The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1911-11-22
SENSATION
/. IN MURDER
TRIAL
Mrs. Patterson, Facing Muir
der Charge. Thinks Only of
Her Beautiful Gowns.

der Charge, Thinks Only OF
Her Beautiful Gowns.
tEy United Press Leased wirsj
DENVER. Colo, Nov. 22.-1
saw her standing over Pstterson's
PROSTATE body with revolver
pointed at his neck. She was about
TO fire again. cried out 20 stop
her. But she shot him In the back,
hid the revolver under his body and
ran"
This was the startling testimony
given today by George Strain, an
eyewitness 10 the shooting Of Pat
terson BY his wife. Gertrude, and
the first witness called in her trial
for his life. He took the stand aft
er the defense announced that u
would not follow Special Prose cut
or Benson's opening statement
with the defensc's statement until
the state rests.
The state demanded . verdict ~
guilty Of first degree murder.
DENVER. Colo. Nov. 22s-caIm
and Indifferent in the court room,
where the state demands the death
penalty for the killing OF her hus-
band, Gertrude Gibson Patterson In
plainly worried during the evening
hours. She Is worried. not by the
outcome OF the trial. but by the fear
that before Thanksgiving there will
be some creases in the numerous
costly gowns which form her ward
robe.
A Woman Who Gets Her Own Way.
II viii eat my Thanksgiving Day
dinner with my mother. and n
won't be In this fail, either sks
told the mafron at the close OF tho
first days trial. DO you suppose
you could hang this dress some
where so that II won't be mussedy~
she ratified on, in the same breath.
"A woman who gets her own way
always" IL the opinion OF tho
matron. The jail furnishes one bar
rier 20 this trait OF character.
Makes Sheriff Come to Her.
The sheriff sent word 10 her that
he wanted TO interview her In his
office. III you want 10 see me. call
on me This is my home" was the
message from her cell--and tho
sheriff went.
Strong disdain had Mrs Patter-
son. who Is pronounced the most
beautiful woman ever imprisoned in
a Colorado Jail, for other women i'm
prisoned In the same building
There were two other women
charged with murder. They were
wives who had suffered privation.
cruel blows. sordid treatment, with
no bright spots in their lives. and
had killed only when the strain OF
lnhumanity had overstepped the
limit Their cases hal no interest
for the woman whose career had
been one OF Partisan trips and
yoluptuous surroundings. They I'm
terested her only when both were
freed by juries OF men. who said
that their acts were justified.
Mrs. Patterson is saving her cost
~ clothes for a brilliant exit from
the jail. She believes that she win
be liberated. During the trial she
wears plain. threadhare gown that
Is a relic OF the days when she lived
with the man she killed. No merci-
less question of the prosecutor con-
corning the death penalty penetrat-
ed beneath the surface. and not even
a blush comes TO her cheeks as the
name of Emil Stnouss, to whom she
says she was sold for 1880. IL
banded by lawyers
But al night, in the flimsiesf Of
pink negii9ees, with the jail mstror
as companion. she Is troubled and
disturbed. She Is afraid that the
trunkful Of pretty clothes will
be mussed up, and complains that
there isn't really room enough in :
Jail cell to properly care for them.