The age-herald., 1902-01-24
Strong Line of Defense in the
 Richardson Case
WEPT AS HER SON TALKED
Witnesses Said While Going About the Streets at Night Mrs. Rich ardson Was Looking for Hus-
 band, Who Was Drinking.

l Plattsburg, Mo, January 23.-Mrs. Ad- die B. Richardson's defense was begun today in her trial here for the murder of her husband, Frank W. Richardson of Savannah Today 1t was shown that Mrs. Richardson's trips about the streets of Savannah after night in company with | Stewart Fife. which fact the State brought out yesterday, was to find her husband. Johnnie Richardson, IA years old, the first witness called by the de- fense, told of going with his mother at Il :s0 o'clock at night to find his father, and how afterwards Fife had located him. intoxicated, in a hotel. Mrs. Rich ardson had gone there and taken him away.
 This was corroborated by Mrs. Richard Gertrude Grant. sister of the dead man. and by the hotel proprietor. Others told of Mrs Richardson's good character. They were the Rev. John Atwill, rector of the church which Mrs. Richardson at | tended and who had lived at the Rich ardson home; Rev. A. R. Hunt and Peter | Christiansen, the latter member of the grand jury that indicted Mrs. Richard | son.
 l Bruce Stanton testified that he had made tracks in the snow about the Rich ardson house on the night of the murder while examining the premises.
 Mrs. Richardson Will Be Last.
 The last witness for the defense will be Mrs. Richardson. That probably will be tomorrow afternoon.
 The first witness introduced by the de- fense was Johnnie Richardson, the H- year-old son of the defendant. He was questioned with view to explaining the mission of his mother, who, witnesses for the State had testified, had been seen in company with Stewart Fife sitting on the steps of a church some distance from the Richardson home. Young Richardson said that on the | night in question he had left home in company with his mother about Il o'clock to find MT. Richardson. They had met Fife at the church steps, and Fife had | gone to the St. Charles Hotel and report ed that Richardson was there. Then his mother had gone alone to the hotel and had taken his father home.
 Mrs Richardson wept while her son
 was testifying.
 Mrs J. w. Grant a sister of the mur- dered man, testified that she was at the Richardson home the night that Mrs. Richardson brought her husband home from the hotel. She said her brother was very much under the influence of liquor. Mrs. Richardson's general reputation in Texas, Kansas and Missouri, where she had lived, was. she said, good. ' Grand Juror a Witness.
 Dr. w. M. Kerr, a resident of Savan- nah for twelve years, and Peter Chris tiansen, who was member of the grand jury that indicted Mrs. Richardson, also testified to Mrs. Richardsons good char acter.
 Christiansen was asked:
 You never heard others discuss her character?'
 No sir; because I suppose there was nothing bad in it to discuss"
 And you signed the indictment against her for murder?'
 "Yes, sir.''
 A score of witnesses from the leading families in Savannah were placed on the stand late this afternoon and they all testified to Mrs. Richardson's good char acter M
 John D. Richardson, brother of the murdered man, testified that when he l went to Savannah after receiving the news of his brothers death. he hired two lawyers to help the prosecuting attorney 1 run down the slayers. This action was taken he said independent of the actions of his sister-in-law. The witness also testified as to Mrs. Richardson's good 1 character.
 When court adjourned tonight all of the | testimony for the defense was in except ing that to be given by the defendant, | ~l-..lxt &~l~. i the stand tomorrow.
 l Mrs Richardson tonight expressed her. l self as being confident of verdict of l acquital being rendered.