Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-21
BARS DOWN IN HARTJE CASE
Judge Frazer Admits Confessions Of HOOer
the Negro 0oaohman.
He SAYS HIS FIRST CHARGES ARE FALSE
Series OF Legal Victories for Re-
spOndent Anger Attorneys for
PIaintin and They Make
Dire Threats.

Dire Threats.
PITTSBURG, Pa, July 20.--Charges Of |
crooked methods made by both sides we're
feature of the sensational Hartje di- |
vorce case during it's hearing today. !
What are apparently a series Of legal vic
tories for Mrs. Hartje. the respondent In
the suit, also marked the days session
and eliminated in the admission of the
confessions of Clifford Hooe, the colored
coachman. in which he is said to have
declared that he lied when he swore that
he had improper relations with the re-
spondent. This most important point was
not gained until after a bitterly contested
struggle between opposing counsel which
lasted for over an hour and a half and
during which Attorney Ferguson made
many sensational threats.
Respondent Closes Case.
with the offering OF this confession and
of several other documents today the case
for the respondent was practically closed
although Attorney John Freeman, Of Mrs.
Hartje's counsel, told the court that he
might have some new matter to present
| later. An adjournment was then taken
until Monday morning
]
arrest of Hooe in Ohio and of his being
brought back to Pittsburg where he made
his confession. Attorney John Marion of
Mr. Hartje's counsel put both Ray and
Perkins through rigid cross-examination
in which he tried to show that Hooe was
made drunk and coerced by the detectives
into making his confession. Mrs. Mary
Scott Hartje, the respondent testified that
she was present when the first deposition
of the negro coachman was taken and
that what he said there was "outrageously
false"
Hard Battle of Argument.
There was a hard battle of argument
when counsel for Augustus Hartje tried to
get stricken from the case the evidence
concerning Hooe given by John l. Welsh
ons, Harttes close friend, and the witnesses
who followed him.
Attorney ]. Scott Ferguson led the argu-
ment for Hartje and bitterly arraigned
Mrs Hartje Attorney John M. Freeman,
chief of counsel for Mrs. Hartje, replied
sharply and was reinforced by written and
carefully prepared papers to ESTABLISH his
contention that the evidence was proper.
Judge Robert s. Frazer gave the counsel
for Hartje no encouragement and finally
ordered that the evidence be considered
and md0G a part Oh the case. AhN OPpSShAo
counsel had difficulty in agreeing on a
statement Of fact to be considered upon
which the conclusions of law were based.
At the close of the day Judge Frazer
said that the four statements made by the
negro coachman would not be read infopen
Fcourt The Judge said it wouid not be well
to have them made public at this time and
intimated that he was acting solely In the
interests of public morals.
Hooe has made four statements, the first
accusing Mrs. Hartje and the other three,
made later, declaring the first to be false.
, Defendant on Stand.
The defendant Mrs. Mary Scott Hartie,
! was called to the stand to deny that she
2 had been intimate with Hooe. Her denial
was complete and her eyes blazed as she
! scornfully said that the deposition made by
E Hooe was maliciously false. Mrs. Hartje
a said that she was present when the Hooe
deposition was taken. She was not cross
: examined to any extent by the attorneys
e for her husband, they reserving the right to
: cross-examine her later.
E Then Edgar Ray. the detective who had
e arrested Hooe at East Liverpool, o., was
e placed on the stand. and IT was realized
: that all bars were down in the case and
e that the plaintiff will be compelled to go
I through with his original allegations
Z The frst statement by Hooe which was
the one made In Mrs. Harttes presence
8 contained such charges that it was believd
= they would not be pressed.
: The second statement recalled 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 a confession. It was the
4 first peaceful day, Hooe said. he had had
. for four months. His wife and mother
IS scolded him; the persons who had EN-.
Il pioyed him had not done what was right
by him, and every time he came to Pitts
i burg he was sent away again. He felt
= he said, that he should have had his heaC
E cut of for talking against the woman.
Is The witness denied that any inducemen
was offered Hooe to make the statement.
Alderman King, who followed Ray. sait
that when the deposition was read to Hoo.
\ at the hearing he said the statements wer
true and correct. In reply to a question
y as TO Hooe's mental condition at the tim,
the statement was read TO him the witnes
said he seemed 10 be sober and sensible.
HidnApers After HRrtje children.
kilograms received by the police tonigh
:. indicate plot 20 kidnap the two HART
children. The telegram was sent by Super
intendent Taylor of the Philadelphia polio
department and read:
RumOr here plot completed abduction on
or both HartJe children. Three men re
re ported left here this morning for Pittsbure
re No description.
= As a result, two special officers are o
N guard about the home of John F. Scott
a father OF Mrs. Hartje, and where Mr.
u Hartje is now living.