Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-28
sEEREss TELLS
HER VERSION Of
STRONG MURDER
Tricked Accused Husband Into
Making Alleged Confess
sion of Killing Wife.
especial to the Newark start


MAYS LANDING, March 2s.-Dam-
aging testimony relating to an alleged
confession to a spirit medium on the
Atlantic City boardwalk with detectives
hiding in the background, and the
gruesome exhibit of a human throat
with fi~nger-1narks imprinted on 1t were
features Of the opening days Of the trial
OF William II. Strong, charged with
numbering his wife. Mary Craig Strong.
on october IA last at their lonely farm
near NeSco, about eighteen miles from
this place.
strong Is Restless.
William Strong spent a restless night
after the first day of his trial for the
murder Of his wife, and said this morn
ing In his cell to u porter that he was
worried over the threat Of the prose-
cptor TO bring on the stand Madam
Pauline Gerard, of e25 Boardwalk, TO
whon he is alleged to have made q con-
fession in the presence of detectives.
Speaking of the affair this morning,
Strong said 1t was outrageous. THAT
woman had me In such a state that day
she made me say anything she wanted
to, and / was In a daze for hours after
wards. For two weeks / was so ner-
Vous That 1 couldn't eat or sleep.
Whether she ~hypnctized me or not l
don't know. Blu l do know that she
had such Influence over me that / did
not know what l vas doing. God knows
l am innocent of this crime, and if she
made mo say anything else that day,
because she was paid by the detectives,
It is wrong and she ought TO be pun
ished for 1t.
ClsiryoysDt Testf8es.
Madam Pauline Gerard, the clair
voyant TO whom Strong went for a
reading after the crime, took the stand
at IL o'clock after Prosecutor c. L.
Goldenberg had testified and under
gone a cross-examination regarding
the methods he used to get the al
legged confession upon which the State
depends for n conviction.
Madam Gerard's story was substan-
TALLY as follows:
MY real name is Mrs. Pauline Elder,
and ! conduct q place OF business near
the Hotel Rudolph. Atlantic City.
Strong came to nj the first time for a
reading, asking me questions about mis-
dead wife and asked me to gel for
him il she had any moro messages FOR
him. He wac in u cheerful mood and
showed pictures OF his wife and him
self. He left q list OF questions for
her. In the rear Of my o is a wall
made Of thin laths and muslin, through
which the sound OF voices readily car
ries. When l sent for Strong to como
Mr.. Baitzell and Mr.. Guyer, detectives.
came d abort time before Strong did
and tool1 their places behind the parti-
ton"
At this point counsel tried to read the
list OF questions before offering them
In evidence, and a short recess was
ordered by Judge Trenchard. Madam
Gerard, richly dressed in black velvet.
caused a stir in the crowded court
room, and necks were craned as she
proceeded with her story OF the con-
fession.
Defense objects.
Nine. Gerard continued:
Il answered the questions he ask I'd
lie, then l said Now, we have gone
through the questions, let us talk about
this case II vas just a conversation
He gave me a key and I began TO talk
to him. I said, I have something more
to tell you You know you have an
awful temper"
Here the defense halted her story
again and moved to have her testimony
stricken out. Testimony was taken as
to the voluntary nature of Strong's
story and the trick" played upon
Strong by asking him TO come alone
and concealing the detectives. Nine.
Gerard said: 81 did II as an honest
woman to find out II he was innocent
or guilty. because IT was my duty"
The sensation of yesterday was sprang
when DR.. Henry w. Cattel, former
coroner's physician OF Philadelphia
and a medical expert OF international
fame. was placed on the stand and
asked to produce the throat of the muir
dered woman. The flesh had been pre-
served with druss. and showed finger
prints IN the neck. The expert testi-
fed that 1t was choking. not the
wounds made subsequently with a turf.
Ing hoe, that caused the tragedy.
Strong's counted strenuousiy objected,
and when. after heated arguments. Jus
1 4fra Tt<onnLnAa av.-fFxr o4-e9na A..