The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-04-20
WOMAN INBLACK
Mrs. Eckroate Heard the Shots and
Saw Mrs. George Fire Them.
The Person Then walked Away to a Va
cant Lot Through Which the Person
Ran-The Person Identified -
the Woman Now on Trial.

CANTON, O., April 15.- Additional
cross examination of Mrs. Mary Fin.
ley opened Fridays proceedings in the
trial of Mrs. George for the murder
of James D. Saxton. This was chiefly
directed toward proving that the Wit
ness has been coached for her direct
testimony. Mrs. Mary Nauman related
conversations Of Mrs. George. In one,
the latter told of having kept Saxton
from entering the Althouse home by
pointing pistol and making him come
away with her. Mrs. George asked
Saxton If he was ready to die then,
and said she could have killed him
then, but wanted her husband, Mr..
George, to get some of his money first.
She also detailed other threats made
by Mrs. George.
Mrs. McAllister related what Mrs.
George said of her grievances against
Saxton. John l.. Jackson, a colored
| janitor, testified that Mrs. George
often came to him at the block where
| he worked and said to him she would
| kill Saxton if he did not settle with
her and quit going with Mrs. Althouse.
CANTON, O., April 1.-THE Mrs.
| George trial opened Saturday morn
ing with Miss Matte Grimes on the
| stand for cross examination. She ex-
| planned that she especially observed
| Mrs. Georges flushed face when she
| passed her because she Uhe witness)
h hoo ri Of Co danfh and had
been told of some Of the relations be.
tween Saxton and Mrs. George.
| Policeman E. E. Willis was called to
say that Mayor Rice was Mrs. Georges
counsel the morning after the ar.
rest, but evidence was excluded. Mrs
Oberlin, with whom Mrs. George
roomed, described Mrs. Georges APP
| pearance and dress when she left the
house the morning of Saxton's death.
| Mrs. Christina Eckroate presented
startling testimony. She testified to
| going to her window on the night Of
the murder after hearing two shots,
and to seeing person bend forward
and fire two shots towards the ground
and then walk away to a vacant lot
through which the person ran. She
identified the person as Mrs. George.
She had previously often noticed .
woman parading up and down the
walk in front Of the Althouse residence
whom she learned to know was Mrs.
George after peace proceedings had
been commenced by Mrs. Althouse.
Mrc Fol <o &c fbo n,;tpoce a -
amined either in this hearing or in any
of the preliminary proceedings who
claimed to recognize the 'person in
black"
There had been some gossip about a
surprise eye witness" to be intro
duced.
In cross-examination the defense
sought to show that the witness did
not know Mrs. George we'll enough to
identify her and that the street was
too dark for any one to recognize a
person across the street.
Mrs. Eckroate is passed middle life
and the mother of grown children.
The family is humble, but respected by
those who know them. On the stand
Mrs. Eckroate talked directly on the
subjects asked her.
She showed no unwillingncss to an.
swer the defense as readily as the
state. She did, however, show indica
tions that she did not comprehend all
of the language and questions ad
dressed to her.