Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-31
SLOW PROGRESS MADE


Progress IN the trial of Mrs. Jennie L.
May. indicted on charge Of assault with In
tent to kill IN connection with the shooting
and subsequent death Of Lucien H Conen,
before Justice Stafford In Criminal Court
No.~A this morninss was very slow Nearly
all OF the session was consumed In the
| final portion Of the cross-examination and
| redirect examination Of o. ]. May. hus-
/ band Of the accused. and during much of
the time he was examining a long series of
letters. presented for Identification by the
district attorney, as having been written by
mrs. May. Some OF the letters were iden-
uned. and more were not, and they were
numbered as exhibits. The contest about
admission into the evidence Of the contents
@ the letters will come later in the case.
Only four witnesses were examined this
| morning.
| Rehearsal Of Incidents.
with the opening of the trial this morn
ing MI. May took the stand and he was
required by District Attorney Baker, in
continuous cross-examination, to go over
many OF the Incidents Of the relations be-
tween himself and his wife and Conen
the district attorney produced a series of
letters which witness was asked 20 iden-
| uiy as having been written by his wife,
/ DIG you have many Quarrels with your
WIG. asked mi, Baker.
When?' witness queried in return.
any time-say in 1867
NO The year 1905. up to September
was one Of the pleasantest ever passed
l. WAS it. not during that year that Mrs
with a hatcher"
"Oh. no; that was in st. Louis long
| time ago"
Following this little colloquy Mr. Baker
continued the presentation of letters to Mr..
May for Identification: Altogether about
seventy-hve notes and letters were thus
brought into the case. and a major por-
| tion Of the morning session was consumed.
Harrison Brown, small colored boy, who
| delivered a note to Mr.. May from his wife
ON one occasion in Washington when Mrs.
May left home and was away over one
night, was brought into the court room,
and he was identified by Mr.. May. Asked
| colored boy 25 cents to show him the place
| where he received the note, and May, by
| this ruse, found Mrs. May in house on
| G street near 18th street southeast.
Redirect Examination.
In redirect examination Attorney Fulton
| went further into the history of Mrs. May Is
| side Of the family, and Mr.. May said he
/ once saw Mrs. Mays mother suffering from
| an epileptic seizure. The defense further
sought to secure the admission of a ques-
| ton whether the husband thought his wife
| insane at certain periods, but objection was
| made and sustained, and at this point wit
| ness was excused.
John F. May, United States deputy
marshal, Of the same name though no rela-
| tive OF Ole May, was called as witness.
| DO you recall loaning Ole May a revolt
ver?" asked Mr.. Fulton.
Yes"
when was that?"
Several weeks before the shooting"
| DO you recall any conversation with Ole
May about securing the return of your re-
| volver?"
| mo. I do not remember. because when
I heard Of the shooting thought it might
| have been done with my pistol"
Mrs. Altemus a Witness.
| Mrs. Zulema M. Altemus of 9lO 7th street
southeast was summoned by the defense
| and questioned about Mrs. Mays visit to
| her home on one occasion.
Where did you meet Mrs. May?'
| AT the home Of Mrs. Oulihan, and after
ward she came down to my house alone"
| Mrs. Altemus declared Mrs. May seemed
| quite Ill and she claimed to have had
described the appearance of Mr.. May at
her home when he came after his wife.
did not Lucfen Conen come to the house
| with Mrs. Mayo" dueried Assistant District
Attorney Turner in cross-examination.
He did not; he never was in my house."
| Mrs AHemus answered.
| John F. Talbert, a machinist at the navy
| yard, who resided at 919 e street southeast,
next door to the Mays, in 1905, described
| the occurrence early in the morning of Sep
| tenfber that year. when he was aroused
| by Mrs. Mays screams. Talbert was on
| the stand when recess was taken at noon.
Given Good Reputation.
Witness Talbert said the reputation of
| Mrs. May for peace and order in the COM
| n1unity was excellent. He spoke of an in
cident when Mrs. May thought some one
had fired a shot at her through the floor
| from the cellar. Talbert said he searched
| the house and found no one.
George F. Mayer of 434 18th street south
| east testified that Mr.. and Mrs. May were
guests at his home one day in December,
| 1904. and he described a seizure of cpl
lepsy which Mrs. May suffered while at the
dinner table.
| Further testimony regarding the variable
state Of Mrs. Mays health was given by
| Mrs. Nellie A. King Of 427 9th street south
east. Mrs. King mentioned several cratic
acn Of Mrs. May. and afterward, when
asked her opinion Of the defendants san
| ity at stated periods, said she thought Mrs.
May was mot in her right mind at all
times"
Mrs. Alfrfda McGuigan. wife Of a navy
yard machinist, and friend of Mrs May.
gave testimony similar to that offered by
Mrs. King 30.
Mrs. Nays Health.
Mr may resumed the stand at the
opening Of the afternoon session Of the
court yesterday and described her condition
of health following the birth Of each of her
children. Speaking Of Conen's first appear
ance in his family circle Mr.. May said
Conen was brought to his house in Chicago
by mutual friend. Subsequently, witness
said. Conen came to Washington. and. on
his recommendation, secured a position with
the Marine Band.
Following a recital Of the troubles which
resulted in Conen leaving the May home,
Mr. May said Conen came to him when
the band was In ST. Louis at the fair, made
apology for all that had occurred and made
advances to secure admission to the May
home under former intimate conditions.
According to the husbands story, the
trouble which eliminated in the shooting
began September 1. 1905. He said he took
up the whole matter with Prof Santlemann,
leader Of the band, and the latter, after
| hearing Conen's story and other evidence,
referred the case to Gen. Elliott.
September 49," said May, "Conen and
went to Gen. Elliotts Office under orders,
| and there I heard Conen declare he could
produce evidence to prove intimacy be-
tween Mrs. May and another man named
Gait, in Chicago.