The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-26

HIS MOTHER IN COURT
Murderess Blanched When the Black
Clad Figure Entered the Room
and Gazed at
Her.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service]
DENVER, Colo, Nov. 25.-Confront-
ed suddenly by the black clad moth
er of the man she had slain, and worn
out by four hours of constant grilling
at the hands of Special Prosecutor
Horace Benson, Gertrude Gibson Pat.
terson, central figure in the most SEN
sational murder trial in Colorado's
history, broke down completely on
the witness stand late this afternoon
and had to be excused. She probably
will not be recalled.
When Prosecutor Benson ended his
long cross-examination, the most Sc
we're in Denver's legal history, the
woman fell back in her chair com
pletely exhausted and with her nerves
at breaking point. But Judge Hill
ton, her counsel, called on her for
one last effort to show that she was
an innocent girl who was duped in
to becoming the paramour of Emil
Strouss, Chicago millionaire.
She had answered only few ques-
tions when Mrs. Kate Patterson, mo
walked into the court room and took
seat directly facing the witness
Their eyes met. Mrs. Patterson went
suddenly white and a look of pair
passed across her face. Utterly un
able to proceed further, she begged
to be excused and the court ordered
a recess. When the respite was ovei
! Judge Hilton decided not to continue
her examination.
The conclusion of Mrs. Patterson
cross-examination ended the most
dramatic scene that has been enacted
! in court since she was put on trial or
/ charge of numbering her tuberculal
husband. After morning devoted tt
an attempt to riddle the story she
told of cruelties and indignities at th'
legged, We're the remote cause justify
| ing her in shooting him down. Prose
i cutor Benson at this afternoon ses
sion brought her down to the YER
day of. the tragedy. He fiercely al
| tackled her direct testimony regardin
1 the incidents of the shooting, involN
| ing her in series of startling col
/ tradictions. Then he suddenly r,
quested her to step from the wi
ness chair and re-enact for the jur
what happened at the time of the a,
tual tragedy. Standing before til
jury the defendant rapidly told ho,
she had called her husband up on til
day of the killing; how he had d.
manded money and she had refuse
and how he had then arranged t
when, she alleged, he demanded tha
she sign a deed to her bungalow an
give it to him and how she had RI
fused.
AS the witness told how Patterso
then struck her in the left cheek wit
his open palm, staggering her, sh
staggered along the front of the jur
box, in a realistic way. She wen
I through all the motions of the strul
gle she alleged she had with her hui
| band and, then, adding that he ha
struck her with his fist behind th
ear, knocking her down, she drol
, ped swiftly to both knees on th
6 floor of the courtroom, facing th
/. jury.
n The witness was evidently in a hig
9 state of excitement and the word
poured swiftly from her lips. Pros
: cutor Benson stood over her like a
n avenger as she told how she begge
|. Patterson not to strike her again an
: how he had kicked her in the sid
! The bit of acting was evidently ha
ing its effect on the jury.
AS / arose to my knees. she sal
] "he was standing facing me, mis- fa'
e was threatening He drew back h
n right arm as if to strike me dow
r again. | believed he was going to k
a me. and | drew from my purse +
!. volver and fired at him fired rig
e at him, | don't know how maj
e times. Then my mind seemed to /!
. blank. | don't know what happened
Benson instantly interrupted he
Sweeping from the trial table Il
blood stained coat which Patters'
wore on the day of the tragedy.
stood over the woman and pointing
j the two holes in the back of the g;
j ment, shouted: Then, If he W
d standing facing you and standing ov
j. you, how in the name of God did y
8 shoot him twice in the back?'