The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-20
So Said John D. Vaughan to
Attorney Robbins in Refer
ence to His Relations With
Mrs. Smith.
MAJOR LACEY is
DRAGGED INTO CASE.
Defendant Said Mrs. Smith
Told Him She and Mr.. Lacey
Were Going to Be Mar
ried.

John D. Vaughan. defendant in tn
breach of promise suit brought agains
on the witness stand this morning h
had told J. F.. Robbins, an attorney TO
Mrs. Smith, that he would cut hi
throat before he would pay that wo
man one cent" When he made tn
statement, Mr.. Vaughan looked direct
ly at Mrs. Smith. Mr.. Vaughan wa
ON the stand almost the entire morn
1ng. Court was adjourned this moor
as the result of an argument in which
the attorneys engaged subsequent to {
question asked Mr.. Vaughan by Mr.
Robbins as to whether he had huggec
or kissed Mrs Smith.
While on the stand Mr. Vaughan de
MED having played cards with Mrs
Smith at her home alone. Later he
admitted he had played cards with hel
when no one else was present. One
witness was introduced to show that
he believed the livery barn on North
Eighth street owned by Mr.. Vaughan
was worth $4,000 in October. 1906. Mr.
Vaughan had placed its value at $SON
or $4,000.
The defense has summoned about
thirty witnesses and it is not probable
the case will go to the jury before the
latter part of the week. The plain
tff's counsel announced this morning
they have no more witnesses to exam
ane. 1t is probable Mr.. Vaughan will
he recalled to the stand a number of
times during the week. One surpris-
ing assertion made by him this morn
ing was to the effect Mrs. Smith had
told him she intended to marry Major
M NJ. Lacey of Fountain City and was
going to take a trip with him to the
battle grounds of the South.
There was a noticeable decrease in
the size of the crowd that was present
this morning. Only six women were
in the court room. The testimony did
not appear to be sufficiently interest
ing and there was a constant shifting
that disturbed the court a number of
times. Mrs. Smith appeared to be
showing the effect of the strain upon
her, Her face was without color and
she seemed somewhat nervous.
Mr.. Vaughan was called to the
stand by the plaintiff. He was asked
If ne had not placed the value of the
livery barn at $4,000 or $4,000 Mr.
Vaughan replied Yes sir"
Mr.. Vaughan was asked if he were
not offered $4,000 for the barn prop
erty in October, 1906 and he refused
the offer. Mr.. Study objected to the
question on the ground it was an at
tempt to fix specific value. The OBJ
lection was sustained.
Glenn A. Gaar, the former livery
man, stated as his business. that he
Is engaged in a little bit of everv-
thing" He is a lessee of Mr.. Waugh
ans livery barn on North Eighth
street. He stated $4,000 was a fair
cash value of the barn in October.
1906.
Would Play Quits.
Mrs. Smith, the plaintiff. was recall
ed. She was asked to tell of the con-
Nersation which occurred with Mr..
Vaughan the day before her letters
were returned TO him She said her
sister and she had had a controversy
on that day. Mr. Vaughan told her If
she we're going 10 let her sister come
between, they had better "play quits"
She answered: Very we'll Mr. Waugh
an, If that be your wish. YOU may re-
lnrr
she listened TO her people too much.
The conversation took place on a Sat
urday night and the letters were re-
turned Sunday afternoon following
On cross examination Mr. Study
asked Mrs. Smith why she had been
unable TO give the reason on her pre-
Nious examination and on her examin-
alton before trial. She said she re-
membered first last Saturday at Cen
terville
Mr., Johnson asked the court to
have withdrawn from the record tes-
timony in regard to the nreparation
of Mrs. Smith TO become married. He
said he had examined supreme court
records and found some doubt of the
advisability OF its being admitted.
The court complied and ordered the
testimony stricken out and so instruct
ed the jury. The defense objected
and took exceptions.
Mr.. Vaughan was placed upon the
stand by Mr., Study. The first ques-
tions related to the age of the defen-
dant and his local residence. He was
asked il when Mrs. Smith ATTEMPTED
TO leave his house last December he
called her attention TO anything. He
said he told her her skirt was drag
ging. He said she went back into the
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