The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-05
The Court Explains the Sensa-
tion of Yesterday
When an Actor Assumed Guilt
of Steinheil Murder.
GRILLING RESUMED.
Defendants Composure Gives
Way Before Attack.
Complains That Everybody Has
Deserted Her.

Paris. Nov. 5.-The Steinheil case re-
f-alred the center of intense interest
today Contrary to expectation Mime.
Steinheil again took the stand. it hav-
lps been decided to resume the direct
lnterrogatory addressed to her vester-
day. She plainly showed the effects of
tne trying ordea- she had passed dur
lrg the last two days. Great black
tlngs were under her eyes and her face
mad the color of putty. Nevertheless.
she rose tc her feet when the inquiry
Logan and responded bravely to the
questioning. The judge showed solicita-
tlon at the outset lest the strair. of the
previous days had taxed the witness
StrenSth too severely, but he was QUICK
~ reassured by Nine Steinheil. who
said: WIZ
NO. 1 am not at all fatigued."
In opening the proceeding Judge De-
Wales dealt with the appea rance yes
terday OF Reinhold. an actor who caused
d a.. nloElehtary sensation by asserting
tEaI ne was the real assassin. Judge
DeValles disposed of this incident sc
pure invention
1T is nothing more than joke"
said the court. "The inquiry has es-
Drained youth whose parents stated
| that he followed the case patiently
ana previously attempted to Intervene
with anonymous letters addressed to
the examining magistrate
just Chivalrous Impulse.
The actor had admitted that he had
not the slightest connection with the
CRIME and had merely acted on a
chlvalrous impulse to save Nine.
| Stelnheil of whose innocence he was
convinced. He was ordered de-
| taiaed.
Judge De Wales then turned his at
tentlon to Nine. Steinheil. He confront
ed her with various conflicting state
| nents she had previously made regard
ing the occurrences on the night of the
crime. He also questioned her closely
on the involved financial condition of
the Ste1nheil household at the time of
the murders. - 49,
Nine SteinheiIs composure gradually
gave way before the succession of sharp
interrogatories. Her feeling at last
found expression in an agonized flow of
words in which she appealed to the
jury to believe in her innocence. COM
planning bitterly that in the hour of her
misfortune she had been deserted by
hlgh-placed friends. asserting also that
society women who had frequented her
home had now deserted her.
Notwithstanding this passionate ap-
peal, Judge De Wales pursued his in
terrogatories relentlessly. When he
pinned her down with proof that she
Z
| wards said had been stolen she turned
her back on him and with crossed arms
and flashing eyes admitted that she had
done so, justifying her action by the
daughter from the knowledge that the
| jewels had come from her lover
Denies Alleged Motive.
/ The prisoner Indignantly denied
that her sensational attempt to re-
vive the case last fall by an accusation
against young Wolf, the son of the
cook in the Steinheil household. was
heart. Maurice Borderel. the mer-
chant whom it was supposed she de-
sired to marry, and in an effort to
clear herself.
"Borderel had passed out of my
| life said Nine. Steinheif. "and 1 had
no thought of him. My sole solicita-
ton was to save my daughters en-
gagement to Pierre Buisson.''-
In an interview today Borderel re-
affirmed his faith in the innocence of
! Nine. Steinheil saying that she knew
! that marriage with him would be i'm
possible and that therefore the alleged
motive for the murder of her hus-
band was untenable. He added:
''She did not revive the case on my
| account for she knew that the woman
whom I had loved was not the woman
whose intrigues with Faure, Chouan-
| ard, Balincourt and so may others
| have been exposed"
The judge continued doggedly to
force the prisoner to retrace step by
step her actions during the feverish
months following the crime, confront
| ing her at every turn with some new
story, which she had told or COM
pelling her to explain over and over
again why she had accused wrong
paper man; Couillard, the servant,
and young Wolf. Upon each oc-
| casion, Nine. Steinheil found refuge
| behind the plea that in her frenzied
desire to clear herself from the awful
| imputation that she had murdered
her husband and mother, she had
seized upon any suggestion that came
| into her head Judge Devalles was
particularly severe in his cross
examination as to the lack of feeling
! displayed by the prisoner at her
mothers funeral.
| Defendant Breaks Down.
| Although today's session of the
court did not begin until 1890 p. m,
| the ordeal was SO severe, that before
the afternoon had passed it haG been
necessary to interrupt the proceedings
several times in order that the ac-
| cused woman might be given syrup OF
ether to quiet her.
At one time when Nine. Steinheil
declared that Couillard had lied. the
Judge interrupted sharply with the
! exclamation:
But you also lied"
| At this, NJ Aubin sprang to his feet
and protested against the remark of
| the court.
Judge DeValles retorted:
| Il am satisfied in saying that the
/ accused has never ceased to lie con-
cerning this affair. Her stories are
| tissues of lies
:! Late in the afternoon the proceed
ings were suspended for a short time
When they were resumed, Nine. Stein
he'll had a respite, her examination
Ibeing SUSPENDED while the first