The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-21
JURYMEN Tn TEARS
AS GIRhS TESTIFY
Continued from Page One.

Whlch the underWalst was tied was iden-
titled because Of a peculiar knot which
l taught Ruth to make" the braid Of
hair was recognized because OF a pecu-
larity in the braiding about which they
had often spoken.
Olga NethersOIe Present.
While Adelaide Wheeler was telling
her. story in the morning, Olga Neither
sole, the actress, was an interested wit
ness. and she was seen TO take note that
as these revelations went on the court
room was in absolute silence. the faces
Of the jurymen became drawn. and some
Of those who sat in the box took no
pains TO conceal their tears.
Judge, jury. spectators. all plainly
showed how deeply moved they were,
only Wolter, the defendant, appeared in
different He sat between a uniformed
court officer who guards him, and one
OF his lawyers. unmoved and seemingly
wholly Indifferent.
Mr.. Moss called as the first witness
Johnny Fischer, a clerk in a and 10 cent
store, who on the afternoon Of the day
Ruth Wheeler disappeared sold 10 Wolter
q NeA va bAfNAA PANT anu a paint VI QSll
She unhesitatngly identified the accused
as the person to whom she had made the
sale
The next witness was Adelaide Wheel
er. She is nineteen years old, and for
three years has worked in a downtown
Office. Her story began with the break
fast scene In the Wheeler fat between
= aud { of~To~L- - 81, - - - A.
Ruth disappeared. The two older sisters
were about to go 10 their work. and Ruth
had come down TO the breakfast table
dressed to 20 out. The witness said she
last saw her sister Ruth while her moth
er was giving Ruth some money for her
carfare.
Then Mr.. Moss began taking up the
little wooden boxes. and one by one
drawing back their sliding tops. disclosed
their contents 70 the witness. and ono by
one she identified them as being parts OF
the ornaments or dress her sister had
worn.
L show you now a necklace OF beads, q"
said Mr. Moss
They are Ruth's." the witness re-
piled.
Reason She Is Sure.
Then the examiner questioned the wit
ness as 10 the reason Of her being so
positive and quick IN her Identification.
and Adelaide replied. Because she had
worn them for eight months. and before
that my sister Pearl owned them for
eight years have seen them frequently
all that time"
The blackened gold ring was shown to
the witness, and, without looking at the
initials "R. A w" engraved on L..
she promptly said. 1T is Ruth's
ring" Mr. Moss cautiously suggested
that she had not examined the initials.
But I know the ring" the witness said.
1T was given 70 Ruth by Pearl as a
Christmas present"
Then Mr.. Moss asked the witness as
to the identification Of the body at the
police station Adelaide said she had
only looked al the head The lower Jaw
was pissing, but she knew that Il was
the head Of Ruth because she recognized
the teeth IN the upper Jaw.
How could you recognize them?" Mr..
Moss asked. The witness replied: They
were perfect teeth: no dentist work had
ever been done on them. and they were
peculiarly shaped. I knew them"
Viewed the Whole Body.
At first the witness had not been strong
enough 20 examine the body further. but
the police were eager 10 have her make
a further examination. especially so. as
the other sister. Pearl, when at the sta
ton house, could not summon strength
enough to look at the body at all So
Adelaide, after resting. viewed the whole
body.
The hands and feet were not there. -
she said, but the lines Of my sisters
chest, her bust had not been changed.
knew them
Then the braid OF hair was shown 20
the witness. II was disclosed later that
whoever attempted TO burn the body Of
Ruth Wheeler had placed 1t on
the bare floor OF the fireplace andabuiIt
a fire above IL. The fire evidently had
not been much renewed. the under part
Of the head not being burned at all. This
left the peculiarly braided hair almost
unchanged when the police cut 1t of. The
witness said. with perfect conviction.
That is Ruth's hair; l know it.
Then a charred remnant OF a collar was
shown TO the witness, and she said: IT
is part Of a collar Ruth wore"
And how do you recognize that?" Mr.
Moss asked.
Because" answered the witness, ''the
embroidery on the collar took from a
dress wore last summer and put IL on
Ruth's collar"
Identifies the Ribbon.
Then came the little bit OF half-burned
ribbon Inserted into the underwaist found
on the body. Witness was positive that
the ribbon was that Ruth had worn.
The knot was intact. and it was a pecu-
liar knot. she said. she herself had taught
Ruth 10 tie.
The last Of the boxes opened was shown
to the witness, and she said that its con-
tents was piece Of the petticoat Ruth
wore
1T IS outing flannel" said the witness.
What makes you certain Of it7'' Mr..
Moss asked.
Because I bought It for Ruth"
The first question asked in cross-exami-
nation was:
Who did your sister Ruth room within
and the witness replied. with me-"
Then Mr.. Scott walked over near the
witness. took up one OF the little boxes
and said, You testified that this looks
like your sisters hair
The witness answered: I know It."
You mean the jury to understand that
you are able 10 identify this as your
sisters hair?"
Again the witness simply said: ct know
it
The cross-eXaminer proceeded in the
same manner with each bit of the physi-
evidence htrt oItt