Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-14
rechnicality Based on Federal
Rule of Practice over 100
Years Old.
DEFENDANT mot GUILTY.
Between 200 and 800 Pen Printed
Anonymous, Obscene Letters
Sent Clergyman by Jeal-
Gus Woman.

Philadelphia Dec IA technical
lty based on n federal rule of prac-
tce in force for more than 100 years
brought to an abrupt end in the INT
,ed states court here to-day the poi
soned pen" case in which Miss Iiar-
rict Dewitt of Easton, Pa, was ac-
cused of writing anonymous. obscene
letters to an EaSton clergyman, his
wife and some of his neighhorS. The
case was called before Judge Nc
Pherson and when the government at
tempted to have admitted in evidence
n sample of Miss Dewitt's handwrit-
ing the court ruled It out on the
ground that under the existing rule
Of practice a test paper cannot be adj
ritted as evidence unless it has some
other bearing on the case other than
& mere test to show comparison of
handwriting.
j. c. Swartley. assistant L. s. die
trict attorney. who conducted the case
for the government. announced That
With the exclusion of this test paper
.hc case foil and Judge Mcpherson Ill
-ccted the jury to return verdict II
not guilty.
Judge Mcpherson in excluding the
the paper ought to be admitted, but
that he had to abide by the federal
law. state laws admit such papers,
out they are not admissible in the
federal courts except where they have
'ome direct relation 20 the case.
WORK OF JEALOUS WOMAN.
The poisoned pen" case has attract
I'd considerable attention. The letters
were evidently the work of a jealous
Woman. according to the lawyers in
the case. and most Of them were aim
cd at the Rev. Elmer f Snyder of
christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Easton. He had received between 200
and 800 of pen printed anonymous let
:ers Members of his congregation
had received them. and his wife and
some neighbors were also the targets
Of the letter writer. The letters had
been coming to these people for more
than nine years and various persons
In the church and in the community
had been falsely accused Of writing
them, and much i'll feeling had been
stirred up. Last summer the postal
inspectors, who had been working on
the case for several years, arrested
Miss Dewitt.
The Rev Mr.. Snyder. his wife and sew
eral other women drawn into the case
through receiving anonymous letters.
testified to-day to having received the
defamatory communications Mr. Snyder
and his wife and Miss Florence VIII
lauer, with whose parents Mr.. Snyder
lived before he was married. told OF
Miss Dewitt kissing at them as they pass.
ed on the streets and of her making
faces at them. Other neighbors of the
Snyders and Wiauers told of receiving
letters.
ACCUSED THE DEFENDANT
The government then called Valentine
Schoenberger a postal Inspector, who
investigated the case. He told of sus.
picion pointing to Miss Dewitt. He Sent
for her and after getting her to per
print four lines at his dictation in the
presence of her attorney. he said he ac-
FUSED her of writing the letters She
denied 1t, he said and she told him she
also had received some of the letters
with this testimony the government Of
fered the sample writing in evidence and
the court threw it out
MISS Dewitt smilingly accepted the con.
EHatulationS of her friends. who crowd
ed about her when the jury rendered
IT'S verdict in accordance with the court !
directions.