Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-23
GREEN TELLS Of
Staying SK|DMORE
Two Daughters Weep as Man
ReCites Story of Killing
of Wife'S Pursuer
SELF-DEFENSE is CLAIMED
Wife Produces Love Letters from
Man in Effort to Save
Her Husband
SELF-DEFENSE IS CLAIMED

Before two weeping daughters and a
wife who maintained perfect compos-
ure, j. Howard Green, in a choking
voice, yesterday told before jury IN
Judge Willis department of the su-
perior court the story of the death or
Thomas b. Skidmore by his hand.
1t was not until late in the afternoon
that Green was placed on the stand'
his wife, Mrs. Mary Green, having oc-
cupied much time in telling the story
of her relations with the dead man.
She was sworn early in the day. after
Edmund b. Drake. one of Green at
torneys, had outlined the plan of de-
fense which was to the effect that
Green had shot Skidmore to protect
himself.
Mrs. Green told of having known
Skidmore from the days when they
went to school together and she Wore
"pigtalls" while he in knickerbockers
ardenty wooed her in schoolboy FASH
ion.
For years their youthful attachment
continued and suffered hiatus only
when Skidmore drfted from the mid
die west to Texas and she married
Green, a young attorney.
Skdmore heard of her marriage ana
attained communication with her by
mail His correspondence was immense
and he sometimes supplemented 1t by
seeing her in person. In time ne TOOK
to living in the same city with the
Greens and when they moved he and
his family moved also, for he, too, had
married.
FOLLOWED WOMAN HERE
He followed the Greens to Los An
geles and though he did not communi-
cate with his own family for months
before the killing, he frequently wrote
TO Mrs. Green, addressing her not at
her home at 2637 Dalton avenue, out In
care of general delivery.
Skidmore made an appointment with
her for September 20 last, and they
passed that day in Eastlake park,
where Skidmore told her of his undy-
ing love for her and of other things
which affected him. He related ms
visits to dangerous places and upon
her telling him to take care OF nm
self upon such pilgrimages. he drew
from his garments a long knlle TO sho"
he was armed.
Skidmore begged Mrs. Green TO de-
sert her husband and join him, and
upon her refusal he said that ne could
kin Green if he were all that stood IN
his way of complete happiness.
That night, when Mrs Green re-
turned home, she confessed the Whole
affair to her husband, who had been
in complete ignorance Of 1T and had
hoard of Skidmore only once IN Wnlle
when his wife had spoken of having
met an old friend by that name.
After the confession Mrs. Green told
s her husband that she never would nave
inviting more to do with Skidmore and
said she would ask him to call there
the next day, so that she could tell
him in the presence of Green that eV-
erything was at an end ...
Having heard of Skidmore's knife,
Green the next morning borrowed
revolver from the wife OF hlsnt
vatchman and had the weapon in ms
nocket when Skidmore called in re-
snonse to a telephone message from
Mrs. Green.
REACHES FOR WEAPON
ctidmore heard Mrs Green's renun-
citation of him and then Green and ne
entered into a heated argument. SKID
more is said to have reached backward
as if to get a weapon from ms clotiiHs
and Green, afraid of the knife, qulckly
drew the borrowed revolver and shot
the man who sought Mrs. Green al
fectionS. $780,
Sllidmore fell to the floor, and Green
called a physician to atte@d the wound
ed man, who kept mumbllng TO MIN
self but said nothing which could De
understood by Green.
Skidmore rapidly growing weaker,
was hurried to the receiving hospital
where, III Tue HICStllOC VI AN't'P4-
stenographer at the police station, ne
exonerated Green.
"Tjsten to me-" he gasped, accord
ing TO Hills, who had taken the last
statement in shorthand, ''he shot me,
pointing to Green, under every JUS
tification. Goodby, Howard, 1 am go
ing. God bless you"
Mrs. Green told her story with ex-
IRENE lack of emotion all the time al
most directly facing the widow OF the
dead man, who, attired in heavy black'
was in court during all the proceed
ings.
Green, however, was near to break
ing down frequently when ne told OIL
his part in the tragedy and of his men
tal agony when he heard his wife s
confession. While he recited his trouble
his two young daughters sobbed aloud.
LOVE LETTERS ARE READ
Resides exhibits in the way of the
bullet which caused Green's death, the
revolver used and the empty cartridge
there were introduced for identification
letters which Skidmore had written TO
Mrs. Green as soul OF my soul anu
life of nv. life" In another he wrote
of the "hallowed love and confidence
that must subtend between us" Again
he wrote: "You are the best of the
GOOD and the purest of the pure,
morally and personally"
Another missiVe contained written
desire to learn if you felt in your
heart and brain, and soul, and con-
science that we did wed each other
that fateful day in 1878 when, with
tear-dimmed eyes and hands clasped,
upIifted toward heaven, we vowed, I
love you andgI am yours and will love
none other until death do us part
other striking phrases We're: Had
YOU failed to fulfill its Qoves) con-
7 would have hated
and "You said you were my wife under
the psychic spell of that mighty oath"
The taking of evidence was con-
cIuded Yesterday and the attorneys
this morning will engage in argument
after which the case will be given to