The Washington times., 1908-08-29
Doctors Counsel CrosS-Ex-
amineS Haskell Children
During Virginia Trial.
GRIM SPECTATORS
CARRY LONG GUNS
Tense Excitement Prevails at Hear
lng in Fairfax County-School-
house Used for Court.

county $1,000 WtuOuL lne little aDandNn-
ed schooIhouse, a Foresvtlie. Va.
used temporarily as d court of justice.
leaning on the muzzles of long shot
guns and watching the doors OF the
schoolhOuse through narrowed ey,s e
lone woman with four little brawn-eysd
girls clustered about her skirts made ar.
appeal for justice and pointed the nDga
OF accusation at DR.. J. Sydney Te1l's,
physician and the largest land owner
IN the county.
The scene enacted within that little
school house, as we'll as that without
is probably without a parallel in the
history Of the Fairfax county courts
There was no outward demonstrate
OF excitement. bat there was a sup
pressed air about the little schOolhoUse
which told better than any demonstra-
tion the intense interest which was be-
ing taken in the proceedings within
The physician was facing charges OF
mistreating three little girls. the daugh-
ters OF Mrs. Mary I. Haskell, OF Wash
ington. and although an entire stranger
to the people OF the county, one hun
dred sturdy men drove over the undu-
lating hills. with set jaws and unsmil-
ing eyes, and stood about the school
house while two justices Of the peace
sat on the teachers wooden bench with
in and listened TO the little girls and
their mother accuse the gray-haired
physician.
Crowd Asked to Leave.
The testimony was OF such a character
that the crowd which had filed into the
schoolhouse and settled themselves on
the hard benches and whitfield desks.
were asked to leave the room. and with
out a word they arose and filed slowly
out onto the greensward surrounding
the house and waited; some OF them
leaning on their guns; all silent. ana all
watching the doors behind which the
lone woman and her wondering little
girls, with a young Fairfax county law
yer 70 defend her, was pitted against
the wealthy physician and landowner.
and q trio OF attorneys. who sought 10
break down the testimony Of the chill
dren.
For four hours The men of Fairfax
county stood about tire little school
house, silent WatChfUl seemingly TAX
ing little interest IN what was going on,
YET covertly taking note OF every thlng
When the door was opened by "A balm,
who was also special officer and con-
stable, To summon a witness, they were
instantly alert. but when the door closed
again they resumed their silent vigil
What they brought the guns and shoot
ing irons for the young NlrglnianS were
very TeticenJ about
Squirrels" was the laconiC and
drawing answer Of one of the men
when an inQuisitiVe glance was cast
at the long barrel OF his Winchester,
which glitterad in the sun
Shoots At Dr.. Tebbs.
Last Saturday night, just week ago,
John J. Haskell, the twenty-two-year-
old brother OF the little girls, went from
Washington TO the home OF DR.. Tebbs,
and, finding him seated on the I'M
kempt lawn before his house, stood Out-I
side the fence and fired five shots at
him. That he missed the man was due
10 his poor craftsmanship. Then the
boy gave himself up, thinking he had
killed the man whom he had been told
had mistreated his sisters and insulted
his mother. When the shots were fired, |
the physician threw himself fiat on the
ground, and this had given the boy, |
filled with a desire to aVenge his sisters
and his mother, the impression that his
bullets had found lodging place In the
physician body.
Just before the trial in the Forest !
vile school house yesterday afternoon, |
the attorneys representing Dr. TeDD5, !
IL is said, attempted TO compromise by
agreeing TO withdraw the charges
against young Haskell A proposition |
was made through John W. Rust. the |
woman attorney. The woman was
standing alone with her four little girls /
around her out under a tree In front Of |
the school house, when she heard OF it. |
Learns of Offer
She had been crying with her head /
bowed and leaning against the trunk
Of the tree for support. while her chill |
dren clung to her dress and gazed with 4
fear on the grizzled men Of the Viz
ginia hills, who stood about with their |
guns. Immediately she Strengthened up 4
and her eyes flashed. The tears which 4
dimmed her eyes turned to fire.
Il am not afraid of my bcy," she said |
MY boy does not fear them. Let them
do their worst 1 have heard Of justice /
In Virginia. and / Will trust my boys
life and liberty to the men Of Virginia |
without fear You are my adviser, Mr.. |
Rust. Tell them no."
And then the reaction of the excite |
ment OF this intense drama of real life |
set in, and the woman covered her face
with her hands and again sought sup
port against the trunk OF the friendly |
oak
The four little girls who were with |
their mother yesterday, three OF whom |
II Is alleged, the physician mistreated /
are unusually bright ana handsome chill |
dren- The eldest, Edith, aged thirteen, /
IS a beautiful child with large brown /
eyes and wealth OF black curls. and /
Dorothy, aged nine, and Louise. aged 1
children. Little Helen, aged five. fas-
cinated the men who gathered abouk
the court house while she was placed /
outside the door awaiting the time when !
she would be called
Child Is Cross-Examined.
Walter T. oliver, DR.. Tebbs' senior
counsel, questioned the children.
repeated questions time and time again.
and loud and wordy arguments were
thundered over their little heads by MI.
Oliver. but their stories remained nm
shaken. The counsel for the defense
raised the question OF the competency
OF the child-Witnesses again and again.
but they all explained their realization
OF the nature of an oath to Justices
J. n. Follin and John Anderson, and
they were allowed TO proceed.
When Mrs. Haskell was called in TO
testify, Mr.. Oliver and F. S. McCand- |
lish. his associate counsel, sought to
inlpeach her testimony. They asked
her If she had not declared 10 a Mr..
Sinclair that she intended TO make Or.
Tebbs pay for the trouble she had been
put 70. and insisted that she answer
il. despite the objection OF Attorney
Rust that they had not produced Sin
1F-~ I