Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-06-16
Mrs, Stewart Ford Carried
Painting From Courtroom
After Ordeal Such as Seldom
Falls to Lot of Witness.
COOKE TRIAL FULL
OF PATH0S AND TRAGEDY
Wife of Alleged Thief of Big
Four Funds Sticks to Him
Loyalty Despite Shocking
Disclosures of InfideIity.
By Morning journal spec,ai Leased Wire,

TBv Morning Journal Specini Leased wirel
Cincinnati, O., Tune 15.-Mrs Jean
cite Steward-Ford is in hospital to-
night attempting 10 recover from the
ordeal of her examination today in
the trial Of Edgar S. Cooke, accused OF
embe2zling S22,000 from the Big -Four
railway.
Forced to bare her past to the mi
nutest detail and TO confess her sins
in the hearing Of Mrs Cooke, the
woman who helped to lead Cooke,
Warrner and other Big Four officials
astray, collapsed utterly when, while
clasping her siX-year-od daughter in
her arms, she was forced to admit
that the child was born out of we'd
lock.
This has brought on relapse that
may prove fatal to Mrs. Ford" said
her physician as he prepared his
patient for the return to the hospital
where she has been for practically a
year.
In order TO spare her further sur
fering, attorneys for the state and de-
fense agreed as to the admission of
certain letters aud kilograms which
Mrs. Ford had exchanged with Cooke
and then announced that her cross
examination and redirect questioning
was over.
The morning session was full OF
sentiment and dramatic situations but
the afternoon was given over to dry
testimony from the railroad employees
as to the methods In disposing Ct old
account books and records Of the Big
Four. 4 ss&azs
The prosecution presented these
,,..t. 49, 4. l.1s sg1,
claims that search had failed to re-
veal the books which, it is alleged,
would show that Cooke was short in
his accounts. Establishment of the
fact that the books had been destroy
ed in the ordinary course would jus
tify the states use of secondary evil
dencs to prove the charge against
Cooke, ii is said.
The defense scored point durins
this testimony when James Costello
testified that he had put the cash
books from 1901 to 1904 in the ma
cerating machine, at Charles Warrl-
ner's orders, said that this had taken
place about two and a half years ago.
Warriner swore on Tuesday that he
had not seen the books for five years.
When an employe Of the auditing
department of the road was not al
lowed to answer questions as 10 the
amount OF WARMERS shortage, the
state decided to introduce twenty
five account books which, II is assert
ed, win show how much money War
riner took from the Big Four. These
win be Offered in evidence tomorrow.
When Mrs. Cooke, who has stead
lastly stood by her husband, took n
seat at his side today there was a
murmur of expectancy intensified
when Mrs Ford's invalid chair was
wheeled In front OF the jury but there
was no indication on the wites coun-
tenance that she felt anything but
pity for the other woman.
Mrs. Ford's daughter, aged six. ran
to her mother just as the latter said.
There is my daughter jeanette ana
she Is Cookies child.
The witness burst into sobs as she
made this confession and tears
streamed down the faces of jurymeh
and spectators.
So shaken was Mrs. Ford by the in
cident that she was removed from
The room. Her physician declared she
could not stand further questioning
and court adjourned.
Under the cross-eXamnation that
preceded adjournment, Mrs. Ford ad-
mitted having shot and wounded
Cooke, of having had him arrested for
assault in Chicago and later for non
support of their child.
Letters that had passed between
the two were read. In many of them
Cooke referred to his wife as "o. IL. p
which Mrs. Ford testified meant old
hag
At the outset of her cross-e -eXamin-
alton Attorney Baker for the defense,
led Mrs. Ford back to her earlier
career and the name of Frank Com
stock. who preceded Warmer as To-
cal treasurer OF the Big -Four, was
again brought into the trial
Who told you Comstock was
Short" asked Baker.
Cooke told me"
How well did you know Com
stock?"
We'll. a bit more than friendly.
Isn't II true that you and comsteek
went ON two weeks spree and that
while on 1t he told YOU of his short
age"
Maybe he did"
..