The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-16
TESTIMONY STILL
MOST DAMAGING
"Mrs. Klein" Continues Her
Story of the Schenk
Poison Plot
HUSBAND WORSE AFTER
MRS. SCHENK'S VISIT
Detective-Nurse Says High
Words Were Heard Be-
tween Ill Husband and
SchemIng Wife

WHEELING, W. VA, January 16.
A slim, biue-eyed little woman, whose
feet cleared the floor as she sat in the
witness chair smiled her way through
the tedium OF veteran criminal law
yerS cross examination, and proved
the feature of the Schenk case this
morning.
The witness was Mrs. Klein" the
Pittshurg detective, who donned
nurses cap and apron to trap Mrs.
Laura Farnsworth Schenk in her al
legged poison plot. After three hours
of continual questioning, Attorney ..
.. Boyce, for the defense, had devel-
oped hardly an essential.
How long do YOU propose to keep
this up" Judge Jordan demanded
just before noon adjournment. Boyce
replied, Why, several hours
If it was the defense's program TO
confuse Mrs. Klein into contfadoc-
tons, 1t was a marked failure. The
little operative met Royces severity
With quiet answers and parted his
persistence with flashes of amusement.
At the outset Prosecutor Handlan
was plainly nervous. He had openly
owned TO hesitaney to calling Mrs.
Klein, but as the cross-examination
progressed. and Boyce ran against the
wall of her perfect composure. Hand
Ham showed his enjoyment. Frequent
ly he chuckied and turned in his chair
to grin at Mrs. Schenk's counsel.
Admittedly the defense's cue IS To
leave the jury with an unfavorab Bile
impression of the detective. The trend
of BUyce's questions showed that. Taf1.
gaunt. deliberately threatening. tho
experience d lawyer shot in his edged
questions.
Why. you're liar. spy" he said
once. Now. earen't you?" he per-
sisted.
The detectives reply was a shruE
and smile.
Only when Boyce demanded the de-
tails of her married life and her sep
aration from her husband. DR.. Julius
Klein. did the witness hesitate. she
showed signs of nervousness. but
quickly recovered when Handlan gain.
ed her a respite
Mrs. Schenk sat through the threA
hours without single sign OF inter-
est Her stolidity was like that Of the
first few days OF the trial. Her soli-
tary show of feeling was a faint smile
when Boyce declared he would con-
tinue the cross-examination several
hours.
Mrs Klein. or Miss Elnora Zoreek.
"a
dark material. The heavy brown veil
had been exchanged for one OF blue,
which the nurse threw back from her
face as soon as she became seated
In the witness box
She looked once at Mrs. Schenk.
who returned an unsmiling glance.
While she waited for the stenographer
to read a portion of tho concluding
testimony al Saturday witness aat
with her chin In her hand and. =syes
ON the floor. Mrs. Schenk watched
her keenly.
Mrs Klein told OF going to the
Schenk home from the hospital for
a pillow. Mrs. Schenk and the two
Mrs. Schenk declared she had the
Schenk money well saltad."
For the three days prior to her ar-
rest Mrs. Schenk, the witness said,
was decidedly eYasise.s She sveidea
meeting the detective on every occA~
sion. Once she requested the detec-
tive and Miss Evans. the regular nurse.
to leave her alone with her husband.
Heard High Words.
We heard high words behind the
door witness said. Mrs. Schenk
left shortly and the patient was much
worse
Witness said the instructions wero
never to leave the prisoner alone
cept when II threatened an open
breach with Mrs. Schenk. We didn't
want that" witness said.
The nurse said on another occasion
that Mrs. Schenk remarked: DIR.
Hupp says John Is liable to drop
dead any moment / have determined
to stick it out and be as happy ~
/ can"
The night OF Mrs. Schenk's arrest
Mrs. Klein was alone with the prfs-
oner In Prosecutor Handlan's library.
The detective pretended great disap-
pointment.
My God. Mrs. Schenk, what hnvs
you got me into" witness said she
reproached the prisoner. who Is said
to have replied:
shut up. you darned fool Lie QUE
OF it. Keep quiet. Everything Will
be all right.
Witness told of Mrs. Schenk's dis
covering the little white labels placed
on Schenks medicine bottles TO ascer-
tain whe - the contents were tAm~
pered with.
What are these white marks?"
witness said she inquired sharply.
The detectives explanation was thA4
they were a precautioE against oveF~
filling at the drug store. This ap~
parently satisfied Mrs. Schenk's cue
riosity.
Tho detective laughed outrtg11
when the, prosecutor asked her whO.
Their she had any personal aniEnosi11
against the prisoner
No, indeed" she said promptly.
Cross examination was begun by A.
torney Boyce for the defense.
You were TO make Mrs. Schen4
think you were her friend. believe.
tevue terNf Systematically.
The witness nodded.
~ was to leave lothing undone -
catch her" SHE rapii4d
"You We're to lie to herr"
The witness hesitased. Then a1M
said. Yes" s
I'm other words. you were being poi
money for conapirfng against thin IN
manf" Boyce persisted In : draxn1
tone III s ss3s3 II
The dstsctive smiled and incl1ne
head. She was abeof ~ ano19
HAndlan intaxx1RteA VIII