El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-14
POINT IN
LEECH TRIAL
ARGUED
Continued From Page Two.)

! I'LL - " Ill
] CONTINUED From Page Two.)
Clarke would not allow Mr.. Still to
make to the jury Thursday morning.
Leech was on the witness stand al
most three hours. having gone on
/ shortly before 1870 and being finally
/ excused at AIS.
Mrs. Leech Testifes.
! A short recess was taken following
the testimony of Leech, in order to
allow Mrs. Leech. who had arrived at
the court house in carriage a few
minutes before, to somewhat regain
! her compOsure. After walking up the
stairs, it was necessary for her to rest
and a chair was brought. Later she
entered the court room supported by
! P. E. Gardner, one of the attorneys for
/ the defense, and a trained nurse, who
J sat with her. The jury had been excused
| for a short recess and Mrs. Leech, be-
! lieving that she might faint. as the
! crowd in the court room affected her
/ asked to go out. Her wish was granted
and it was feared that she would bs
unable to testify, it being plainly evil
dent that she was i'll and laboring I'M
der considerable nervousness. She was
| coat sweater.
| She returned in a few minutes, how
! ever, and taking the witness chair was
addressed by attorney Wharton. She
! had not been sworn, which fact she
announced and the oath was given by
| judge Clarke. The examination was
conducted by attorney Wharton.
You're the wife of John Leech, the
defendant in this case?" she was asked.
Yes, but I'm too sick"
You remember the day on which
| the homicide occurred?"
Yes
Did you make any statement to
him.?
Yes"
What did you say?"
The attorney for the defense tried
several times to get Mrs. Leech to an
swer direct questions and the court in
structed her to answer, but she kept
| insisting that she could tell it better
| if she told the whole story at once all
| together
Mrs Leech insisted on recounting
the entire circumstances of the after
noon, stating she was there to do her
duty, and she was allowed to have her
wish.
Then tell the jury" attorney Whar-
| ton advised her.
I'm TOO nervous. started to cry"
| she began.
Yes" said her husbands attorney.
Then in a, voice that did not tremor,
she said:
II was lying on the bed in my room
the afternoon the officer came and
asked for Mr.. Leech. I called him and
later Mr.. Leech came into my bedroom
and started to read the notice TO me.
1 began crying and he said:
Laugh and the world laughs with
you,
Weep and you weep alone
John, it was not the rent" 1 said.
Then what| he demanded"
Mrs. Leech then stated Mr.. Kohlberg
had talked with her and had told her:
You can run the house. I'll be
good to you Get rid of this old man
! (meaning Leech) You're good look
| ing I can take care of you. This
old man is broke and has lost all his
money"
Mrs. Leech was then passed for
cross examination by the state, con-
Quoted by district attorney Howe.
''On the afternoon of the killing, did
not a young man by the name of Ely
Martin come TO you at the Southern
/ hotel and ask you for the cause of
/ the killing. and did you not answer
| that you could not understand why
John Leech had killed Ernest Kohl
| berg?''
! The question was overruled by the
| court on the objection of the defense.
/ After this, did not Norman Walker,
1 a reporter for The Herald come and
! tell you that rumOrs were current on
the street that Mr.. Kohlberg had made
( improper advances toward you, and you
stated there was no foundation"
This question was also overruled by
the court on the ground that it was
! improper.
To various questions of similar i'm
port, Mrs Leech answered. II don't
know, 1 don't remember, no, he didn't.
/ didn't talk with anybody about my
business. 1 was so upset and nervous
don't know what 1 may have said"
! Mrs Leech then asked to make a
statement and she said:
Along last fall, he (Kohlberg) came
down to the hotel to see about a leak
| in the back of the place and a man
! came up to see about a room and Mr..
| Leech took him to see a room. l was
! leaning on staircase and then Mr..
Kohlberg came up and put his hand
| on one of mine and asked me if I
had made up my mind to get rid Of
this old man."
81 withdrew my hand and told him
no."
Just then policeman Elliott came
up the stairs to get a drink Of water
and Mr.. Kohlberg went down the
stairs.
lis that your landlord% Mr. Elliott
| asked.
YES, answered, and what a fine
| man he is" 1t excited me so 1 went
to see my doctor that night but did
not tell my husband"
Mrs. Leech was then excused
Another Policeman Testffies
W. n. Elliott, the policeman referred
to by Mrs. Leech, was the next wit
ness for the defense. and the last
| Thursday afternoon. Mr. Elliott stated
he had been a peace officer for the
past eight years with a beat on South
Ell Paso, between Second and Seventh.
In reference to seeing Mrs Leech and
| Mr.. Kohlberg together, he stated:
ct went up the stairs one afternoon