The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-17
MRS. LAWSON ON The STAND.
DOES NOT LIKE THE MANNER or
LAWYER BALDWIN.

Tod rime and Tim Again she Mustn't
she Denies Csrmichaei's Testimony
Mrs. Lena Lawrence Lawson, the de-
PENDANT in the divorce suit brought against
her by her husband, William M. Lawson.
the millionaire jute manufacturer. took
the stand in her own behalf in Part /. OF
the Supreme Court in Brooklyn yesterday.
At times she was very nervous. and on one
occasion had to leave the room for a time.
Before che was called in her own defence
Gustave William Abmeyer, clerk Of the
Savoy Hotel, Manhattan, was called to the
stand. He had with him the hotel register
and identified the signature OF r. M.
Gramond and children" The signature
was admitted to be that Of Mr.. Lawson.
who had assumed the name to escape
notoriety.
Mrs. Mary Morrison, an q OF the
defendant, testified that b frequently
visited her niece at the Union street house
and remained there overnight. sleeping
with the defendant and the children In
the library. She said she had seen Car
michael, the correspondent. in the house
on one occasion only.
Isn't il a fact" asked counsel, that
from the time Will Lawson left the Union
street house until Mrs. lawson moved to
the Clarendon Hotel you never stayed n
night in the house,"
NO." shouted the witness. y said I
did most every night with the exception
OF one or two"
you are sure2' asked counsel.
YES" replied the witness, and I won't
let you force lies down my throat"
The witness also said that her nephew
James Morrison, who died a year ago,
and Carmichael were friends and play
mates long before Carmichael went to
Mrs. Lawson's house. This fact was brought
out to refute the statement Of Carmichael
that his acquaintance with Mrs. Lawson
was due TO a Irritation.
Mrs. Lawson was then called as . wit
ness. She was very nervous. In a few min
utes Lawyer Baldwin suggested that as
she was agitated recess be taken at once.
Before her lawyer could respond Mrs.
Lawson leaned over and said:
Il m say that 1 do not like your man.
ner. / nave to be frank.
Justice Marean then spoke TO her, which
nettied her. and she replied: Your Honor,
l know this man means to get me mad, and
it makes me nervous. To be killed with
kindness-oh, I can't stand IL. Better the
knife in the open, and a stab"
Look toward the jury commanded
Justice Marean.
~Oh, but I've been told I am not to look
at the Jurors" she said. Il rave heard, oh,
time and again, that they will think am
playing to the jury. Oh, no
Her counsel then suggested hat recess
be taken, but the motion was denied.
Mrs. Lawson testified that abe had been
married eleven years inc had two sons
Oliver, 10 years old, and Roy. 8 years old.
After several other questions her counsel
said:
been made to your personal appearance.
Are you painted at the present timer"
mo, sir" she replied.
Some reference has been made to you
hair. Did you ever have it dyed?'
~Yes, sir" she said, because Mr.. Lawson
didn't like my hair when it began to turn
gray
she said that at the time Mr.. lawson
left her she was in a very bad condition.
Il was at my worst, she said. because
of mental, that is, Domestic trouble. 1t
always gave me phys cal ills"
After explaining that she had suffered
from acute stomach troubles, had under
gone two operations and had been In several
sanitariums, she was asked about Car
michael. She said she had first met him
down town and that she was introduced to
him by her cousin, James Morrison, now
dead. At the time she was with Morrison
shopping. She acknowledged that on the
occasion OF Carmichael's seventeenth birth
day she was with him in the Ronzo and
had a pint bottle of champagne with him.
She also admitted having gone 10 the theatre
with him and having dined with him, but
she always paid the bills. She said that
to the best Of her knowledge Carmichael
had never spent a night at the MON street
house, and that he had never sat In the
parior holding her hand until Z O'Clock in
the morning.
Regarding her stay in the Clarendon Hotel
she said that at that time Carmichael was in
her employ caring for the children so that the
detectives employed by her husband could
not get them. She said that Carmichael
had a room in the hotel which she paid for,
that it was the cheapest room in the hotel,
only 81 a day. She said she had sold some
old furniture for s33 and hat Carmichael
had collected the money, but that he had
spent the money on the races and as a result
she had quarrelled with him.
She denied emphatically that she had ever
struck Carmichael either with scissors or a
beer bottle, as he had testified. She denied
that she had ever been in Carmichaels room,
except to get the children; She admitted
going to the theatre with Carmichael, and
said she had always purchased the tick cts.
She denied that she had ever given a waiter
q tip, OF had told walters TO keep the change
Of a s. OF $40 bill. h said that she had
never heard Carmichael say to her, Il love
you" and she said she had never proposed
marriage to him on the condition that she
secured a divorce from her husband. She
also said hat she had never introduced
m ael as her cousin, or that the children
referred to him as uncle AL" She said
the reason she desired to move to M snhattan
was that she wanted to be nearer her law
yers. and that she also wanted to get away
from the detectives who were constantly
following her. She said frequently
saw the detectives in company with Mr..
Lawson, and that Carmichael was also in
their company at times. The case will be
continued on Monday.