Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-10
ON STAND.
Mrs. Dodge Called
In Own Defence.
Makes Good Witness, Be-
ing Calm and Careful,
Denies EmphaliCaIIy That She
SnOi Wllll1n healn.
Claims She Did Not Even Know
Revolver Was Loaded.
Two Hours Under Fire.-More Cross
examination Today.

Guildhall, Vt, May 9.-For two hours
today, Mrs. Florence NJ. Dodge OF
Lunenburg, who is on trial charged
with tile murder of William A. Heath,
painter, at her home last Septem-
Der answered the questions of at
torneys, hardly once faltering. First
her own attorneys went over the story
of the events which preceded the
shooting of Heath and then Attorney
General Sargent, the states attorney,
took her for cross examination. They
delved into her past life and asked
innumerable questions regarding
Heath, the work he was doing in
the Dodge home and the revolver,
admittedly owned by the defendant.
with which Heath was killed. All
these questions were answered by the
woman in a calm, careful manner.
Occasionally there were signs of emo
tion as Heaths wife was mentioned
or as Mrs. Dodge was questioned re-
gar6ing her own family, but not once
did the witness break down. Toward
the close of the ordeal she showed
such unmistakabie signs of fatigue
gested early adjournment until to-
morrow. At that time the eross-eX-
animation will be continued.
In answer to the usual opening
questions Mrs. Dodge told the court
that she was SO years of age, that
she had lived in Lunenburg most Of
the time since she was 10, that she
was married April 8, 1891 and that
before her marriage she was employed
as a dressmaker in Lowell, Mass.
After numerous questions regarding
her business transactions with Heath
previous t. the day of the shooting
the witness was brought down to
that day. Heath, she said, arrived at
her home at about 7 O'clock on the
morning of Sept. II. and after warm
ing his hands before the kitchen fire.
commenced on the work in the other
room.
In response to questions as to how
she came to tell Heath about her re-
volver Mrs Dodge said: Il was Wiping
the Dashboard when Heath pointed to
the safe and remarked: i suppose that
is full of money! | told him it was not.
He then said that he was not afraid
of burglars for he had a 4S-calibre re-
volver which he kept ready. To this l
replied: L have one. too, but l should
be afraid to use il -"
After that. Mrs. Dodge testified. she
went 10 the kitchen to do her ironing
While she was thus negaged. Heath
went cut to warm a can of varnish.
That was about $50 and that was the
last time she saw Heath until she
al
shots had been fired. She was startled,
she said by the sound of the shots,
and after waiting a moment to see if
she heard any other sounds, went into
the room to investigate. She found the
painter lying on the floor face down in
pool eff blood. She turned him over
and tried to force him to take some
brandy and then went to the telephone
and tried to get central to call help.
Being unable to raise central, she went
to the door and called to neighbors and
asked them to get a doctor. Half an
hour later, she said the house was full
of people.
did you shoot Heath?' Mrs
Dodge was asked. NO" she replied.
did you take the revolver out of the
drawer" NO"
did you see Heath shot2" No"
Have YOU a grandchild?" Yes, her
name h Priscilla"
Has Priscilla been in the habit of
staying st your home?' YES"
Did Priscilla keep her doll and dolls
things in the bureau drawer where the
| revolver was kept" Yes
Did you know that the revolver was
/, loaded?" II did not"
"Would you have allowed Priscilla to
keep her things in that drawer if you had
known the revolver was loaded?" "No,
sir"
| Mrs Dodge was then shown a state
ment regarding the shooting which she
made to State Attorney Hunt just after
the affair. She identified the signature
as hers.
Asked in regard to the position of the
body of the dead man when she first en-
tered the room, she testified that It was
lying with head toward the dining room
door in the position that had been testi-
fled to by government witnesses
The target practice which had been ties.
titled to by government witnesses and in
which Mrs. Dodge's revolver was said tc
have figured was next taken up Mrs
Dodge told the court that she had one,
fired small gun, which was owned by
a neighbor but that she came so wide
of the mark that she refused to tr,
Continued on Page Tweive)