Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-09-09
POISONED PEN
Komdn Gets Hearing in
Bad Letter Case.
EPISTLFS LEFT UNREAD
Harriet De Witt Denies She Wrote
Them and Easton Residents
IA. Await Developments With
Trepidation.

Easton. Pa. Sept EVERY inch OF
the way In the hearing before United
States Commissioner Turner of Miss
Harriet Dewitt, of Easton, charged
with sending slanderous and scurrilous
letters through the mails to scores Of
people In Easton, is being bitterly con.
tested by counsel for the defense.
When the hearing was begun for
mer Judge w s. Kirkpatrick one OF
the leading lawyers at the NNorthamp-
ton County bar, appeared with Mar
shall Miller, of Phillipsburg, N. j.. tor
Miss Dewitt.
Only three witnesses we're heard,
They were Rev Elmer Il. Snyder pas
tor of Christ Lutheran church, who had
received many of the anonymous let
ters; Mrs David White. neighbor of
Miss Dewitt, and Valentine Sheen
berger. postal inspector.
Much time was consumed by Judge
Kirkpatrick's cross-examination OF the
witnesses. Several of the letters which
the defendant is accused OF having
written were produced and identified
but they were not read aloud.
Many of the most prominent resi-
dents of .Easton are awaiting with
trepidation the developments in the
Poisoned Pen" case.
So far the authorities have jealousy
guarded the worst of the letters, which
| 1t is asserted were sent by Miss De
| Witt, who is the daughter of wealthy
George Dewitt, and which have
| threatened to wreck a score of homes.
The great question disturbing many
minds in Easton Is what will be dis
| closed. For the Poisoned Pen" made
many a family skeleton dance.
| Next to an alleged similarity be-
tween her handwriting and that of the
| scurrious letters, which have been
coming to hundreds of people In the
| last ten years. the chief evidence
against Miss Dewitt is said to be con-
tanned in a letter to member of the
i flock of Rev. Elmer E. Snyder. accus-
ing the pastors wife of hanging out
clothes still soiled, although supposed
| ly fresh, from the washtub.
Back faru 6dNo Niue.
| 1t is contended that the back yard
| of the parsonage where the clothes
are hung can be seen only from bay
window of the Dewitt home. A high
board fence hides the back yard from
the street. 1t is admitted that 1t was,
+ this, letter which first directed suspi-
| cion toward Miss Dewitt.
Sentiment is strongly divided as to
the guilt of Miss Dewitt. But. after
years of suspicion cast ON several 9TH
| err women, there is determination to
get to the bottom of the mystery now
If possible and end forever the heart
burnings that have upset so many
| households.
I The writer Of the anonymous letters
| boosted in one of her latest that she
| had written fully 1900 missives to
members of the Evangelical Lutheran
| church, telling what she described as
| unpleasant truths not only about the
pastor, but about his beautiful young
| bride of year. The writer went so
| far as to suggest that Mrs. Snyder had
danced in inadequate attire and had
| been far from conventionally clothed
when she swept off the front porch.
I Several times half hearted attempts
| have been made to trace the writer
{! since the letters began ten years ago.
| Two other women have been Informal
| ly arraigned before the United States
commissioner. One II them died two
years ago, her death FASTENED. her
| friends assert. by the humiliation OF
the unjust suspicious.
| The chief difficulty in the present
| case is the absolute lack OF motive on
Miss DeWitt's part. The only explana-
| ton of her luminosity toward the min
| lister, If any exists. goes back almost
to the time when Mr.. Snyder. Just out
| of Lafayette college, took charge of
| the old church ten years ago.
| At that time, the neighbors say
| Miss Dewitt was las good as engag-
ed" to a young man from Martins
/ Creek, who was a college and frater-
nifty mate of the young minister. When
! this man came to Easton he stopped at
the parsonage. After several such Wis
| its he ceased to visit Easton, and
\ whatever attachment there was be-
tween him and Miss Dewitt was
| broken OFF.
II may be that Miss Dewitt blamed
the estrangement on the minister IF
so. he declares he was innocent OF any
I desire to come between the couple.
although he admits that he never was
| attracted to Miss Dewitt.
As evidence OF her innocence. Miss
Dewitt will produce several anony-
nous letters which she says She has
herself received It will be asserted by
the prosecution that they were also
written by Miss Dewitt to be produced
in such time Of need as has now ar.
rived.