Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
IN THE bASSETT CASE
Testimony of the Respondent
Presented Today.
COUNSEL ENTER OBJECTIONS
Justice Gould Ruled That the Evidence
Was Admissible.
FIRM DENIAL OF THE CHARGES
Attention Paid to Every Detail
Question Of Love - Helped
Pass Away Time.
COUNSEL ENTER OBJECTIONS
FIRM DENIAL OF THE CHARGES

Testimony offered by Mrs Fanny Rice
Bassett In the course of deposition taken
IN Omaha, Neb.. October 4. 1906. was the
feature OF the proceedings today In the
suit for absolute divorce filed against her
by Charles c. Bassett. When Justice Gould
adjourned Equity Court No. 2 yesterday
Attorney Henry e. Davis, representing
Rev. e. Lawrence Hunt, named as CO.
respondent In the case, announced that
he wished to read the testimony Of Mrs.
Bassett In full: that 1t covered a total Of
1853 pages Of typewriter manuscript, and
that the reading probably would occupy
the full time of both morning and after
noon sessions today.
Attorneys e. F. Colladay and Greed M.
Fulton. who are conducting the case for
Mr.. Bassett. interposed objections to the
presentation of Mrs. Bassett's testimony in
behalf OF Rev. Mr.. Hunt. when she had set
up no defense in her own right against
the truth or falsity Of the accusations
against herself and Mr.. Hunt Jointly, but
Justice Gould ruled the evidence to be adj
missible. The court adjourned yesterday
with the understanding that at the conclu-
sion OF the session today the case should
60 over until next Monday. The reading Of
Mrs. Bassett's testimony today by Attorney
Davis marked the elimination Of the effort
TO refute the charges set up by Mr.. Bassett
as tho basis Of his application for divorce.
with attention paid to every detail MISE
Bassett's deposition presented UNQUALIFIED
denial Of the existence between herself and
Mr.. Hunt. at any time. of the relations al
legged by the complainant One question in
particular. directed at her during cross-ex-
animation. went to the heart OF the whole
matter-Mrs. Bassett being asked whether
she loves the correspondent.
panlv 0,,o%od rik.~.11-
Her reply, quoted literally, was:
Il have not In my own mind formulated
anything that could call love. nor would
I have anything in mind. anything OF that
kind toward any man while am still the
wife Of another"
Mrs. Bassett said she decided after Mr..
Bassett went away for his summers work
In the spring Of 1904 that she would never
live with him again, and that she departed
from this city permanently the last week
or October, 1904. She wrote to Mr.. Bas-
sett while he was away. just the same as
she always did. Concerning the Atlantic
City episode. which has figured prominent
~ In the case. Mrs. Bassett said that dur
ing her stay in Atlantic City she went to
New York once for a day, and that she
wrote and asked Hunt to come and stay
which he did, and he spent the night at
the Gibson House.
II presume he occupied the room which
son House." she said in reply to further
question. Mrs. Hunt has been unable to
come to Atlantic City she expected be-
cause of Illness
lantic City was characterized as 1.-The last
straw" and Mrs. Bassett declared that,
after the interview between herself, her
husband and Mr.. Fairchild in Atlantic City,
Bassett have a chance to disgrace her or
her children before the world.
Question Of Meeting Expenses.
The cross examination of Mrs. Bassett, as
read by Attorney Colladay, showed that
she refused to state whether the defendant
Hunt had contributed toward her support
since she left Washington, or whether Mr..
Hunt paid her bills at the Johns Hopkins
Hospital or during the stay in Atlantic
City.
The deposition indicated that Mrs. Bas-
sett had been closely questioned regarding
her whereabouts on the occasion she was
her cousin, Mrs. O'Rourke, In New York.
Her replies were to the effect that she was
away probably two or three times; that she
stayed day and night at the Hastings;
that she was at Far Rockaway over night
at boarding house on a business trip
went one day and came back the next;
that she stayed over night at Newburg at
a boarding house. Those three were the
only places that she was when away from
her cousins house over night that she re-
called.
Mrs. Bassett was asked to outline in con-
secutive order her whereabouts from the
mum, Washington, and answered: II went
from Washington to Little Rock; from Lit
tie Rock to st. Louis: from st. Louis to
Philadelphia; from Philadelphia to st.
Louis; from ST. Louis to Philadelphia; I
think then to Baltimore; I think then At
lantic City. and 1 think then to Denver.
and I think then to Omaha, as near as
recall"
Correspondence With Hunt.
Mrs. Bassett said that she had corre-
sponded with Hunt since she had been in
Omaha; that Hunt informed her from time
to time what was being done in the Wash
irgton suit. She also said that after she
left Washington with the determination not
to return and live with him. Mr. Bassett
wrote to her several times and urged her to
return to him, and offered to provide q
home for her.
She was asked why she did not inform
Mr.. Bassett of the fact that the child Law
renee was born. and answered. Because
it was none of his business. He had for
to inform him of anything about myself or
any of my children Refutipg the state
ment made by one OF the trained nurses
at Johns Hopkins, Mrs. Bassett declared
the hospital, addressed the other as dear"
and that Hunt did not assist her from or
to bed or to attire herself or dfsrobe.
She did say that during the waiting per-
.iod at the hospital Hunt came to see her,
was very kind to her, brought books and
helped her to pass, away the time.
Took Precautions.
Regarding the precautions she took to
prevent her husband from knowing her
whereabouts after her departure from this
city, Mrs. Bassett stated that she rented
q post office box, without her husbands
knowledge. 90 that correspondence between
herself and her mother. father and family
could be carried on with no interruption.
She said that Mr.. Bassett was In the habit