Evening journal., 1910-03-25
A Legal Picture
Puzzle
BY ANNA BENTLEY
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

A number Of gentlemen were speak
ing Of the many cases Of poisoning
that have occurred IN which young
wives have been accused Of getting
rid Of old and rich husbands when one
Of the party, an attorney. told the fol-
lowing story:
II once had such a case, and It
showed me how difficult It is to arrive
at the truth when certain persons are
interested in hiding an important part
OF the truth. This Withholding OF facts
makes US see very plainly as true
what is really false. A criminal case
in law is like picture puzzle-all the
parts must be present and fit in their
places to show the design.
Mrs. Hockaday was the wife Of old
Hockaday. who made big fortune on
the Stock Exchange. She was twenty
and be sixty when he married her.
Nevertheless they seemed to get on
very well together. and the young
wife appeared to be very fond of her
old husband. But one day Mr.. Hocka-
day died very suddenly OF a disease
his doctor could not make out. No
suspicious we're cast upon his wife at
the time. But Mrs. Hockaday did not
wait very long after her husbands
demise to appear at places Of amuse-
ment. and her participation at balls
and other such functions soon fol-
lowed.
'Had she been more circumspect in
this regard probably the celebrated
case of which she was the central tig-
ure would have never occurred. The
police In order 10 satisfy a public
clamor get up something they call a
case. and there is a preliminary exam
nation So they did in the Hockaday
affair. But nothing was proved, and
the lady was not held for trial.
''Ths is the beginning whore a fe7"
scattered parts Of the picture puzzle
are furnished. but the picture is not
even conceived OF.
unfortunately this disposition OF the
case did not satisfy the takers. who
still insisted that Mrs. Hockaday had
poisoned her husband. She made a
statement TO a reporter that she would
not rest until she bad proved herself
innocent Then she stirred up the
matter rejecting on Peter Hockaday
a nephew Of her husband who would
? have inherited his property had the
j uncle not married. This fired the
nephew. who came out with a state
ment that he believed the millionaire
had been poisoned and demanded thai
the body be disinterred and tested by
experts.
"'rhis was done. and heavy dose o.
poisonous substance was found II
: the dead mans stomach.
1T was now plain 10 those who wer'
amusing themselves solving the puzzle
Of the Hockaway case that it woulC
: turn out to be a representation OF
3 young widow with one hand poison
D ing an old man and with the othe
grasping money bags. .,.+..-..
= "Mrs Hockaday was arrested ant
placed on trial. was her counsel
: The prosecution brought out an i'm
portant fact that tended to prove he
guilt. 1t was proved that she hal
paid from time TO time considerahl
sums to an attorney of bad repute 70
services connected with her husband
property. On the day Of his death th
millionaire went TO this attorneys Of
Gee. drank glass Of wine, wen
home and died IN a few hours.
The picture puzzle changed. Their
was now a rich old man. a shyste
lawyer pouring out dose with on
hand and receiving bag Of gold froI
his widow.
, "The shyster attorney testified th'
he received fees from Mrs. Hockada
for legitimate services connected wit
her prospective interest IN her hu
bands estate. her object being to s.
c. cure all the property herself and pr
s. vent any Of it going TO any one Of h'
II husbands relatives. The prosecute
endeavored by cross examination
make him reveal more exactly the n
ture Of these services. but failed.
"Seeing that it behooved me to e
onerate this attorney, who had bee
receiving money from mX client al