The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-02
COMES LIKE ONE
FROM THE GRAVE
important Witness Turns Up In
Mcdonald Case
A SCHEME TO BLACkMAlL
Developments Are Startling In Trial
of Mrs. Mcdonald For Alleged Muir
der of Webster Guerin-De-
.... fense Scores Heavily.
A SCHEME TO BLACKMAlL

Chicago, February 1.-tSpecial)-In the
four hours session today the lawyers
who are defending Mrs. Dora Mcdonald
scored some telling points. Among other
witnesses whom they produced were two
tailors who occupied adjoining rooms to
the Guerin studio and who testified that
when they first Cooked through the shat
tered glass of the studio door they saw
Webster Guerin lying face downward with
the revolver cutched in his right hand.
But it is what the defense has behind
the scene, rather than the comparatively
insignificant performers brought out upon
the stage today that tells of the mighty
battle.
j. Hamilton Lewis and the other coun-
sci for the defense are preparing to in
troduee startling testimony.
They have brought back from Arkansas,
Homer Smith, one of Webster Guerin 3
partners in the haberdashery on the west
side. 1t was supposed that Smith was
dead. Archie Guerin thought him dead
Several Chicago newspapers printed his
obituary notice months ago.
Back From Oblivion.
Ana now lie comes Dack ike one from
the grave to denounce his dead partner,
impugr the testimony of Archie Guerin
and wipe out one chapter of the harrow
ing story of Mrs. McDonald's life as re-
lated by the prosecutions witnesses.
Archie Guerin testified that Mrs Nc
Donald ruined the haberdashery business
by constantly taking Webster away from
it. He said she visited the store and ran
off with the big blonde partner on an
average of at least twice week.
Smith will testify that Mrs. Mcdonald
visited the haberdashery only twice in five
years, that Webster Guerin was in busi-
ness there and that on both of these oc-
casions she came accompanied by her
nece for the purpose of having alter
ations made in goods she had ordered.
More startling yet, he will testify that
he learned of plot between Guerin and
the other partner, Durant, to blackmail
Mrs. Mcdonald; that he learned from an
outside source that they had stolen Mrs.
McDonald's monogram note paper and
forged sickenng love letters upon it; that
Durant had been sent to Mrs. Mcdonald
with these spurious letters, demanding
$1,000 for them under penalty of ID
trulnped-up expose.
1t is possible that The may go further
and state that Webster Guerin robbed his
partners; that he was elected from the
lrm for that reason, and that after the
dIssolutio Of partnership, when Webster
came back for a few days to help Smith
and Durant in the store, he robbed the
till and was forbidden ever again to enter
the doors.
Tailor's Testimony.
The strongest witness today was Aora-
ham Woinsli, a tailor. The door to his
shop adjoins that to Guerin's studio He
said he heard sound like that of heavy
box falling. 'I opened the door, and,
looking In through the shattered pane,
saw woman standing there, beating out
fragments oi glass with her fists.
"'He's shot himself; please save me-
she screamed. She had nothing in her
hand. / vent to the door and it was
locked. saw a man lying on the floor
crosswise of the room, fnce downward,
with a revolver in his right hand.
."Fhe woman stepped back to his side
and picked up the revolver that was IN
his right hand or near it,"
Meyer Elton, another tailor in the same
firm, repeated Wolinslds description OF
the shooting, and so did David Ruben
stein. third member of the firm.
Out of consideration for Mrs. McDon-
aid, Judge Brentano did not hold an aft
ernoon session