Of some
scandal going about. and she wants no more
Another letter produced by tho State shows
that in her JEALOUSY. Alice Threatened tho life
OF ashley Koselie. the young man who was
iS3i. 1t starts out By acca sing Frsda Of Inf:
aSa s Afn ss esP e bore sRs
You may think am IN fun" she wrote.
S ssnsS am d not esaa Sec y am maf o Tia
know i v love YOU" Sic recalls = steam.
arm. from her wall It. She accus es her Of wish:
ing ii was Ashcy's arm around her instead of
h,rI, and then renews her threats against
nril lnI ne neryG to go t. gun store tor and
asked too much for them" Again hesceching
rra - si,n tr1r t" n"r anI try to love No
Fof'uwiu: this letter cave u series written
t"G yuunH man n the name Of V. }. Ward of
CarLon, Tex. and to T, l. RieGer d, Tits
ii" Nv" Ward girls. Alice Mitchell and Liii:s
J3!'nl wer" all ENGAGED IN Ii. using each
,hl,e, ,. IS were sent to Freda Ward.
J; l'ar'', They are tie steI eotyI ed silly eiiu-
si"rs which girls would be expected t. write
under such circumstances. hut some OF them
display considerable hume. and merit Of
In one Alice wris,s to her Texas friend tell
Ing MIN Of a TRIP she had taken under tho
escort II "soirmn old nister." vii! finally
!.It her at y lnn.ti"n to 60 to Iowa. while she
Xxx tells Of how they got their baggage
mixed. and draws a humorous picture OF her
d'sinav ut he.ng hsnLed atravrl-stained yalise
and =, cks. and specul ates as TO what service
her blue TX dress and her various garments
In q letter ia Pittsburgh correspondents she
ryd TINT mqnnIt truly love Of the
fne assures hin, his little actress can. and pic:
tur how onice to talk about 1t would TO II
the le ter indicating that he was an actor.
There are several OF thcs: letters,
Mic "i'r5 i'll ,reat m en' Of her hnsi a9d's old;
ct laughter 10y lis first wife wa. introduced
to hsI tie dewitt w.t.
s sSn Mrs Mtshs That ''fs ssd
h me in 1879. and until January last had lived
nltnfe mouse. inc Stats Attorney eucceeneu
IN establishing the fact that Mrs Mttchell's
UNPLEASANT diisposition was manifested only to
her step-childrsn.
hoHertt testified that since her c9pfnement
IN jail Alice had shown O chill 'iish disposition
in amusing herself only with pets, having
Taught cat many rlcks. He admitted, though,
sns af ior Frsda Wd all subjects but
J"hn Perry. q utcher and grocer. who lives
next to the Mltchsls. testified to seeing Alice
D. such mems work and play as clean ing out
horses. riding bareback, In the YARD Ike
all within the last two years. 1t developed.
too. rom this witness that Alic was Q cigar
cite aend. He kept her supplied with them.
and often snw her smoke them..
Then Lille Johneon took the stand. She
testified to going driving with Alice on the
passed tho Kimbrough House until they saw
ifTets at the window; Then, IN attempting to
toll the story OF the killing which occurred dur
Ing their afternoon drive. the witness suddenly
gHlo way.
he buried her face in her hands and sobbed
painfu y for several minutes before she could
the subsequent events Just az Il has bean told
IN these dispatches, and insisted that she
t.,.s. . MIR n nor