The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-06-21
COULD WILL NOT
TESTIFY IN SUIT
Wife Had Questions Designed to EN-
barrass Him-Witness Says Mrs.
Gould Was Not Intoxicated.

NEW YORK. June 2i.-SidesteppiRg
the hot fire or questions prepared az
the direction of his wife, Howard
Gould, multi-millionaire sportsman.
lodged the ordeal OF facing opposing
counsel today and when court opened
his attorneys announced that 1t had
been decided not 10 put him on the
stand In mis- wife's separation suit.
This change OF plans is supposed to
have followed the receipt OF informa-
ton by his counsel regarding the line
OF questions that had been formulated.
Mrs Gould Is known To have taken
notes from time to time during the
trial and. she wrote many questions
bearing ON the intimate private affairs
of their married life which were de-
signed 10 embarrass the millionaire
and more than play even for the
severe cross fire which she underwent.
The announcement of Goulds new
plan came as d great surprise TO the
spectators as well as TO the counsel
for Mrs. Gould
Mrs. Gould clearly was disappointed
and showed plainly that she had been
deprived OF an experience anticipated
with intense interest II not with
pleasure.
The defense notified Clarence j.
Shearn of counsel for Mrs. Gould. that
the defense rested but Shearn was not
ready 10 proceed as he had expected
that Gould's testimony would hold the
attention OF the court until Wednes-
day at least.
II and my associates have decided
that the testimony already in the rec
ord Is 80 complete that we deem II un-
necessary to take up the time OF tho
court further" said Nicoll.
After Mrs. Gould's counsel recovered
from the shock OF Howard Gould's
sidestepping performance, Shearn be-
gan the rebuttal by reading an affi-
davit made by Mrs. Alice Stickney
Bankhead, wife of Lieut.. Henry M.
Bankhead, U. s. A., OF Fort McPher-
son, Atlanta. Ga. Mrs. Bankhead for
merly was the ward OF John j. Long.
United States consul-general at Cairo,
Egypt, and was living there when
Mr.. and Mrs. Gould visited Egypt In
1902.
She stated that sne had seen Mrs.
Gould every day during her stay and
had attended a dinner given by the
Goulds to Prince Mohammed All.
brother OF the Khedive of Egypt. She
said she had been on the yacht Niaa
ara at the dinner and that she had
never seen Mrs Gould under the m
fiuence of liqnor.
MRS. Gould always conducted her
self as a lady" said Mrs. Bankhead.
The prospect that millionaire How
ard Gould would take the stand
some time today to testify against
his wife in her suit for sep
aration and alimony, brought Inn
mense crowds TO the corridors or
the supreme court building early this
morning. AS before, the police would
allow no one but witnesses and news
paper writer's to enter the courtroom,
but the special detail Of policemen
had considerable difficulty in keeping
back the eager crowd that stormed
the courtroom. Mrs. Gould was slip
ped into the courthouse by side door
and whisked by elevator to the top
floor where the trial is being held. But
the crowd was waiting at the elevator
shaft. eager to see the woman whom
her husbands witnesses accuse OF hav-
Ing been drunkard and who declared
that it requires $4,000 year for a
lady to dress properly.
Indications are that the trial VIII
not be finished this week. notwith-
standing the determination OF the court
to hold night sessions. Gould mas
several more witnesses. hotel clerks.
servants and personal friends
Then Mrs. Gould's witnesses In re-
buttal will occupy considerable time.
Although Goulds answer to the suit
specified 81 times when 1t was alleged
that Mrs. Gould was under the inf1u-
ence OF liquoS, witnesses have been on
the stand to testify TO many more &C.
casions and Shearn says that he VIII
have one or more witnesses OF each
occasion to testify for his client.