The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-05-24
M'KENNA ON
STAND.
He Is Called to Protect
Mrs. Algeo's Good
Name.
SHE ALSO TESTIFIES
Young Daughter Of the
Plaintiff Says Her Parents
Lived in Harmony.
SHE ALSO TESTIFIES

Sitting demurely in the front row of
spectators benches, fianked on either side
by two of her rather pretty daughters,
Mre. Josephine McKenna, who is suing
AIRS. Barbara Algeo for $4,000 for the
alienation of the affections of he husband,
former Detective John E. McKenna. of
the Lackawanna Railroad, gazed with an
increduleus sneer at the alleged author
of her marital woes as the latter from
the witness stand in the Supreme Court
room this morning told the story of her
relations with the plaintiffs husband.
There is no marked contrast between the
two women who, it is alleged, yearn for
the affections and society of the ex-de-
tective. They are apparently about the
same age and both are eminently re-
spectacle in appearance and dress modest
ly and in good taste. The wife is a blond,
very stout, weighing perhaps $50 pounds,
while the widow, who, she alleges, has
deprived her of the affections of her hus-
band is brunette and. weighs probably
80 pounds less.
Both the plaintiff and defendant were
attired in sombre black, but in Mrs
Algeo's costume this was relieved by a
Will Straw udl ll4LikiiSu Will DlCiiNSN
blue and white. Diamonds adorned her
ears and from a gold chain at her neck
was suspended a heart shaped locket,
which one of the witnesses swore at one
time contained miniature of MeKenna.
During the early part of the proceedings
McKenna occupied seat alongside of the
defendants s counsel while Mrs Algeo sat
at the rear of the court room. When the
former detective took the stand to testify
in her behalf Mrs. Algeo took the chair
he left at the counsers table, but this
morning when the defendant was called
as a witness her alleged paramour left
the court room. The court room was fair
ly well filled by spectators at both yes
terdays and today's proceedings.
In his direct testimony McKenna ex-
hibited proneness to exaggeration, which
was used to their advantage by Lawyers
Speer and Cary on cross-examination. He
said he had been to Canada "a million
times" that his wife had not given him
1.-TWO kind words during his married life,
and that mo woman in America could
swear as she could
AdcKenna said he was merely boarder
at Mrs Aigeo's and denied any intimacy
with her. He said he married when he
was seventeen or eighteen years of age
and lived miserably with his wife ever
afterwards. He denied that he left his
wife and said she drove him from home.
McKenna said he was now living with his
sister, but on cross-examination admitted
that he had not gone there to live until
the day the trial started.
my wife was always accusing me of
intimacy with women declared the
witness. Zone day when there was a
woman passing the house she accused me
of being the father of the light haired
baby that wore specs This caused
laughter. in which Justice Collins joined
and McKenna proceeded to explain that
ne meant that she accused him Of beng
the father of the light haired baby of tae
woman who wore specs.
The witness testified that he had had
no steady employment since he left the
Lackawanna road. His seven weeks at
the Sheepshead Bay racetrack, which had
been part of the testimony, profited him
$500. which he invested in the Lyric
Theatre cafe and lost.
Mrs. Algeo took the stand in her own
behalf this morning. She told of her ac-
ouaintance with McKenna and said they
had first been introduced by her sister
several years ago. 1t was not Until he
called at her house to hire a room that
they had met since they were first intro
duced He came there as a roomer aud
boarder. She did not ask him TO
come.
To questions put by Lawyer Weller, TIE
witness said: .1 never went out walking
or riding with Mr.. McKenna, nor TO the
theatre, nor to the race track with him.
went to the race track but not on his
invitation and not to meet him. went
often to the race track with my husband
IN his life time" She denied that she
called AIckenna Jack or that he ever
called her "Barbie.' Mrs. Algeo said her
children were always home and denied
that she ever acted toward McKenna in
the manner the servants alleged. She said
McKcnna was never in her room and
that she never walked about the house IN
short skirts or dishabille. 81 respect my
children too much to do such thing, :
she said She denied she ever enticed
McKenna or made any inducements foi
him to remain with her. She denied airy
ilaproper relations with him. She told
of Mrs McKenna's visit and said that
after Mrs. McKenna asked her to tel
her husband to go home she did so, FEAR
ing that by his remaining at her house
she would be compromised. She denied
that she told Mrs. McKenna on the oc-
casion of the second visit that Mrs. Nc,
Kenna could not take McKenna away
from her.
Al noon Counselor speer started MS
cross examination.
After recess yesterday Mrs. McKenns
testified that after she left Mrs Algee
on the day she informed Mrs. Algeo thai
McKenna was her husband and father Of
her six children, McKenna came homt
and grabbed her by the throat and warn
ed her to keep away from Mrs. Algeo
She said that she again visited Mrs. Alges
and admitted that she threatened to Kill
Mrs. Algeo if that lady did not give III
her husband. She said that her husband
then promised to come back home, bu
did not.
Mrs. McKenna said that in November
1900, she moved to Hoboken She was nt
longer able to pay her rent and her rela
tives helped g support her.
sedIe Kirk, bright girl sesenteer