Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-11-28
A RAG, A BONE,
A HANK Of HAIR
Prosecutor Benson Quotes
Kipling in Patterson
Murder Trial
ALWAYS SAME OLD STORY
Vice and Dissipation Lead to
Disgrace and Remorse
Inevitably

sarded as probable that the fate of
Gertrude Gibson Patterson, charged
with the murder of her husband.
Charles A. Patterson, in this city, on
September %, will be in the hands of
he jury tonight.
The last witness was heard this
forenoon. Judge Allen instructed the
jury and Special Prosecutor Horace
G. Benson began his closing argu-
ment for the state.
Explicit Instructions.
In his instructions, Judge Allen, for
the benefit Of twelve men who had
never before sat as jurors in MUIR
der case, was particularly explicit. In
the simplest language possible, he
gave an exposition of the laws defin-
ing murder in the first and second
degrees, and voluntary and involun-
tary manslaughter.
During the reading of the instruc-
tions, Mrs. Patterson's face was wax
en- in its pallor. This appearance
deepened as Prosecutor Benson, lay
ing stress on every bit of testimony
which he believed told against the
in measured tones address.
ed the jury.
A Fool There Was.
"a fool there was, and he made his
prayer Even as you and y.
"To rag and bone and hank
of hair
"We called her the woman who did
not care,
But the fool, he called her his
lady fair
Shot Him in the Back.
"And she shot him in the back"
was the way Attorney Benson opened
his address.
The prosecutor then took up the
early, life of the defendant in an at
tempt to convince the jury that it was
no unsophisticated 16 year old child,
but an experienced woman who won
the devotion of Emil W. Strouss in
Chicago. r ..et
Benson declared that the evidence
shows that Gertrude Gibson was
.twenty-one or twenty-five years of
age when she met the Chicago cloth
ing manufacturer, and five or six
years older than Charles A. Patter.
son, whom she shot three years later.
SaIoonkeeper Her First Victim.
"Joe Briscoe, the saloonkeeper, was
Mrs. Patterson's first, and Mr.. Strouss
her second, SO far as I have been able
to discover" Attorney Benson was
continuing when Attorney Hilton.
jumping to his feet, objected and the
court ordered the jury to disregard
this portion of the prosecutors argu.
ment.
Afraid of Being Hanged.
"My God, they are going to hang me.
Please help me-"
With her arms around the matron's
neck, Mrs. Gertrude Gibson Patterson
clung to Mrs. Normile. matron at the
county Jail, and sobbed for more than
an hour yesterday morning. When
she was led back into her cell by Mrs.
Normfle she dropped to her knees
and clung to her skirts, crying ooh,
please don't leave me: don't let them
hang me-" Mrs. Patterson is a faded
flower. Her beauty is withering and
her spirit crushed until the name oil
Emil Strouss is mentioned. Then he1
spirit is back. With eyes flashing
anger yesterday, she said:
"Strouss is a dirty cur and coward
just as he has always been. He should
be here at the trial to help me, in
stead OF hiding like dog and letting
me face all this trouble He is the
one man that could help me, now thai
am in trouble.
strouss Could Clear Name.
"He could break down this testf
mony that was the keeper OF st
Louis dive. He could prove an alibl
for me and clear my name that they
are dragging down in the mud. But
is he here" No." she cried dramatic
ally, swapping her fingers and strik
ing her hand with newspaper.
Mrs. Patterson's face was crimson
with anger when she referred TO the
man she blames for all her trouble.
NO." she repeated, ''he Is hiding
like dog, somewhere. don't know
where he is, hut do know that his
place Is here on the witness stand tc
protect me when l need him.
He always was coward and this
is what I should have expected from
him. But when he took me to Europe
was SO young that did not onder
stand and did not know SO much about
men as I do now. II had I would
have never been in this trouble.
4 Has Ruined Her Life.
"He has ruined my name, my life
and he has ruined my family. that II
what he has done. Now that he 4
Through with me and am in trouble
4 he is hiding like cur"
Don't you think that II Strousl
! knew that you wanted him as q Wit
!. ness he would come to Denver and
: help your" she was asked.
4 mo, he would not, he IL too mucl
Q Of coward" he replied. Don't 70,
+ suppose he Is reading every word 0
. this testimony? He knows 1ust wha
( kind Of q position I am in, and II b
I tlwere man he would come hare Al
help me" II
~ :. M n siss II Il