Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-15
AGAINST MR.. BASSETT
Former Wife Testifies in Omaha
Divorce Court.
TELLS STORIES OF CRUELTY
Attorneys Clash Over Disappearance
of Dispositions.
IMPORTANT TO DEFENDANT
TELLS STORIES OF CRUELTY
IMPORTANT TO DEFENDANT
Plaintiff Declares She Once Attempt
ed Suicide After She Was Whip
ped-Rev. Mr.. Hunt Present.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OMAHA. Neb. February 15.-Mrs. Fannie
Rice Bassett introduced in her divorce case
yesterday the evidence she hopes will con-
vince the court of her husbands infidelity.
the basis of her charges against him. The
dispositions Of Donald Bradford, jr head OF
Washington detective bureau and George
Curran, who is In his employ. were read.
Curran says he saw Bassett enter a house
of i'll fame in Washington on the night Of
April Is, 1905. He summoned Bradford and
together they saw Bassett leave Swallowed
him to an uptown restaurant to make iden-
LITIGATION certain, and then reported the
event to the Rev. f. Lawrence Hunt, who
employed them in the interest of a member
of his church. he said.
Children in Court.
Mrs. Bassett came to court with two Of
her young sons. She took a deep interest In
the proceedings. but evidenced not the
slightest concern when her husbands coun-
sci in an opening statement said that they
could prove she was not entitled to a d.
vorce through misconduct with the Rev
Mr.. Hunt. When the taking of evidence or
rather the reading of dispositions COM
menced. the two boys were sent home In
charge of q maid.
Neither Mr.. Hunt nor Mrs. Bassett spoke
during the entire morning. They sat far
apart, exchanging. only occasional glances.
Hunt had a smile on his face as John F.
Stout, attorney for Bassett. told that his
relations with Mrs. Bassett had been too In
innate entirely to please the husband, and
that the birth Of child ten months after
intimacy between husband and wife had
ended proved the guilt of the minister
Before the introduction of evidence OPP
posing counsel clashed when the court was
of fhe cfnrt a.
dispositions all In favor of Bassett. Mrs.
Bassett's counsel resented the imputation
that they were concerned. The court had
to Interfere to stop recrimination. For q
time 1t seemed that the case would have to
be delayed while new dispositions were Sc
cured from the parties who live and about
Washington They are Bessie r. Whit
tngham. Edwin W. Manuel Frank r Cross
thwaite, William II. Heron and W. H.
Lowell. The court finally gave permission
for the taking of new dispositions in WASH
ington and they have already been asked
for by telegraph.
Mrs. Bassett on the Stand.
When Mrs. Bassett was called to the
stand there was not a sound in the room,
so impressive was her manner of testifying
She spoke in low voice, mellowed by her
soft southern accent
The witness began her recital, by telling
when her husbands alleged cruelty began.
one SdlQ IL was just after their wedding
when they were on their honeymoon. Her
bridesmaid accompanied them on the train
to New York and she declared that her
husband with a burst of rage swore at her
ana ordered her to compel the bridesmaid
to leave them
Mrs. Bassett raised her voice as she came
to the part of her story which concerned
the Rev. Mr.. Hunt. She said her husband
became insanely jealous of the minister for
no reason at all and even during their
honeymoon complained that the pastor had
been too attentive to her.
Attorney Stout. who examined Mrs. Bas-
Sett, asked his questions gruffiy and inter-
posed many objections. At one point in her
testimony, when he objected. she exclaim-
ed: Reverence for your own mother should
make other mothers sacred to you
She declared her husband refused her
doctors when she was i'll; that he held her
and forced medicine down her throat, and
that he said he would, II necessary, force
her to submit to an operation She said her
husband was responsible for the death of
her child Catherine.
Tried to Commit Suicide.
Mrs. Bassett testified her husband struck
her with a whip. exclaiming. Il love every
inch of you. but am jealous of everything.
and you must not go to Hunts church."
What did you do as as a result of this?"
asked her attorney.
II tried to commit suicide, Judge Baxter
One day In 1904. when she had returned
from a visit to Justice Brewers, she said.
her husband seized her by the arm and
fiourished pistol, threatening to kill her
if she saw any more of Mr.. Hunt. Eyentu-
ally she left him. and shortly afterward Mr..
Hunt engaged apartments for her in At
lantic City and saw her settled there. Bas-
sett then came down to Atlantic City with
Ben" Fairchild, told her he meant nothing
wrong and had been urged on by others
and wanted her to come back with the
children. She replied that he had killed
one of her children and that she could not
do so.
Dispositions of certain witnesses in the
Washington case, objected to by the plain
important to the defense as showing the re-
lations existing between Mrs. Bassett and
Mr.. Hunt
Mrs. Hunts Testimony.
Mrs Sophronia Hunt of Washington.
mother of the correspondent, took the stand
by deposition at the commencement of the
afternoon hearing. She testified concern
ing the intense jealousy and hatred Mr..
Bassett had for Mr.. Hunt, and repeated
the stories the former is alleged to have
circulated among the congregation which
resulted in the resignation from church
of Mrs. Bassett
Mrs Bassett, am told, even threatened
to shoot my son. the deposition said. Il
often advised Edward (Mr. Hunt to visit
Mrs Bassett as is the duty of minister
to a member of his flock. l knew Mrs.
Bassett's unhappy condition. due to harsh
ness at home, and / wanted my son TO
comfort her as much as possible. That Is
what the Maker did. '-.