Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-24
CLAIM SUICIDE.
Defence in White Murder
Trial Opens Case.
The Prisoner Tells Story Of the Death
Of Her Husband.
e'a''' 40 so"m'''ed Suicide Through
Thoughts Of Losing Her.

Ahe hise testimony introduced by the
government. Saturday morning, in the
White murder case, was some corra-
spondence. The county attorney read
letter written by the accused to her
husband then in Jail, dated Sept. ..
1897, in which she upbraided him and
his mother for reports they had circu-
laced about her, as she claimed.
Among other things she said:
AS near as I can find out, you told
your mother you was done with me and
would never live with me after YOU
got out of jail. What do you or your
old mother suppose care whether you
live with me or not? There are others
just as good as you or your mother,
and by chance l might possibly get
some one If I wanted them'
A letter was also introduced written
March "a. 1898. by the prisoner. who
was then in Jail, to her husband in
Chelsea, in which she applied to him
many endearing terms, expressing her
dissatisfaction with her Imprisonment
which she claimed was for doing moth
ing. and saying:
IF ever 1 chance to come to Jail
again 1 will know what lam coming
for. and you can bet it will be for some
thing. l will commit murder, and then
will be used fine by everybody. Well,
darling. be nice little boy, and keep
up your courage, and be of good cheer
live in hopes to be with you soon. my
darling boy husband, for, thank God,
every day brings me nearer to my lib
erty and to my boy husband. In one
of your letters to me you told me to oe
a good girl. Well, must be good, for
there is no other way. I have no
chance to be bad here, if I want to
ever so much, for l see no one. l am
well protected here. l must be good.
1t is case of got to-"
Drs. Elwell and Hunt were recalled
for cross examination, and testified
that a man shot as White was would
follow the line of gravitation in falling,
and that the limbs, ceasing to obey the
will of the person, would follow the
same line. They also testified on the
redirect that if man were sitting as
White was found, on the floor with his
head resting upon the bed, and if in
addition to this both arms We're under
his head. and he was shot SO as TO
cause such wound as White had, they
would expect to find the hands very
nearly in the same position as they
were when the shot was fired.
The testimony on the part of the
government was to the effect that when
the body was found the left arm was
| by his side and the right thrown up
| over his shoulder.
| They also testified that if he had shot
himself in the left temple, holding the
revolver in his right hand, they would
expect his arm to drop Immediately to
| lllS Sluc. AclC w do dlOO lCSeiAiiCAiy VII
the re-cross examination that the
wound went deep enough to cause pos
sible involuntary motions of the arm;
it was possible that a man suddenly
killed might throw his arm back as
found in this case, but from the nature
of this wound it was improbable.
| The testimony on the part of the gov
eminent was concluded about II
| O'Clock.
| Mr.. Whitehouse then opened the case
for the prisoner. The grounds of de-
fence are that White committed sui
eide, and that even if the jury believed
that the fatal shot was fired by the re-
spondent, then she was not guilty OF
the charge of murder but only man.
slaughter: because in that case there
would be no preconceived and deliber-
ately formed intention to take life, but
what was done would be on the i'm
pulse of the moment and in excitement
and heat of passion.
| Ten witnesses were sworn for the re-
| spondent.
| Rose E. White, the prisoner. testl-
| fled she was 90 years of age; that she
was born in Dexter, and came with her
parents to Chelsea to live when about
| IL years of age When 121s years Old
she was married. She lived with her
| husband until divorced from him SIX
years after. When 10 she married
again and got divorce from that nus
band in little over year.
May 5, 1897, she married Everett
White after short acquaintance. He
got drunk the day they were married
| and frequently became intoxicated at
ter that, and she threatened to get
divorce from him if he continued 10
drink; that he threatened to kill him
self if she got divorce, because he
| couldn't and wouldn't live without ner.
On one occasion he was drunk and
threatened to take his own life, and
| che opd a Hovf how who was present,