The sun., 1893-01-22
7 EAST 18th ST., new YORK.
A Scandal In Which, the Government Takes
Part az Prosecutor.

PAnKEEsBr re-. ". Va. Jan. 2l.-Thc trial Of
Mrs. Saliie L. Shaw before tho Federal Court
in this city on nm Indictment charging her
with sending scandaous anonymous letters
through the mails Is attracting much alton
tion. Mr.. Shaw is the wIfo OF Otis
Shaw. II wel.known citizen and travel-
ling salesman. She is II church mem-
Der and belongs to one OF the Oldest
families in the state. Tho young woman
who received tie letters is Miss Hildh Fisher.
also momber OF church societies. and duuGh-
ter of II. G. Fisher. one OF the leading mer-
chants Of the city Her father is member Of
the Board "f Education. Miss Fisher and Mrs.
Shaw some time ago were close personal
friends. They hal Il li@aCreement AMI bes
came bitter enemies. Then intimate friends
sides. and about that lime IT," letters came to
Miss Fisher through the mails,
which we'll. known railroad mans name was
assocla'ed with that, Of Miss Fisher. and dares
and places in which the young woman Was
alleged to have met the railroad man wrongly
were ment ioned. The contents were scandal
GUS and when rumorrSs OF ,he charges Decams
Mie. Fisher was was ssnuD6en s ny IGr former
aa rGn
crieyed 10 such m extent that for u timeit
WAS feared TINT she would become insane. IA.
having written ths letters, and based their
suspicion upon stories alleged to have been
ami called in. Two letter. rom Mrs. Shaw were were
obtained. and uron these the inspectors SEE
cured her Indictment by Il comparison OF
handwriting. They then arrested hcr. The
was The two short letters acknowledged to
have been written by the defendant.
The Post once Inspectors went to New York
city. and called into the case Daniel Ames. an
expert in handwriting. When the case came
M tifty or more Of the best known men and
women OF the city were summoned as wit
nesses for tho Government and tho defence.
Some OF the women witnesses for the Govern
ment testified to hearing Mrs Shaw use some
AZ tho words and expressions contained in the
anonymous letters.
several witnesses for tho defence tes-
titled that the rumor OF improper con-
duet, was genernl before the dat upon
srectors testified that thoy ellsved that Mrs.
Shaw WAS tho author o! the letters To re-
iute this testimony tho defence put several
Presidents and cashiers OF banks on the stand.
who testified their belief that tho writer OF the
anonymous letters was not the writer Of the
acknowledged ones
Then the defence produced witnesses to
| prove that Miss Iiilda Fisher had publicly
charged Mrs. brown. her married sister. with
| having written the anonS nous letters. one OF
Fisher said in the presence OF herself and Mrs.
II. &. Fisher that she knew enough TO send her
| sister. Mrs. Brown. to the renitentinry
| The expert. Mr. Ames. WAS placed on the
| larged Photographs Of all the letters and en-.
l. vNiopes. copies of which wcrc in the custody of
| the court. from yesterday morning until TO,
day at noon Mr. Ames with n biz biacRhoaId
| before him. gave an ANALYSIS OF the handwrit-
| Ing and described it's alleged unconscious err
| sonalities. At the conclusion Of his testimony
| and cross ss-eSaminRIiont "a" "Hse Was adlouiheu
until Monday morning iuf argument