Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-28
HAETJE DIVORCE SUIT
HUSBANDS STAR WITNESS AD-
1E1TTED SUBSTITUTION.


Susie Wagner q star witness for the libel
liant In the Hartje divorce case, went on the
stand once too often at Pittsburg. Three
times she has been on for Hartje and has
told damaging storiez Each time she has
stood terrific cross-examination and
Hartje's counsel smiled.
Yesterday they put her on for the fourth
time to rebuff some minor point made by
one OF Mrs Hartje's witnesses. Just when
no person was expecting It the girls tongue
got loose and she told an entirely new
story-one that threw the libellants case
into the air.
Among the many letters offered in evil
dence is one from Mrs. Hartje to the Wag-
ner girl, asking her to come and live with
her mother. Mrs John r. Scott. telling her
ing her a home for life; end one sentence
reads: Il want you to be on my side"
This letter was identified as her own by
Mrs; HaTtte. after mere france at .ne
she had written. and these seven were ad.
mitted as standards. Then the Hbellant
sprung forty other letters purporting to
have been written by Mrs. Hartje to Tom
Nadine, the coachman. SIZE denied writing
them and the battle of experts began.
The Battle Of Experts
Mrs. Hart1e's experts, by careful exam
the letter to Susie Wagner, is known, to be
a forgery SO cleverly made that Mrs. Hartje
herself was deceived when she glanced at It.
Mrs. Hartje was recalled to the stand
and retracted her testimony concerning 1t
and declared that she never wrote the SEN
tence Il want you to be OH my SIDE.
Over this the battle has ragged Three
stand and has told about this letter having
been sent to her while she was in Europe.
She returned to this country before II
reached her old home In Austria and she
said her mother remailed II to her In Ale
gheny City. She said she received 1t On NO
vember 26, and turned 1t over to Edward q.
Hartje, brother of the Hbellant, who has
directed his case.
s On the stand yesterday the wagner girl
suddenly announced:
This is not the letter I got from Mrs.
Hartje. l got one when L was at my
mothers in Austria. brought 1t to this
Hartje at the pier when l reached New
York. That letter was not the same as
this
Announcement Bomb.
This announcement was as If bomb had
been exploded in court Edward Hartje i'm
mediately left the room His brother, the
libellant, looked Ill. His attorneys were COM
pletey upset. while Mrs. Hartje's attorneys
were glowing over the unexpected success.
The DEFENSE now sets up the cldiIl tidl
the letter first given to Hartje was Mrs.
Hartje's letter. With this for a copy, ex-
hibit No. was forged, mailed to the Wag-
ner home n Austria, remailed to TINS city
and thus became properly accounted for.
Mrs. Hartje's lawyers Immediately de-
manded that the first letter be turned over.
The attorneys for Hartje declared they had
never heard of 1t before. and Edward
Hartje denies that he has such a letter.
Hartje had another woman from the Ten
derloin on the stand yesterday to deny he
had ever visited a disorderly house. 1t then
developed that he owns the house and that
1t has been an immoral and notorious resort
for almost a generation.
the rest of the day was taken up exam
lining experts.
Mrs. Hartje was greeted by a crowd of
several thousand yesterday when she
walked to the Hotel Henry for lunch Two
officers forced path for her, while de-
tective brought up the rear.
There were as many women as men IN
the crowd, and all along the way she was
greeted with cheering words and wishes Tor
her complete victory and vindication- These
she received quietly and walked on without
response.