The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-31
SAYS MRS. ROSS
USED VILE WORDS
Attacked Her in Street Car, Accusing
Her of Being Husbands Affinity,
Miss Hamilton Says.


trip to California with him as you
planned, did you? You're a and
-"
These words alleged to have been
addressed by Mrs. Anna Ross to Miss
May Hamilton, q pretty milliner in
business at No. 45S Oakland-ave., In a
loud voice In q street car filed with
people, form the basis OF the slander
suit now In progress in Judge Murhn's 8
court. Mrs. Ross is the wife OF Fred
c. Ross, a lumberman. Her husband
had charged that she was insane, al
leging that, ever since their marriage
she had accused him of keeping sever
al afinities. Of giving them houses
and lots, and OF taking them on long
trips about the country. She was
committed to the Eloise asylum few
weeks ago, but soon released.
The slander complained of by Miss
Hamilton took place on a Fourteenth
car on March 3, 1910.
Il had been downtown shopping"
Miss Hamilton testified, "and in the
car on the way home / noticed a wo-
man opposite me who stared at me
continually. AS the car neared Can
feld-ave.. felt something brush
against my knee and / looked up and
saw this woman standing In front Of
me. Pointing her finger at me, she
exclaimed "You don't know me, but
and a -" The woman then stepped
from the car. was so thunderstruck
that | made no reply, but after she
left / spoke 10 man sitting beside
me. Il don't know that woman, what
would you do?" He told me to follow
her and find out who she was. got
of at the next corner and inquired
for more than an hour, but could
get no trace OF her."
Ibid that occurrence have any eff
feet upon your health?" the plaintiff
was asked.
IT was almost insane after the oc-
currence," she replied. IT have had
several attacks OF nervous prostration
since. and have been unable to
sleep. I worry continually"
"Did your neighbors and customers
hear of the attack"
yes. and many Of them spoke to
me about It."
DO you know this woman's hus-
band?" 81
q do not, never saw him in my
life." .s. ~. (.
did you know Mrs. Ross at that
timer
mo, and 1t cost me $25 to find out.
| had to advertise in the papers, and
a woman in Highland Park told me-"
Miss Hamilton was ready and anxi-
Gus to tell OF many instances in which
she alleges Mrs. Ross annoyed her
by calling her on the phone and max
ing serious charges against her, but
Judge Murfin ruled the evidence out
on the ground that II was impossible
to prove that the party on the line
was Mrs. Ross
"She said she was Mrs. Ross" the
witness spoke up.
But any woman might call you up
and say II was Mrs. Ross, and how
could you tell. unless you were well
enough acquainted to recognize the
voice?' the Judge replied
Miss Hamilton was ready to tell OF
many other instances, but II was
ruled out on the objection Of the al
torney for the defense on the ground
that the declaration mentioned only
the occurrence on the street car.
Herbert j. Rogers, conductor on the
car when Miss Hamilton claims TO have
been insulted and slandered, testified
that he was standing at the rear door.
while Mrs. Ross made her charges
near the front door, and he said he
heard all of her remarks, and distinct
ly heard the vile names used. At that
time he did not know Mrs. Ross, but
he recognized the defendant as the
woman who created the scene.
Several witnesses were called to tell
Of telephone conversations, In which
a woman claiming to be Mrs Ross
had called them up and told them OF
Miss Hamilton's alleged relations with
her husband, but Judge Murhn re.
fused TO allow them to testify on the
ground that they had no way OF prov
Ing that the speaker was Mrs. Ross.
Miss Carrie Hamilton. bookkeeper
with the San Telmo Cigar Co, and
sister OF the plaintiff said that on
March 8 when the plaintiff reached
home she was crying Historically.
Since then. she said, her sister had
had several attacks OF nervous pros.
tration, and was unable to sleep.
This condition she attributed to the
attack on the street car.
During the hearing Mrs. Ross sat
opposite the plaintiff. smiling most OF
the time, or sneering at the plaintiff
when a ruling OF the Judge favored
the defense.