The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-03-17
azk -
COMPLETE STORY.
HummcI Gives Details of the Evelyn
Nesbit Affidavit.

! Nesbit Affidavit.
New York. March 16-With Attor.
| ney Delmas fighting him every inch
of the way, District Attorney Jerome
| secured from Abraham Humrhel his
complete story as to the affidavit which
| it is alleged Evelyn Thaw made in the
| lawyers office i'll 1908. charging Thaw
with beating her when she had told
| him that the statement that Stanford
White had drugged and ruined her was
not true. The Hummel testimony came
during the afternoon session and Mr..
Delmas, first Directing broadly to all
of Humme's testimony, offered spe-
cific objection to each question Justice
Fitzgerald overruled every objection
to the rulings.
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw was called to
the stand in the effort of the defense
to keep Hummel silent. She declared
she had called upon Hummel in his
professional capacity and to seek his
advice as a lawyer. Stanford White
had taken her to the lawyers office
With that end in view. Justice Fitz-
gerald declared that admitting the pro-
position of counsel and client. Mrs
Thaw had herself waived the profess
sional privilege by ginving her version
of what transpired at Hummel's office
earlier in the case. The bond of secrecy
once removed could not be re-establish.
ed
Unsuccessful In blocking Hummels
testimony, Attorney Delmas in cross
examination brought admissions that
that the witness had had been convict
ed in December. 1905, on charge of
conspiracy in the same courtroom in
which Thaw is being tried; that he
further admitted two indictments for
subornation of perjury are pending
against him and that one of these in
dictments charges him with having
caused a false affidavit to be made.
Jerome protested against the witness
being dragged through the humiliat
ing details of his trial, but Justice
Fitzgerald declined to interfere
Then Mr.. Delmas asked Hummel if
he had not heard the speech made by
District Attorney Jerome when SEN
tence was about to be imposed: when
Jerome urged the coura to pass the
longest and heaviest. sentence within
its power uDon Hummel as he had
been menace to the community for
twenty years" Justice Fitzgerald sus-
tanned an objection to this and Hum
mel was not compelled to answer
Mr.. Delmas asked Humel If Jerome
is pressing the charges against him
"H9 certainly is" said the witness
HummePs testimony in brief was to
the effect that Evelyn Nesbit had told
him among other things that Thaw had
beaten her when she refused to sign
papers he had prepared, charging White
with her betrayal: that he had dictated
statement to stenographer in the
presence of Miss Nesbit and White:
that he gave the affidavit to two of
his clerks to take to Miss Nesbitt in
the Madison Square Garden tower and
that the next day the paper was re-
turned to him with Evelyn Nesbit's
signature attached. He kept the aft
davit until Miss Nesbit called and de-
named it. He refused to give it to her
and turned 1t over to Stanford White.
advising him to have a Photographic
copy made. Hummel first said he had
himself arranged for photographing
the affidavit and that the photographer
came to his office. A few minutes
later. however. he completely contra
dicted himself on this point. saying he
did not make the arrangements: that
the photographer did not come to his
hat ha hoI
After White had the copy made he re-
turned the original of the affidavit the
negatives and the prints
made from the negatives to Hummel
who swore that he subsequently deliv-
cred the original affidavit to Miss Mes
bit and has not seen 1t since.
Abraham Snydecker one of Hum
mels clerks, testified that he took the
affidavit to the the tower and handed
1t to the woman pointed out to him PC
Miss Nesbit. She kept the affidavit for
five minutes and signed it. saying she
had read it through.
At the conclusion of this TESTIMONY
District Attorney Jerome asked per-
mission to Introduce the carbon and |
copy Of the affidavit It |
was near the closing hour and Mr.. |
Delmas asked that adjournment he
taken before arguing as to the admissi
bility of the affidavit He said that |
after reading the paper over he might |
not object ta. its being offered in evi-
dence.
Coming as 1t does" he added. Gin |
such questionable shape, we may deem
1t best to have the paper go in
evidence"