Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-24
THE RANKIN ROW
Both Principals and Their Witnesses Tell Contra
 diCtOry Stories.

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 There are few consummate liars in Waterbury judging from the evil dence given by the witnesses In the case of George Rankin, charged with non-support of his wife and child The statements of the different wit nesses have been so fatty contradict ory that there is no doubt that cer- tain persons have flagrantly violated the oaths administered to them and have committed perjury. What one witness swore as positively true, an- other sWore tnat 1t was absolutaly false. IL was case O. ccutrac'c- tfons through ,ut.
 Monday morning was renewed this morning, Herbert H. Owens of East Canaan, Conn, was the first witness. He testified that he saw Mrs Rankin and James Mitchell riding in a team last June in Canaan Valley. They were driven from the depot to house in that place. That night he saw them again together In front of the house. The next afternoon both had disappeared.
 Mrs John Swan of Walnut street said that she saw James Mitchell and Mrs Rankin together number of times during November dn the middle of the forenoon of each day.
 Jennie A. Eggleton of Rock street, trained nurse, said that she was en- gagged to nurse Mrs Rankin week af- ter her child's birth She stated that MT Rankin treated his wife kindly and bought all medical supplies reg quired On cross examination At torney O'Neill asked If she did not see Rankin slap his wife and she replied NO" Did you do it?' the attorney asked, and she replied "No.'' The nurse explained the occurrence to which MT O'Neill referred by stating that Mrs Rankin was moaning very much and her husband took her by the arm and told her she must stop The neighbors had been complaining of the moaning and the nurse did not think that it was necessary because she thought that the woman should control her feelings
 Attorney O'Neill brought out the facts that Miss Eggleton was only 18 years old at the time and had had no hospital training and had only attend ed about half a dozen cases. She had always been taught to control her feelings and not give in to them, and thought others should do Hkew1se.
 George Rankin then took the stand. He said that his wife first left 1adm on the Friday afternoon following Thanksgdv lying day, 1903, without stat ing any reason when he asked her where and why she was going away. l About ten days later she spent Sun- day with him and the next afternoon she went away again while he was at work. About three weeks later she used to meet him at night time com ing home from work and begged with tears in her eyes for him to take her back. After three nights of such begging he yielded to her tears and pleadings and went to live with her at her mothers home and stayed there for about ten days. He came home on Monday night and his wife was gone. He asked her mother where she was and she told him she didn't know. The next day ne left the house and went to live with his mot1l- CT. He didn't see her again until May. She then wrote letters to him asking to be taken back, but he paid no attention to them. This finished the evidence for the defense.
 Mrs Rankin in her testimony denied nearly every statement of any um- portance made by the witnesses for the defense. Tn regard to her visit to Canaan and her meeting James Mitchell, she said it was purely acci- dental. She first saw Mitchell that day at the Canaan depot and both rode dn the same carriage to the home of her cousin. She has not seen Mitchell since.
 Edwin Murgatory of East Canaan told of Mitchell and Mrs Rankin visit ing him one day last Jl1ne He could not state whether they arrived togeth- CT. Neither had sent word of their coming. The next morning he drove both together to the depot, where he left them, and he saw them no more afterwards. Mrs Rankin was recalled and said that she and Mitchell had been driven to the depot as stated. She left Mitchell at the depot and has not seen him since.
 John Mitchell testified that he used to accompany his brother James and Mrs Rankin to work. He never saw them alone. Tn his opinion all the trouble was caused by Mrs Rankin visiting his house. and her mothers house after she had been forbidden to do so by her husband. He wished to tell many other things, but was cut short by objections of Attorney Ken nedy The noon hour having arrived this afternoon.
 The case was finished at 3:30 this afternoon and Judge Peasley ordered Rankin to pay his wife $5 a week for six months under a bond of $15O. An appeal was taken.