The Washington herald., 1906-12-04
BASSETT RULED OUT
Court Refuses to Hear Fur
ther Testimony.
LAWYERS OPEN ARGUMENTS
Counsel for Hunt Charges Plaintiff
for Divorce with Having Coached
Witnesses in Statements Made on
Stand discriminating Defendant.
COIIaday Opens for Bassett.

Immediately following the decision OF
Justice Gould yesterday afternoon, refus-
ing to allow Charles c. Bassett who is
suing his wife for absolute divorce, 10 go
on the stand and testify in rebuttal to the
deposition Of Mrs. Fanny Rice Bassett,
Henry T. Davis, counsel for the Rev. Z.
Lawrence Hunt. named as correspondent,
sprang a surprise.
Mr. Davis announced to the cOBt that
Bassett. after learning that his wife had
taken steps to secure a divorce from him.
got busy at once and secured information
that could be used in the proceedings now
in court.
The attorney for Rev. Mr. Hunt said
that the elevator man at the Albemarle
apartment house and others of the class
who had testified under oath of having
taken his client. Hunt, to the apartment
Of Mrs. Bassett as late as midnight and
after, and who swore to having seen him
coming away the morning after between
6 and Z O'Clock, had been instructed to say
what ne did.
Some one" said Mr.. Davis, in rising
tones" went to Baltimore and got wit
nesses there to make oath 20 the most
monstrous of all falsehoods. and before
/ finish, sir, intend TO nail this testimony
and brand it as lies and calumnies from
the beginning to the end"
says Witnesses Were Coached.
who importuned these creatures to tell
these lies2"
who schooled them into telling false
hoods for the purpose Of running down a
woman's character and reputation"
who was it, if not the man who is
suing his wife for divorce?"
This severe arraignment Of Bassett by
Mr.. Davis. his questioning Bassett
veracity and implying that he had IN
structed others to commit perjury, caused
a sensation In the courtroom.
In rendering his decision yesterday. ex-
cluding Bassett from again going on the
stand, Justice Gould added that he did
not believe his testimony 10 be of suf1-
cient importance To warrant the reopen
ing Of the case after the testimony OF
both sides had been concluded and closed
CoIladny Opens for Bassett.
E. 2. Colladay, counsel for Mr. Bassett
opened the argument, and the remainder
OF yesterday afternoon was occupied by
Henry Z. Davis. attorney for Rev. Hunt
Greed NJ. Fulton, of counsel for the plain
tiff. will close the argument this morn
ing for the petitioner.
The actions Of Mrs. Bassett and Mr.
Hunt came IN for a bitter denunciauor
and severe arTaignment by Mr.. COlladay
in the course Of his argument He re-
viewed their life and their transactions
.fr- f.f
sett was in New York state attending
10 his work for the government. Mr Col
laday said that while Bassett was in
Washington Hunt never dared TO visit
Bassetts house during the day; he claim
ed that after Bassett left the city Hunt
discontinued his day calls and made visits
10 Mrs. Bassett's at night.
Cites Mrs. BaSsett's Letters.
after Bassett left for Ogdensburg,
continued Mr. Colladay, his wife never
again intended to live with him." Coun-
/ sci for Bassett laid great stress and en-
phasis on the fact that Mrs. Bassett
aware o. the fact that she was soon tC
| become a mother. deliberately withheld
[ this information from her haisband-al
/ though she wrote him continuously in tbs
most affectionate and endearing terms.
Everybody in Atlantic City" said Mr.
! Colladay, believed Hunt and Mrs. Bas
| sett TO be man and wife" lie made the
claim that people Of their standing would
not rent rooms on the third floor of q
/ plumbers cottage in Atlantic City, un
/ less their motives We're questionable.
while visiting friends in New York,
| declared Mr.. COIladay, Mrs. Basset
staid away from the house for at least Z
| dozen nights, every time telling her rela
! tives she spent the night with such prom
inent people as John @. Carlisle, former
/ Secretary Of the Treasury. and th'
/ TTlOtSOns. These witnesses have testified
that Mrs. Bassett did not spend th'
nights in question at their respective
/ homes. Mr.. Carlisle had said he did no
/ know Mrs. Bassett and that at no tim'
| had she ever visited his home.
Expert Testimony Gone over.
Upon her return to Washington, wit
/ nesses have testified that Mrs. Basset
denied being the mother of a fifth child
! She said she had been in the hospital a
! Baltimore for the purpose Of receivin5
/ treatment for heart disease"
/ The expert testimony Of the physician!
was again gone over by MIR. COlladay
after which ne concluded his argument.
/ Beginning his argument by branding
/ the testimony of Bassett's witnesses a.
/ fabricatiOns from start to finish, Mr.
/ Davis, Hunts counsel, charged the peti
/ toner with having set detectives to worl
to make evidence against Mrs. Bassat
] and Mr. Hunt
Mr.. Davis viii conclude his argumen
/ this morning.