The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-09

s<sS ktokNsy1 On one nae s4coTs0 10 con-
vince Judge HumeS that NrsA Dawson 10
base bat clever woman. ana counsel on
the other side tried just n hard and 5ust
a. long 20 persuade his honor that DR..
DawSon II designing wretch with no
lust grounds for the terrible accusations
No has brought against his wife.
Harold Preston opened for the defense.
and In the limited time allotted him made
IN able review Of the principal incidents
IN ths complaint. paid his respects 20
most or the witnesses for the defense. and
cited formidable array Of authorities In
support Of propositions In favor OF the
plaintiff His tone throughout was ear
nest and his manner easy and unaffected.
his voice seldom rising above converse
uonai pitch. but always making itself Dis
tfnctly heard He spoke 70 the court
rather than TO the audience. He cited va
rious authorities to prove that absolute
proof OF the criminal act was not nscss-
sary To establish the charge OF adultery.
He argued thar the many witnesses who
testified 10 suspicious acts and utterznces
by Mrs. Dawson and suspicious circum-
stances In which she had been placed. ere
ated strong cumulative presumption Of
her guilt which could not be dssrcgardess-
He quoted to show that three essentials
are necessary 10 make out such charge
- that set out In the complaint: Adulfer-
Gus disposition OF the accused. adulterous
disposition Of the alleged parrieepe GRIM
tnis. and opportunity for criminal inter
course. and argued that these three had
been amply established By evidence In the
present case. He presented strongly the
conflict running all down the line al ev-
cry inch Of the testimony. the only ex-
PLANTATION OF which he found to be that
somebody had testified falsely. There
is perjury somewhere" he said. Re claim
ed the advantage for the plaintiff. because
with the exception Of DIR. Dawson all the
nlAtnftm<a
while on the other side all the witnesses
are interested. He reviewed the manner
assumed by the defendant, saying II must
admit that she Is O conscientious actress.
but no one could watch her on the wit
ness stand without being convinced that
she was playing a part" He referred to
the condolences of language on the part
OF Mrs. Dawson and her sisters. TO state
ments which Mrs. Dawson had denied In
her cross-compIaint. but admitted on the
witness stand. and 10 improbable explain
atoms OF suspicious circumstances, such
as the correspondence with an unknown
female friend. the abrupt departure OF
Clement. and the like; and then took up
evidences Of untruthfulness In Mrs. Daw-
sons testimony. He called attention 10
the resemblance between the doggerel and
the words written at dictation by Mrs
Dawson on the stand. where not only the
formation Of the letters was similar. but
the miszpelied word "mustent" was SINH
larry written In both: TO the draft writ
ten by Latimer which Mrs. Dawson swors
was In DIR. Dawson's handwriting; to the
letter which she declared was handed
to her by Alex Barber at time when the
evidence shows that the boy was sick In
bed with typhoid fever. He mentioned
many minor matters. no one OF great I'M
portance in itself. but all tending TO Gre
ate strong presumption: AZ for example.
that Eckstrom. the ladies' escort nj the
fatf~ mi Ufh a
evidence shows that he was just 81 years
old. He mentioned various matters OF dis
pute as of her III treatment. life on tns
ranch sickness. neglect and abuse by Dr.
Dawson, arguing that the advantage IN
zach OF these disputed matters rested
clearly with the defendant He thought
the evidence fairly convicted Mrs Dawson
OF trying to suppress the Kinseys festi-
mony. the testimony showing that Eek
strom was engaged In inducing them 10
leave Los Angeles. and that he must have
done so In the interest OF Mrs. Dawson.
since with the exception OF one or two MI
nor points. an the charge Of intoxicatioh.
Eckstrom had little interest in the mat
ter himself.
Coming next TO the leading incidents IN
the case. he reviewed the Testimony In
each. The Carroll episode. Estabrook's
visits, Espiin's staying at the Dawson
house the Tacoma adventures and the
trip TO eteiiacoom. the skirt dance revei.
the fun ut the fiesta. the mysterious vis-
ifor AZ the Ballard house. and the atten-
lions OF Hess. each received passing an
ayisis and towards some OF the witnesses
the speaker was severely sarcastic. as lot
instance toward the gallant member OF
the coo Mr. Clement. who made his mid
night exit through the back door. and 10
Coi Fife. whom Mr.. Preston accused OF
ek.IlfuIiy acting the part Of an Invalid on
the witness stand.
Mr.. Gilman gracefully yielded naii
hour OF his time TO Mr.. Preston. who cited
authorities 10 prove that the cohabitation
~ husband and wife after mere suspicion
~ ertr,tual intercourse II not conformation;
THAT the law elbows him time for con-
s,dersnr after receiving information, ana
that IL the wife commits adultery WITH a,
knowledge of that fact does not condone
n similar ofensc with -, OF whicn ZIG nus
band knew nothing
sThe real contest IN this case, Mr.. Pres
ton said was over the possession OF the
children. and he argued that II The court
FOUND the wife guilty Of adultery then
ara could not be regarded as nj guard-
60 - cha ehi,aren's morals. IL he had
more time he would argue concerning the
rron~r,y relations. showing that Or. Dsw-
IN had not sauandered his wtfe's fortune.
For the Defense.
srs.r. wa. a marked transition from the
r.,,.. arw,,mentat.va tone OF Mr.. Pres
,nn 20 the sonorous trumpet notes Win
,-s,,h Mr.. Ronald opened the argument
s,r the defendant. The latter Appeared
Ear more 10 the emotions OF his auditors.
ana closed his argument with passage
81 rare literary and cratorieai beauty.
~ congratulate your honor" began Mr.
x,n,aas .that this case Is drawing 20
rJeSA In all my experience IN ife ara
r~ae.lce AZ the bar have never met fnss
soah a case A prominent ciifren. hereto
Cor. Regarded a. the establishment or DIS
r-nfnssien. has spent three months 81 tire
ara thousands OF collars n an attempt 20
~, .ha ~tmran % inearny upon his wife
u ,bls vein he exccriated DT. Dawson.
-.,s,~ that as long as hts children lived,
.na as long as one stone Of the o1hding
$500 they would ira IN that oGiiding
-a,crf ar. monument 81 their rather .
e.-,,,,.sn Efforts 20 brand With shame the
r.man with whom they had learned 10
associate the sacred rasne 81 mother.
N~ Ronald then read e0ecsfNesy I've OK
Mrs pswscn's letters. ere 20 Mrs. Jensen
ana the ether 20 Dr, Dawson methef.
\, "a. former the writer asked Mrs. Jen-
a., fn- hsr deposition. not for perjury, but
Ear truth. ara Mr.. Ronald said he would
~, .nr,v the name 90 woman 20 oae who
-n.,ss rs,saIv trSc~s~ sansrswFrei on the
N.eN 81 such a letter. ft wss In her letter
., mr. pawsc1ss mother fhst Ms. Dawson
,,,,otet the saving "thecs are two sides %
..~x ,o~ssior~ ard proceeded for thu
So ,s~,a 20 give ths elder Mrs. rawsNn.
xeo,s sra addressed as mother. some IN
.srrnts,. az her ssse o. the story. ASSERT
,-r sos~sssrsly her tnnacenoe Of the charges
vnasn sratnss her By her husband. Be
fora Cos. swear that ] have never
w~o-sNs him even 81 tAeaghs." she
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