Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-21
Counsel in HaItje Case
Engage in Lively Wrang|e.
Court Admits Evidence Plaintiff
Fought Hard to Keep Out.
Mrs. Hatje Seems 10 Have Won Series Of
Legal Victories Court Adjouras.

Pittsburg, July Exchanges Of crook
ed methods made by both sides was a
feature of the Hartje divorce trial to-
day. What are apparently series OF
legal victories for Mrs. Hartte, the re-
spondent in the suit also marked the
days session and eliminated in the ad-
mission as evidence of the confession
of Clifford HoOe, the coIored coachman,
in which he is said to have declared
that he lied when he swore that he had
improper relations with the respondent.
This admission was secured after a bit
ter fight between counsel.
With the offering Of this confession
and of several other documents today
the case Of the respondent was practi-
calIy closed.
An adjournment was then taken I'M
til Monday morning.
Detective Ray of the Perkins agency,
who told of the arrest of Hooe in Ohio
and of his being brought back to Pitts
burg, where he made confession, was
put through a rigid cross-examinati0n
during which Mrs. Hartje's counsel
tried to show that Hooe was made
drunk and coerced by the detectives in
to making his confession.
When counsel for Augustus Hartje
tried to have stricken from the case
the testimony concerning Hooe given
by John l.. Welshons, Harjes close
friend, and the witnesses who fol-
lowed him, there was warm exchange
between counsel, Attorney ]. Scott
Ferguson bitterly arraigning Mrs. Mary
Scott Hartje. Attorney John Freeman.
chief counsel for Mrs. Hartje. replied
sharply.
Judge Robert s. Frazer ordered that
the evidence be considered and made a.
part Of the case.
AT the close of the day Judge Frazer
said that the four statements made by
the negro coachmen would not be read
in oren court. The judge said it would
not be well to have them made public
at this time and corrected an intima-
ton that he was acting solely in the in
terests of public morals.
Hooe has made four statements, the
first accusing Mrs. Hartje. and the
first to be false.
kilograms received by the police to-
night indicate plot to kidnap the two
Hartie children. A telegram was sent
by Supt. Taylor of the police depart
ment at PittSburg and read: "Rumor
here plot contemplated abduction one
or both Hartje children. Three men re-
ported left here this morning for Pitts
burg. No description
AS a result two special officers are
on guard about the home of John Scott,
father of Mrs. Hartje, and where Mrs.
is now living.
Early today Catherine Trap, a jan
itresS. saw a man at the door of judge
EFrazer's Office in the court house and
asked what he wanted. The young man
said he mas Judge Frazcr's son and had
been sent to get some notes from the
judges desk. The woman summoned
Supt Merritt Of the building. but the
man disappeared before Merritt arrived.
Judge Frazer said today he hadn't snnt
anyone to his Office and that he had notes
in his desk on the Hartje case that
would cause him great deal of incon-
vcnience # he lost them.
The respondent. Mrs. Mary Scott
Hartje. was called to the stand to deny
that she had been intimate with Hooe.
Her denial was complete and she in
dignantly declared that the deposition
made by Hooe was maliciously false.
Mrs. Hartje said that she was present
when the Hooe deposition was taken.
Then Edgar Ray, the detective who
had arrested Hooe at East Liverpool.
Ohio. was called. The first statement
by Hooe. which was the one made in
Mrs. Hartjes presence, contained
such charges that it was believed they
would not be pressed. The second re-
called what Hooe had said before and
it was regarding this deposition that
Detective Ray was called to the stand.
The witness testified that Hooe said
he wanted to make confession. that
the persons who had employed him had
not done what was right by him and
he felt that he should have had his
head cut off for talking against the wO-
man. The witness denied that any in
CONTINUED an Piazza FiyeN