Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-27
MAN ATTACKS MRS. HARTJE
Defendant in Divorce Case Assaulted ~
She Was Leaving Court House,
AssNLANT MAKES HIS ESCAPE IN CROWD
COlOred COachman's story that His
wife was Paid for Lying
for Mrs. HRrtie Fails
Flat.

PITTsBURG, July s6-Just after leaving
the courthouse today, following the adjourn
ment Of the hearing In the Hartje divorce
case, Mary Scott Hartje, the respondent in
the case, was attacked by an unidentified
man on the street. Despite the crowd
about the courthouse at the time the man
made his escape. Although a short chase
was made after him he escaped through an
alley.
Mrs. Hartje left the building with Mrs.
Alexander Socum who has been Mrs.
Hsrtje's constant companion throughout the
hearing. The women were on their way to
the offlce Of John Freeman, Mrs. Hartjes
counsel. They had gone but a few steps
from the court room when a man having
the appearance of a mill worker thrust out
his arm and grabbing Mrs. Hartje dragged
her across the pavement, saying: Mary,
come with me"
Screaming with fright. Mrs. Hsrtje man
aged to escape from the man and found
refuge in Mr.. Freeman's Office. In the
meantime the crowd stood about apparently
paralyzed at the incident. The man started
to run and was lost to those who took up
the chase. Some few minutes later Mrs.
slocum pointed out asfnan as the assaiant
and he was arrested, but released when
Mrs Hartje said he was not the man.
Today was the first since the hearing that
Mrs Hartje has appeared on the street
without detective being near At her own
request the detectives were dismissed from
protecting her.
More Sensations Promised.
| At today's session OF the Hartje trial
counsel for Augustus Hartje called wit
nesses to refute the story told by Coachman
TON" Nadine to the effect that while
Mrs. Mary Scott Hartje was in Memphis
Hartje met a blonde woman in schenley
park and took her to his home in the car
rage driven by Nadine
new sensation in the case is promised
before the week is over.
Josephine Wright, whom Augustus Hartje
had been charged with visiting at 24O Sec
! ond avenue. was placed on the stand and
testified that Hartje had never visited her.
| It is said that witnesses would be placed
on the stand by Mrs. Hartje 20 rebut the
Wright womans testimony. It was re-
ported that informations are to be made
and that they are to be based on the
Wright womans evidence.
Ashby's story Falls Flat.
The unusual spectacle of husband Civ
ing evidence that IL produced in criminal
court would tend to convict his wife Of a
crime the punishment for which is i'm
prisonmont in the penitentiary, was seen
this morning. Wibert Ashby, husband OF
Blanche Ashby. formerly a domestic in
the Hart1e household, swore that his wife
had told him she had lied in the deposition
she made for Mrs. Hartje and that she
had been promised money for doing so.
Ashby also swore that his wife had told
him that Mrs. Hartje had declared to her
she was sorry she had not returned to
live with Hartje when he asked her to go
back to him. t.At this statement Mrs.
Hartte showed more establishment than
she has exhibited at any of the testimony
hitherto. IL r. 'rg5i
In crpss.exarniifdfion a letter which
Ashby had written Mrs. Hartje was placed
in evidence. In II be told Mrs. Hartje that
II "she couldspay Blanche for speaking for
her Hartje could do the same" This took
some of the wind out OF the sails of the
IIdrtje side, as all the testimony on that
point had been to thereffect that Ashby had
written that II Mrs. Hartje could pay
! Blanche for lying Hartje could AFFORD
to pay for the truth
One Of the closing events of the trial
will be to show how, where and when the
Nadine love letters were secured. This,
it was reported this afternoon, would be
done tomorrow.