The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-08-03
STEMS CASE IS
NOW DRAWING TO
CLOSE At COURT
CONTINUED from Page One.)

Continued from Page One.)
was sustained in his objections to this
testimony by Judge Fox.
From testimony introduced the jury
knows nothing concerning the birth OF
the child except that the girl admitted
she was u mother.
The Jury II Excused.
Continual objections by Mr.. Robbins
to questions OF Attorney johnson in
his REORGANIZATION OF the Muey
child, led the court to excuse the jury
for few minutes that the attorneys
might argue the points of law. Mr..
Johnson asked that the Muey girl be
dismissed from the room as ne said
what he intended to state in his ar
gument would give the child a cue.
She being the prosecuting witness, was
not excused, but heard Mr.. johnson
make his sensational charges.
Attorney johnson said that the de-
Tense had not stated its case to the
jury. but he proceeded to do SO to
Judge Fox. He asserted that before
the afidavit against Stems was sworn
out In the early part of July, William
Muey came to the negro and said his
daughter was the mother of a mulat-
to. The attorney maintained that
Stems was asked to pay $500 and some
attorney fees which Muey had in
Cured.
1t is charged that the child was born
In Cincinnati, but an investigation on
the part OF Attorney Wilfred Jessup.
who is assisting in the defense, and
others divulged nothing of this charac-
ter. There was no birth notices on
file. Authorities there, the attorney
declared, knew nothing about the cir
cumstance.
Young Hicks Ran Away.
In referring to Sam Hicks, the col
ored boy, who Is in parts unknown,
the attorney said that the Muey girl
was his companion and that as soon as
the boy learned of the girls condi-
ton he stole bicycle and ran away.
The defense Of this innocent man,
said Attorney Johnson. will be black
mail and that there is no proof Of
child being born in Cincinnati.
Attorney Robbins. much perturbed
at the sensation sprung by Johnson,
said Johnson had made public what
the plaintiff had sought to keep secret.
He argued successfully that as the
state did not charge intimacy between
Stems and the girl after March IL,
1909, no evidence of their relations az
ter this date should be admitted. At
torney Johnson took exceptions to ev-
cry ruling of Judge Fox in which he
sustained objections of the states at
torneys.
Girl ~ q Witness.
The girl who Is small. somewhat
pretty and apparently in delicate
health. followed her father and moth.
er to the stand. She was dressed in
white and wore a large straw hat Of
style which girls of her age usually
wear. Calm and composed and imme-
diate in her replies to questions both
on direct and cross examination she
made a somewhat favorable impress
sion.
The history Of her downfall as re-
cited by herself was made the more
pitiful in that 1t was told in a tone of
voice audible in more distant parts of
the court room. Her testimony was
greedily listened to by large crowd
In the public hall Of the court room.
For caring for Stems home she re-
received ten cents and her sister re-
ceived Ave cents. Her sister always
accompanied her to Stems house but
was always absent she said, from the
house when she and the defendant
were in one Of the inner rooms. the
doors to which, she testifies, were
locked
When asked as to how she carried
on conversation with the defendant,
who Is almost a deaf mute, she said
in an ordinary tone OF voice. This
admission called for an explanation
and she said the negro could hear al
most as we'll as any one when the
days were clear, but that he was ex-
tremely deaf when they were cloudy.
Made Twelve Visits.
The prosecuting witness declared
that possibly twelve visits we're made
by herself and sister to the Stems
home. these calls extending from the
winter OF 1909 to August of that year.
She said that she told her mother Of
her wrong on October o. 1909. She
never talked with her father she said
on this matter although she knew he
had knowledge Of the facts because
she had heard her mother tell him.
No resistance was made by her to
Stems alleged attacks. The negro is
said to have put his arm over her
mouth. She testified that she was
not afraid OF the defendant doing her
injury II she told Of their relations.
The girl said that she and her mother
and her sister ceased working for
Stems about q week after her confess
sion. The mother had done his wash
ing while the two girls helped In the
homework, sweeping the rooms and
washing the dishes. The prosecuting
witness was excused from the stand
at 4:55.