Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-07-19
SENSATION IN
THE HARTJE
D|VORCESU|T
Lawyers Charged With Steal
ing Papers
ALLEGATION OF THEFT
CAUSES EXCITEMENT IN COURT
Judge Orders Disputed Letter Re-
turned to Defendants Attorneys
Who Claimed It Was Stolen.
ALLEGATION OF THEFT
CAUSES EXCITEMENT IN COURT

Pittsburg, July 1S.-With each
succeeding day of the Hartje divorce
trial new sensations are developing
and today was no exception to the
course of events in the famous legal
battle. Misses Ida and Helen Scott
were the star witnesses today for
their sister Mrs. Mary Scott Hartje.
Helen's direct examination closed
when the court adjourned this after
noon, after counsel for the libellant
had introduced a number of letters
said to have been written by her, and
which proves, according to the coun-
sci for Mr.. Hartje, that Helen Scott
had knowledge of the alleged rela-
tions between Mrs. Hartie and Tom"
Nadine. Helen denied the authorship
OF all these letters excepting two.
Attorney John Freeman, for Mrs.
Mary Scott Hartje, the respondent.
openly charged the other side with
stealing certain paper from his Of
flee. Counsel for Augustus Hartje,
tho millionaire libellant in the case,
declared this charge false and Attor-
ney j. Scott Ferguson said he could
prove the papers were not taken from
Watson g. Freeman's office, but were
picked up outside that place where
they had been carelessly lsE
Attorneys Freeman am Ferguson
became almost be, id ta,,mselves.
when the charges of theft we're made.
A scene of so great excitement has
rarely If ever been witnessed in a To-
cal court room.
The result of the trouble was ap-
parently victory for Mrs. Hartje, as
Attorney w. b. Rogers, for the libel
Iant, was compelled to return to Mr..
Freeman by order of the court a pa l.
per prepared in Mr.. Freemans office.
as we'll as other letters of Freeman
which he said had been surreptitlous-
ly slsol from MS Office.
The other Mary" a servant girl,
who knows Tom Nadine. the core
spondent made her first appearance
on the stand today. She testified that
1t was she who telephoned to Nadine
while he was working at livery sta
BILE and wrote to him sometimes as
often as twice week.
The letter alleged to have been sto-
len from Mr.. Freemans office, along
with other papers, is said to have be-
gun with MY dearest Edith" and
Judge Fraser's announcement that
any stolen papers would have little in
huence on the court broke a tension
OF curiosity in the court room that
had been whetted to a fine edge
Just what is In the Edith" letter
and what Ida Scott had to do with il
may remain a mystery.
Toward the close of the examina-
ton of Miss Helen Scott Attorney Ro-
gers sprung surprise upon the attor-
neys for the defense by producing a
number of stained and mutlated let
ters the parts of which had been
pasted together The letters were
ha ufa bc
Hotel Windsor and the Florence villa
and were addressed to Dearest
Mary"
The witness admitted that several
of the new exhibits had been written
by herself, but denied the authorship
OF the others although she said the
handwriting looked like hers.
Mr. Freeman started to his feet and
objected to their being introduced up
on redirect examination. Mr.. Rogers
then stated that his object in produc-
ing them was to show that despite he,
previous denials on the stand, the wit
ness had shown that Mrs. Hartte and
Tom Nadine had been in corresponds
ence with each other and that the
letters would show the truth of his
statement Court was then adjourned
IN order that the counsel for the de-
tense might have an opportunity oi
examining the new exhibits.
This was said to be the sensation
which the counsel for the prosecution
have all along promised.
During the course of her examina.
ton, Helen Scott was asked by Mr.
freeman whether or not she hat
written in one of her alleged letters
to Mrs. Hartje a statement that she
(Mrs. Hartje) and Tom would one
day be man and wife, but that they
would have to walt some time. Heller
strenuously denied this statement.