Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-03-28
Trying to Prove Ethel
a Bad Girl.
Her Mother, Upon TAX
ing the Stand,
Fires Fierce Looks and Threating
Words at Defendant.

With down cast eyes, though there
was not blush upon her face, Ethel
court Thursday morning as the first
witness in the case of Attorney New
ton Chalker, charged with criminal
assault upon her. She wore II large
hat, plentifully adorned with flowers
and feathers, n lavender waist and
black jacket and skirt. She said she
was - years, and would not be 16
years old until September, but appear
cd year or two older.
Mr.. Chalicr sat beside Judge n. ID.
Tibbas, and j. @. Frank, Esq, his
counsel, and smiled calmly as the girl
testified. The examination was con-
Quoted by $. G. Rogers, Esq, and w.
A. Spencer, Esq, for the prosecution.
The court room and hall outside were
crowded.
The girl told of having visited Mr..
Chalkers office in company with Harry
Finn TO ask him how old she must be
to get married. That was about Feb.
l. He told her, she said, that SHE
should come back another time and he
would give her the information. When
she went again To the office Mr.. Chalk
er was not in and she went IL third
time. 1t was then, she said, that Mr..
Chalker took her into his private office
and told her that she should not get
married; that he would rent u room for
her and her friends need not know
where she was. she described the pri-
yate office by saying that it had mat
ting on the floor and contained II few
chairs, n lounge and n small desk or
stand. 1t was on the occasion of this
visit, the girl said, that Mr.. Challier
took liberties with her. lie gave her
20 cents. she said, M she went away
and told her TO come back She said
her next visit TO Mr.. Chalker was II
repetition of the occurrences of the
third visit.
When she went again she wished to
secure money with which to 20 To
Cleveland. Sarah Reed and Edward
Her and Frank Frary were with her.
She said the boys remained in the
hall while she and Sarah went in the
office and each asked Mr.. Chulkcr
for 30 cents. lie refused them the
money. but IL little later, she said, took
her into his private office ana even
tually gave her 30 cents.
Mr.. Frank conducted the cross ex-
animation. The girl told him she had
never been In Cleveland until the time
when she was arrested n few weeks
ago.
Mr.. Frank read IA letter Miss John.
ston had written to Harry Finn sever.
nj months ago in which she spoke of
having been In Cleveland and having
been brought home by her step. fnthcr
and II cop
Mr. Rogers objected to the introduc-
ton Of this testimony aud long ar,
gument cnsued,
"We want 10 show this girls char
actcr," said Judge Tibbals I'VE n-
tend to prove that Mr.. Chnlkcr never
touched her In any improper way"
Mr.. Rogers ST don't want to turn
this case into a talking match, |
haven't II wealthy client who can af-
ford to pay me for talking ali day"
Paint the character of the witness
~ black as you please. but the fact
still remains that she visited the of,
flee OF the defendant frequently, and
received ON such occasions the sum of
70 cents. | suppose this sum burned
III the hands Of the defendant the
same as $50 would burn in the hands
OF a great many. We don't want cyi.
dencC admitted that has no direct bear
ing on the case"
The court permitted the witness to
answer the question"
She said: yes, | wrote that letter
TO Harry"
Argument again followed when the
defense tried to show that the witness
had gone directly from Akron into a
disreputable neighborhood of Cleve
land and associated with disreputabl,
people
The prosecution urged that what
Miss Johnston did In Cleveland afteI
her alleged association with the de
fendant proved nothing for the de
fense.
The witness admitted having talked
n great deal with Fred Lelpscom
among other things telling him she wa
IL years old.
Did yon tell him your father was
the author of your ruinY